Definition
A cognitive bias in which a pilot's decision is influenced by how information is presented rather than by the underlying facts. The same situation, described in different terms, can lead to different choices even when the actual risks and options are identical.
Plain English
The way a problem is worded changes how a pilot reacts to it, even when the real situation hasn't changed. Hearing 'a 90% chance of landing safely' feels very different from 'a 10% chance of an accident' — but they describe the same thing.
Context Anchor
Seen in pilot judgment, risk management, weather decisions, fuel planning, and go/no-go choices.
Derivation
From 'frame,' meaning the border or setting around a picture. A frame doesn't change what's inside it, but it changes how you see it. Framing bias is the same idea applied to information: the surrounding wording changes the perception of the facts.
Why Pilots Care
Can produce inconsistent or unsafe choices when the same facts are presented with different emphasis during flight planning or emergencies.
Analogy
It is like hearing “only 20 minutes late” instead of “20 minutes less daylight.” The facts are the same, but one wording feels minor and the other points to a real limit.
Grounding Statement
Framing bias happens when the presentation of the situation changes how the pilot feels about the decision, even though the underlying facts are unchanged.
Intuition Check
Framing bias is not about the aircraft frame, and it is not about deliberate prejudice. It means the wording, setup, or point of view around a decision is steering your judgment.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor warned that framing bias can creep in when a dispatcher describes a flight as 'mostly within limits' rather than 'within limits with one exception.'
Example Sentence 2
ATC's description framed the holding pattern as a delay instead of extra fuel burn, altering the crew's diversion decision.