--- title: "Hindsight Bias: Changing What You Said, After the Fact" id: "14327" type: "post" slug: "hindsight-bias-changing-what-you-said-after-the-fact" published_at: "2012-11-07T23:37:38+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-15T19:07:40+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2012/11/07/hindsight-bias-changing-what-you-said-after-the-fact/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2012/11/07/hindsight-bias-changing-what-you-said-after-the-fact.md" excerpt: "Do you have a hindsight bias problem? If your recent history is looking revisionist in nature, you might. Also: Could a TripAdvisor for events work?" taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "bias" - "Leadership" - "online events" - "psychology" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Hindsight Bias: Changing What You Said, After the Fact Let’s admit it: If we could erase the stuff we got wrong after the fact, we totally would. It’s human nature. “Oh, I knew Obama would win, even though I said two weeks ago Romney had it in the can,” you might say. But it could be a deeper issue than you might even assume. Hindsight bias, and more, in today’s Social Media Roundup: ### Rewriting (Your Own) History https://twitter.com/vincefavilla/status/266295709895127041 **According to MinnPost’s Susan Perry,** we often have the tendency to rewrite how we believe something might happen … [after the fact (opens in a new tab)](http://www.minnpost.com/second-opinion/2012/11/hindsight-bias-everyone-brilliant-political-pundit) . It’s called hindsight bias, and it’s a real thing. A key example of where this shows up? Elections, when we tend to convince ourselves after the fact that we supported the winner all along. This can have negative effects, according to Perry. “One consequence is myopia. By biasing us toward the incorrect cause of an event, our hindsight bias can interfere with our ability to learn from experience,” she explains. The election is one thing — but there’s real danger in doing this in a business context. How can you avoid it? *(ht [@vincefavilla (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/vincefavilla/status/266295709895127041) )* ### A TripAdvisor for Events > Event Library: Will a Trip Advisor Work in the Meetings Industry? [http://t.co/iKA2Yf28 (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/iKA2Yf28) > [#pmpi (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/pmpi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > , [#mpi (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/mpi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > , [#eventprofs (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eventprofs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > , [#meetings (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/meetings?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > , [#conventions (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/conventions?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > — MPI Potomac (@MPIPotomac) [November 7, 2012 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/MPIPotomac/status/266304071743451136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Could events use a review format?** [According to Meetings & Conventions’ Michael J. Shapiro (opens in a new tab)](http://www.meetings-conventions.com/blog_ektid51496.aspx?cid=eltrMtgNews) , there might be. Shapiro, in a glance of a new site called [Event Library (opens in a new tab)](http://event-library.com/) — which he says is interesting but very limited as far as actual reviews go — says there may be room for such a site, but the real problem is the lack of content. “I’ve likewise heard a number of discussions about the challenges of getting sufficient planner input for public, meetings-specific sites and forums, in order to reach a comfortable and regular rate of growth to keep such a site vital,” he explains. Would you use a site like Event Library — if things got moving a little more? *(ht [@PMPI1 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/PMPI1/status/266304071743451136) )* See anything cool today? Let us know in the comments. (Photo by tonyamaker/SXC.hu) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#bias](https://associationsnow.com/tag/bias/) [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) [#online events](https://associationsnow.com/tag/online-events/) [#psychology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/psychology/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Contract: Building Stronger Destination PartnershipsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-contract-building-stronger-destination-partnerships/) - [TemplateMembers onlyOnline Event Cheat Sheet for HostFebruary 1, 2022](https://associationsnow.com/2022/02/01/online-event-cheat-sheet-for-host/) - [VideoMelvin Tennant, CAE, President & CEO of Meet Minneapolis, Welcomes You to Great Ideas 2026September 2, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/02/melvin-tennant-cae-president-ceo-of-meet-minneapolis-welcomes-you-to-great-ideas-2026/) - [VideoASAE TV Daily Recap: Final Day at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/24/asae-tv-daily-recap-final-day-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2012%2F11%2F07%2Fhindsight-bias-changing-what-you-said-after-the-fact%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !