Error management theory (EMT) is an approach to perception and cognition biases originally coined by David Buss and Martie Haselton. Error management training is a related area that uses this theory. The objective of it is to encourage trainees to make errors and encourage them in reflection to understand the causes of those errors and to identify suitable strategies to avoid making them in future.[1]
Various biases in thinking and decision-making have been highlighted by Daniel Kahneman and have been shown to cause cognitive errors in psychological and economic decisions. Cognitive biases in error management theory refer to biases and heuristics that have undergone positive selection because they confer evolutionary benefits. According to this theory, recurrent cost asymmetries between two types of errors Type 1 and 2 over evolutionary time should result in a bias to make the less costly error (i.e., adaptive rationality leads to cognitive biases).
Error management theory asserts that evolved mindreading mechanisms will be biased to produce more of one type of inferential error than another.[2] These mindreading biases have been examined in the domain of mating psychology. Error management theory provides a possible explanation for the discovery that men often tend to overperceive women's sexual interest and women tend to underperceive men's commitment intent. The theory has been supported by empirical findings,[failed verification] but researchers are still[when?] testing and refining it.[3] Newer research suggests exceptions and refinements to the theory, such as postmenopausal effects, the possible projection of sexual and commitment self-interest,[4] and other differences including unrestricted sociosexuality.[5]