Final answer:
Defense mechanisms are unconscious behaviors like reaction formation, regression, and projection that protect against anxiety, while cognitive biases are patterns of quick thinking that can lead to errors. Both are used by everyone and can be mitigated by critical thinking.
Step-by-step explanation:
Everyone uses defense mechanisms, but when overused, they can be problematic. These unconscious protective behaviors, such as reaction formation, regression, and projection, are designed to reduce anxiety by distorting reality. In the case of reaction formation, an individual may express feelings or behaviors that are the opposite of their true inclinations.
Regression involves reverting to behavior from an earlier stage of development when faced with stress. With projection, a person attributes their own undesirable thoughts or feelings to someone else. These mechanisms function to shield the ego and maintain a sense of control or self-esteem.
Similarly, cognitive biases impact our decision-making processes. Cognitive bias refers to a pattern of 'quick' thinking based on heuristics, or 'rule of thumb,' which can lead to mistakes or less-than-optimal decisions when not checked by careful reasoning.
Awareness and critical thinking can mitigate the effects of cognitive biases, promoting more accurate and reflective decision-making, which is vital in fields such as human factors psychology and in day-to-day life.