preconception
Idea before evidence
A preconception is an opinion or idea formed before encountering actual evidence or experience: I arrived with preconceptions about small-town life that proved completely wrong.
The word usually implies the belief is unfounded or likely to be challenged by reality.
Unlike misconception, a preconception isn't necessarily wrong—just premature.
Belief held without proof
- suppositionBelief without proof
- presuppositionImplicit prior assumption
- hypothesisTestable proposed explanation
- conjectureGuess from limited facts
inference · foregone conclusion · anticipation · expectation · prejudgment · predetermination · speculation · surmise
Preformed unfavorable opinion
- partialityUnfair favor toward some
- predispositionInnate tendency toward something
- bigotryIntolerance toward differing views
- discriminationUnjust differential treatment
favoritism · slant · leaning · inclination · tendency · one-sidedness · narrow-mindedness · closed-mindedness
State of awaiting something
- predictionForecast of coming events
- forecastPrediction of future conditions
- outlookAttitude toward the future
- prospectPotential client or opportunity
Deriving principles from examples
- oversimplificationStripping complexity unfairly
- clichéOverused, unoriginal expression
- caricatureExaggerated comic depiction
- pigeonholeClassify too rigidly
typecast · label · stigma · profiling · categorization · fixed idea
False notion held true
- false assumptionIncorrect foundational belief
- delusionStubbornly held false belief
- misunderstandingFailure to grasp meaning
- misapprehensionIncorrect belief or understanding
false impression · wrong idea · faulty reasoning · misjudgment
presumption
Belief held without proof
- suppositionBelief without proof
- presuppositionImplicit prior assumption
- hypothesisTestable proposed explanation
conjecture · inference · foregone conclusion · anticipation · expectation · prejudgment · predetermination · speculation · surmise · postulation
prejudice
Preformed unfavorable opinion
- partialityUnfair favor toward some
- predispositionInnate tendency toward something
- bigotryIntolerance toward differing views
discrimination · favoritism · slant · leaning · inclination · tendency · one-sidedness · narrow-mindedness · closed-mindedness · unconscious bias
anticipation
State of awaiting something
- predictionForecast of coming events
- forecastPrediction of future conditions
- outlookAttitude toward the future
generalization
Deriving principles from examples
- oversimplificationStripping complexity unfairly
- clichéOverused, unoriginal expression
- caricatureExaggerated comic depiction
pigeonhole · typecast · label · stigma · profiling · categorization · fixed idea
misbelief
False notion held true
- false assumptionIncorrect foundational belief
- delusionStubbornly held false belief
- misunderstandingFailure to grasp meaning
misapprehension · false impression · wrong idea · faulty reasoning · misjudgment
- beliefsbelief, beliefs, creed, creeds, faith
- guessesguess, conjecture, supposition, speculation, surmise
- misunderstandingsmisunderstanding, misinterpretation, misreading, miscommunication, confusion
- thoughtsthought, idea, thoughts, ideas, thinking
- biasprejudice, racism, bigotry, sexism, ageism
- biasescognitive bias, confirmation bias, implicit bias, unconscious bias, selection bias
preconceptionopen-mindedness
Acceptance of differing viewpoints
objectivity · impartiality · open mind · receptivity · neutrality
preconceptiondiscovery
Act of finding something
observation · afterthought · realization · hindsight · insight
preconceptionignorance
Absence of knowledge
unfamiliarity · blank mind · naivety · inexperience · unawareness