if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail
This proverb illustrates the cognitive bias of over-relying on a familiar tool or method, often leading to inappropriate or suboptimal solutions.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
B2General
(informal, metaphor)When someone relies too much on a familiar method or tool, they tend to apply it to every problem, even if it is not suitable.
Example
- John keeps using his old marketing strategy for every new project, proving that if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
C1Psychology
(technical, cognitive bias)A mental tendency to apply a known solution or tool to various problems, often inappropriately, due to familiarity.
Example
- The researcher's approach to different types of data was a classic case of if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.