I have a problem here that I think is based somehow in a cognitive bias and I need a little help in nailing it down. I sometimes see something to be one way and later find out it is another.

My best example is my recent furnace repair. I learned a few things here and I was an HVAC repairman for 20 years. A couple of years ago I was working on my furnace and saw the heating elements in it and wanted to take a picture so I could know which one fits my unit. I saw my element as similar to an electric dryer element, but this is not true. I thought it was true for 3 years. I had an image of that element in my mind but none of it is true. In fact, my electric furnace has 3 elements and they are not situated as I imaged at all. If I am correct I now have a proper knowledge of something I should have known the entire time. I doubt that my info on this will change again but why did I see it the way that I did?

Another example that I can explain is when I thought 12 years ago that the neighbor kid had stolen my hammer. The hammer was not where it was supposed to be and I looked for it there at least 5 times. When I found that hammer exactly where it should have been the simple fact is that I looked and did not see the hammer the first 5 times. Why?

I'm wondering if we all are like this but some people just miss it. I also wonder if this is how we learn things. Maybe all of us are but will not admit it. Now apply this to religion and if you are like me you can see why there are so many religions and why so many believe them. Believers do not walk away from their religion. They just create or go to another one.

With the above in mind, I am an effective repairman, have invented and use my own TV antenna, can also do car repair, etc. Anyone familiar with what I am talking about here and do you know how to name it?