misassumptions
Faulty initial premises
Misassumptions are mistaken beliefs or incorrect premises taken for granted.
The word emphasizes that the error lies not in reasoning from assumptions but in the assumptions themselves: The project failed because of misassumptions about customer demand.
Often used in retrospective analysis when faulty premises become clear.
Incorrect assumptions held true
- misunderstandingsFailures to grasp meaning
- miscalculationsErrors in computation
- misjudgmentsIncorrect assessments or evaluations
- misinterpretationsIncorrect understandings of meaning
misreadings · misestimations · misreckonings · oversights · blunders · mistakes · inaccuracies · fallacies
Opinions formed beforehand
- prejudicesPreformed negative judgments
- presumptionsBeliefs accepted without evidence
- biasesUnfair inclinations toward something
- stereotypesOversimplified beliefs about groups
generalizations · prejudgments · partiality · snap judgments · foregone conclusions · narrow-mindedness · blind spots · cognitive biases
misconceptions
Incorrect assumptions held true
- misunderstandingsFailures to grasp meaning
- miscalculationsErrors in computation
- misjudgmentsIncorrect assessments or evaluations
misinterpretations · misreadings · misestimations · misreckonings · oversights · blunders · mistakes · inaccuracies · fallacies · flaws
preconceptions
Opinions formed beforehand
- prejudicesPreformed negative judgments
- presumptionsBeliefs accepted without evidence
- biasesUnfair inclinations toward something
stereotypes · generalizations · prejudgments · partiality · snap judgments · foregone conclusions · narrow-mindedness · blind spots · cognitive biases · confirmation bias
misassumptionstruths
Accurate statements about reality
facts · certainties · verities · realities