Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Error refers to a mistake or deviation from what is considered correct or expected. In psychology, errors can occur in various cognitive processes such as memory retrieval, decision-making, perception, and judgment.
Related terms
Cognitive bias: Cognitive bias refers to systematic errors in thinking that occur when people deviate from rationality or objective reasoning due to unconscious influences or faulty decision-making processes.
Memory distortion: Memory distortion is a type of error that happens when our memories become altered or modified over time due to various factors like forgetting details or incorporating false information.
Perceptual error: Perceptual error occurs when our perception of the external world is distorted or inaccurate, leading to misinterpretations or misunderstandings of sensory information.