Understanding and Mitigating Authority Bias in Business and Beyond


Creative Commons License

Güner Gültekin D.

Overcoming Cognitive Biases in Strategic Management and Decision Making, Enis Sınıksaran, Editör, IGI Global yayınevi, Pennsylvania, ss.57-72, 2024

  • Yayın Türü: Kitapta Bölüm / Araştırma Kitabı
  • Basım Tarihi: 2024
  • Yayınevi: IGI Global yayınevi
  • Basıldığı Şehir: Pennsylvania
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.57-72
  • Editörler: Enis Sınıksaran, Editör
  • İstanbul Medipol Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The need for authority in society persists, with individuals expected to follow instructions unless in absolute isolation. Epistemic authorities, perceived as having valid knowledge in specific fields, guide peoples' understanding of the world. This includes leaders, experts, and even automated systems, all of whom can influence attitudes and actions. However, blind obedience to authority has detrimental consequences, referred to as “authority bias.” This bias leads people to reflexively follow perceived legitimate authorities, impacting law enforcement, policymaking, business, marketing, and consumer behaviour. It can be triggered by symbols of authority, compelling storytelling, and charismatic figures. Today, it extends to non-human entities such as algorithms and robots, raising questions about their role in decision-making. Mitigation strategies include introducing conflicting authorities and empowering junior employees to challenge opinions with data.