Wishful thinking is the formation of beliefs based on what might be pleasing to imagine, rather than on evidence, rationality, or reality. It resolves conflicts between belief and desire, often leading to unrealistic optimism and poor decision-making. This cognitive bias is associated with various psychological concepts and mechanisms, and has been discussed as a specific informal fallacy in arguments, where desired outcomes are misconstrued as actual outcomes.
An example of wishful thinking is during political campaigns when a candidate, despite lacking the necessary qualifications or support, believes they will win solely because they want to.
To overcome wishful thinking, seek objective evidence and engage in critical thinking to assess situations realistically rather than based on desires.