Cognitive Biases and the Cultural Disconnect between Engineers and Decision-Makers
![handle is hein.journals/techssj17 and id is 35 raw text is:
Technium Social Sciences Journal
Vol. 17, 35-62, March, 2021
ISSN: 2668-7798
SOCIAL SCIENCES JOURNAL www.techniumscience.com
Cognitive Biases and the Cultural Disconnect between
Engineers and Decision-makers
Nigel Booker1, Jeffrey D. Gates2, Peter Knights3
123The University of Queensland, Australia
n booker@hotmail.coml, j.gates@uq.edu.au2, p.knights@uq.edu.au3
Abstract. Engineering culture is alien to the way the average person thinks and makes decisions.
There is a dichotomy between the evidence-based analytical methodologies used by engineers
and the intuitive or heuristic processes commonly used by the general public. Both can be
appropriate in context, but wrong choices can lead to undesirable and sometimes dire
consequences. For the recommendations from an engineering analysis to be accepted by non-
technical decision-makers, the findings must be presented in a manner that takes account of
human factors. Successful engineers are those who are proficient in translating the language of
their technical discipline into that of broader society. A key skill is consequential reasoning,
which is contained within engineering codes of ethics but is also critical to the persuasive power
of analytical findings. Students and early-career engineers need structured learning in
communication and in socio-cultural and emotional intelligence. They need exposure to
cognitive psychology and epistemology, especially in relation to bias and false logic. If formal
humanities courses cannot be accommodated in the undergraduate engineering degree, then post-
graduate and continuing professional development opportunities should be offered.
Keywords. Behavioural Engineering, Cognitive Bias, Consequential Reasoning, Critical
Thinking, Decision Analysis, Socio-cultural intelligence
1. Introduction and Objectives
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are so certain of themselves, yet
wiser people so full of doubts.
3rd Earl Bertrand Russell, The Triumph of Stupidity, 1933.[1]
The typical role of an engineer can be described as the collection and analysis of technical data,
leading to judgements about the most favourable set of parameters to ensure optimal
performance of a machine, structure, or system. However, the final decisions in such matters
are often made by people other than those who have performed the analysis. Therefore, a major
task for the engineer is to so communicate the methods of analysis and their outcomes that the
decision-maker will be most likely to make the best choice. This task is frequently more difficult
than engineers anticipate.
A decision involves both electing to behave in a certain way and committing oneself to follow
through with this choice [2]. This paper will firstly review the ways in which decision analysis
has evolved, within society in general and engineering specifically. It will argue that
engineering training regimes inadequately equip engineers to communicate their findings to
non-technical people. It is the thesis of this paper that cognitive psychology and decision-
35](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.journals/techssj17&div=4&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
What Is HeinOnline?
Contact us for annual subscription options:
Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?
profiles profiles most
Cognitive Biases and the Cultural Disconnect between Engineers and Decision-Makers
Contact us for annual subscription options:
Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?
profiles profiles most