<p>It's not a bias. It is natural human nature. At least the 2 year old's case is.</p>

<p>It's just like how you would not have thought of going to Six Flags (An amusement park) unless it was mentioned to you. </p>

<p>When the 2 year old hears ice cream, the kid thinks of the sweet taste, or the pleasure ice cream brings. In the kid's case, the case is <em>impatience</em> or <em>inability to defer gratification</em>. </p>

<p>For the employee, it is simply that he thinks the cycling of the tank and fish delivery would take less longer than a week or two.</p>

<p>The two examples are both different things. I am positive that the 2 year old's case is NOT a bias. The employee's case may simply be surprise. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-25T03:50:00.217Z
Your first two sentences are written as if to imply that biases aren't part human nature. That doesn't seem reasonable to me.
Artem Kaznatcheev
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-23T19:16:00.990Z
2013-07-23T19:16:00.990Z
CoonKitteh
<p>I'm looking for the name of the cognitive bias that is expressed in the following story.</p>

<p>A fellow coworker was instrumental in getting a 75 gallon fish tank installed in the lobby of the company that we work at a couple of weeks ago. The water needs to cycle for a while before fish can be introduced. The other day he was testing the water when someone walked by and asked when we would be getting fish. He said probably a week or so. The person was appalled that it would take so long to get fish.</p>

<p>The company had been without a fish tank for 20 years and now they've had one for a couple weeks and this person thought one or two more weeks was way too long to wait. <strong>What is the name of this bias?</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-04T23:25:12.903Z
Sounds alot like the [hedonic treadmill](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_treadmill).
Artem Kaznatcheev
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-05T00:36:29.613Z
@JoshJohnson: Sounds a lot like the - there is an empty fish tank, we should probably fill it soon, now that it is actually here in the lobby....and that cycling the water and getting fish shouldn't take that long, in scope of themselves.
Greg McNulty
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-22T09:31:27.423Z
It is a question of unsatisfied need, not bias. ie, you are going to shopping with a list, after shopping you realize that you bought few things more. you satisfied needs which were not in your focus.
ICanFeelIt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-22T09:33:03.947Z
in addition bias could be seen in a behavior which product you'v choosen. Is it cheap or well advertised product or something new... etc.
ICanFeelIt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-23T14:56:48.893Z
@what Maybe. In this case I would not call the tank "unattractive". It had nice landscaping and plants the whole time. The reaction (to this and other similar "projects") was akin to how a 2-year-old can be just fine until you mention that you will take them to get ice cream later in the afternoon. Now that "ice cream" has entered their reality they need it now and "this afternoon" is too far away. If it had never been mentioned they wouldn't have thrown a fit.
Josh Johnson
<cognitive-psychology><motivation><well-being><bias>
Name of the bias where someone really needs something after they find out it exists
Josh Johnson
# Name of the bias where someone really needs something after they find out it exists

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-06-04)

I'm looking for the name of the cognitive bias that is expressed in the following story.

A fellow coworker was instrumental in getting a 75 gallon fish tank installed in the lobby of the company that we work at a couple of weeks ago. The water needs to cycle for a while before fish can be introduced. The other day he was testing the water when someone walked by and asked when we would be getting fish. He said probably a week or so. The person was appalled that it would take so long to get fish.

The company had been without a fish tank for 20 years and now they've had one for a couple weeks and this person thought one or two more weeks was way too long to wait. **What is the name of this bias?**

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology, motivation, well-being, bias

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Sounds alot like the [hedonic treadmill](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_treadmill).  
> **username_2**: @JoshJohnson: Sounds a lot like the - there is an empty fish tank, we should probably fill it soon, now that it is actually here in the lobby....and that cycling the water and getting fish shouldn't take that long, in scope of themselves.  
> **username_3**: It is a question of unsatisfied need, not bias. ie, you are going to shopping with a list, after shopping you realize that you bought few things more. you satisfied needs which were not in your focus.  
> **username_3**: in addition bias could be seen in a behavior which product you'v choosen. Is it cheap or well advertised product or something new... etc.  
> **username_0**: @what Maybe. In this case I would not call the tank "unattractive". It had nice landscaping and plants the whole time. The reaction (to this and other similar "projects") was akin to how a 2-year-old can be just fine until you mention that you will take them to get ice cream later in the afternoon. Now that "ice cream" has entered their reality they need it now and "this afternoon" is too far away. If it had never been mentioned they wouldn't have thrown a fit.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2013-07-23. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

It's not a bias. It is natural human nature. At least the 2 year old's case is.

It's just like how you would not have thought of going to Six Flags (An amusement park) unless it was mentioned to you.

When the 2 year old hears ice cream, the kid thinks of the sweet taste, or the pleasure ice cream brings. In the kid's case, the case is *impatience* or *inability to defer gratification*.

For the employee, it is simply that he thinks the cycling of the tank and fish delivery would take less longer than a week or two.

The two examples are both different things. I am positive that the 2 year old's case is NOT a bias. The employee's case may simply be surprise.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Your first two sentences are written as if to imply that biases aren't part human nature. That doesn't seem reasonable to me.  

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