Cognitive Bias and Sustainable Decision-Making: A Bibliometric Analysis of Emerging Trends and Research Gaps

This paper reviews articles that have been published between 2001 and September 2024 with the emphasis on the impact of cognitive biases on sustainable decisions. By adhering to the PRISMA protocol, the authors analyzed 124 articles set in the WOS and Scopus databases. The results indicate that there is still relatively little empirical evidence and theoretical literature on cognitive biases, such as overconfidence, optimism, narcissism, and their impacts on sustainability performance. In this respect, the study calls for more interdisciplinary studies to connect psychology, corporate strategy, and environmental sciences to produce a more profound understanding of how biases influence sustainability. The bibliometric analysis shows the direction of the research development where the four most productive countries are the US, China, Germany, and India. The study recommends future research combining cognitive psychology with sustainability studies for constructing more inclusive theoretical frameworks to comprehend how and when biases influence sustainable environmental policies and initiatives.