Why We Think More People Agree With Us Than Actually Do
Why do we overestimate agreement?
Imagine you love working from home.
You think:
“Most people probably prefer this too.”
Your coworker loves going into the office and thinks:
“Most people probably feel the same way I do.”
Both of you may be experiencing the false consensus effect.
It is our tendency to overestimate how many other people share our opinions, habits, values, and preferences.
Why does this happen?
Because our own beliefs are the ones we know best.
We also tend to spend time with people who are somewhat similar to us—friends, family, coworkers, social-media circles.
That can create the illusion that our view is simply “normal.”
So we may think:
“Everyone knows this.”
“Most people would choose what I chose.”
“Anyone reasonable would agree with me.”
But the world is usually much more varied than our personal circle suggests.
The lesson
When you catch yourself saying:
“Most people think this way,”
ask:
“Do I actually know that—or am I using myself and my social circle as the sample?”
Your opinion may be common.
But it may also just be common around you.
