The Invisible Microorganism on the Bench: A Narrative Review of Cognitive Biases, Cross-Contamination, and Error-Based Learning for Biosafety in Microbiology Teaching Laboratories

Introduction: The manipulation of microorganisms in microbiology teaching laboratories affords essential practical experience; however, it poses distinctive biosafety challenges. Cognitive biases undermine risk perception and contribute to the occurrence of cross-contamination. Methods: A narrative review was carried out in the PubMed and BVS databases, covering the period from 2000 to 2025. The search strategy employed descriptors and free terms across four thematic blocks: risk perception and cognitive biases, biosafety, cross-contamination, and error-based education. Original articles and systematic reviews published in English, Portuguese, and Spanish were included. The final corpus, comprising 23 articles, was subjected to thematic analysis and organized into three thematic axes. Results: Cognitive biases operate in an integrated fashion, impairing risk perception and fostering conditions favorable to silent cross-contamination. Comparative optimism leads students to overestimate their own competence while underestimating their vulnerability. The normalization of deviance transforms minor infractions into routine behaviors. Alarm fatigue diminishes vigilance. Familiarity with risks, the lack of immediate consequences, and the reiteration of instructions contribute to the downplaying of hazards. Error-based education, grounded in error management training (EMT), emerges as a promising approach to fostering a reflective safety culture (Cohen’s d : 0.44–1.1). Conclusion: The intersection of cognitive psychology and microbiology is critical to understanding the behavioral determinants of biosafety in teaching laboratories. The integration of EMT into curricula offers a promising strategy to shift safety education from a compliance-based model toward reflective professional development. Nevertheless, implementation is hindered by challenges such as a punitive culture, insufficient infrastructure, and inadequate faculty training.