Confirmation bias
Confirmation bias is a type of cognitive bias that involves favoring information that confirms previously existing beliefs or biases. This phenomenon occurs when people prefer information or interpret evidence in a way that is consistent with their own preconceptions, often ignoring or undervaluing contradictory data.
How it works
This bias arises because individuals tend to seek out, interpret, and remember information that supports their existing beliefs while dismissing or forgetting information that challenges them. Confirmation bias can affect various stages of information processing, including collecting new information, perceiving it, and recalling it later.
Examples
- A person who believes in astrology might only remember instances when zodiac-based predictions came true and forget those that did not.
- In a political context, a voter might pay attention only to news outlets that align with their political beliefs, reinforcing their pre-existing views.
- Scientists might unconsciously design experiments or select data to align with their hypotheses, overlooking negative or null results.
Consequences
Confirmation bias can lead to poor decision-making, perpetuation of stereotypes, and the strengthening of misconceptions. It may cause polarization in social and political spheres, contribute to scientific negligence, and escalate conflicts by preventing people from understanding opposing viewpoints.
Counteracting
Counteracting confirmation bias involves actively seeking out diverse perspectives and challenging one's own views. Techniques include critical thinking, considering opposing information, taking the 'devil's advocate' position, and fostering environments that encourage debate and questioning assumptions.
Critiques
Many critique the permeability of confirmation bias in research and discourse, arguing that it undermines objective inquiry and critical analysis. Critics emphasize the need for greater awareness and educational measures to reduce the impact of confirmation bias in science, policy, and personal decision-making.
Also known as
Relevant Research
Confirmation bias: A ubiquitous phenomenon in many guises
Nickerson, R. S. (1998)
Review of General Psychology, 2(2), 175-220
Bias in Human Reasoning: Causes and Consequences
Evans, J. St. B. T. (1989)
Psychology Press
Confirmation, disconfirmation, and information in hypothesis testing
Klayman, J., & Ha, Y.-W. (1987)
Psychological Review, 94(2), 211-228