Emotions vs Strategy (Cognitive Dissonance)

Published on Nov 1, 2024

In poker, cognitive dissonance can emerge when a player experiences conflict between their emotions or intuition and the logical decisions required to play optimally. For example, suppose a player is in a situation where they feel uncertain or afraid of losing, yet logically, they know that pushing forward or bluffing is statistically the best play. The tension between their fear (emotion) and rational strategy (logic) is cognitive dissonance in action.

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 - Emotions can impact execution of strategy

Here are a few examples of how cognitive dissonance might show up in poker:

  1. Playing a Hand Based on Emotion vs. Logic: A player might become emotionally attached to a hand because they have a gut feeling or emotional investment, even though the odds suggest folding. Here, the logical action (folding a weak hand) is in conflict with their desire to see the hand through, creating dissonance.

  2. Selective Memory: If a player has a losing streak, they might remember times they won by deviating from strategy rather than focusing on the overall statistics that favor disciplined play. This selective memory helps reduce the discomfort of realizing that disciplined play would have been better long-term.

  3. Results-Oriented Thinking: Cognitive dissonance can also show up in the way players interpret outcomes. A player might feel they made a poor play that accidentally led to winning the pot. The dissonance here is between the knowledge that it was a bad play and the rewarding feeling of winning. This might reinforce the incorrect idea that breaking strategy can lead to success, even though disciplined play is more profitable over time.

In poker, overcoming cognitive dissonance often means training oneself to separate emotions from strategy and maintaining disciplined decision-making, even in the face of immediate emotional discomfort. It’s a powerful skill for any serious poker player aiming to stay on top of their game!