mirror imaging

Noun

mirror imaging (uncountable)

1. A cognitive bias that causes one to assume that other individuals, groups, or states think, value, and make decisions in the same way one does oneself, thereby projecting one's own assumptions onto others.
   • "Many people in the administration had a very strong political agenda, which was inspired by the Iraqi opposition, and by western mirror-imaging, assuming they want what we want," said Anthony Cordesman of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.2003 March 29, Ian Black, quoting Anthony Cordesman, “The language of war”, in The Guardian, →ISSN
   • European alarmism has already encouraged a growing chorus of Russian elites to engage in mirror imaging. They claim that it is Europe, re-arming, that is preparing to wage war against Russia, with the aim of inflicting a “strategic defeat” on the country.2025 December 20, Hanna Notte, “Europe risks a self-fulfilling prophecy over Russia threat”, in FT Weekend, London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 7

   Synonyms:

   mirror image bias