väärarusaamu

Väärarusaamu is an Estonian term commonly translated as "misconception" or "misunderstanding." It denotes an incorrect or incomplete understanding of a fact, statement or situation, often leading to false beliefs or misinformed actions. The word is formed from väär ("wrong") and arusaam ("understanding").

Väärarusaamu occur in many domains including everyday communication, education, science, politics and cultural exchange. They may arise from ambiguous language, incomplete information, cognitive biases, translation errors or differences in background knowledge and expectations. Social and technological factors such as media framing and online misinformation can amplify and spread väärarusaamu rapidly.

Consequences range from minor confusion to significant practical or social harm, for example when medical, legal or public-policy decisions are based on incorrect assumptions. In collective contexts, persistent väärarusaamu can influence group behavior, public opinion and institutional trust.

Addressing väärarusaamu typically involves clarifying terminology, providing reliable evidence, encouraging critical thinking, active listening and feedback, and correcting errors promptly. Educational strategies that emphasize conceptual understanding and source evaluation are effective at reducing their occurrence.

In Estonian usage, väärarusaamu is used in both formal and informal discourse to point out mistaken beliefs or to caution against oversimplified interpretations. It is related to concepts such as misconception, misunderstanding and misinformation.