Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias is when we look specifically for information that supports our original belief. It is an example of a cognitive bias that impacts how we seek, interpret, and remember information.

Confirmation bias is evident in how we seek information. We set out to obtain information that confirms our initial hypothesis, and we find the information we are looking for. Our original belief is solidified since the evidence we looked for and found supported that belief.

Confirmation bias is also evident in how we interpret information. We give more weight to evidence that supports our belief, while ignoring or minimizing evidence that contradicts our belief. Again, our original hypothesis is solidified since we focus on the validity of our belief, which is reinforced by the evidence we sought out.

Lastly, confirmation bias is evident in how we remember information. We tend to remember what supports our belief, while forgetting what contradicts or doesn’t support our belief.

Knowing what confirmation bias is and how powerful it can be helps us to critically evaluate our beliefs and make better decisions. A way to avoid or minimize confirmation bias is to look for information to disconfirm our hypothesis and to think critically about how we seek, interpret, and remember information.