Confirmation Bias - We Think What we Think
By Sherry
@norcal (4889)
Franklinton, North Carolina
December 5, 2015 12:08pm CST
Have you ever heard of Confirmation Bias? That is what it’s called when people have a tendency to give more weight to evidence that proves something that they already believe, while disregarding evidence that would disprove it.
Most people will protest that they judge things based on facts. However, two people can look at the exact same evidence and draw completely different conclusions from it because of what they already believe.
Look at people who disagree on gun control. To a person who agrees with it, each new mass shooting is evidence that we need more restrictions on gun ownership. To someone who doesn’t it’s proof that more citizens should be armed.
I think that we all have Confirmation Bias to a certain degree. It would take a lot to dissuade us from our deeply held personal, religious or political beliefs.
I am no different, but I think knowing that about myself helps me to be more objective about things, even though I don't think anyone can be completely impartial.
6 people like this
6 responses
@FourWalls (86713)
• United States
6 Dec 15
It's funny that I saw this right after I posted a discussion about someone at another site who says he's a Holocaust denier. That's exactly what they do: despite the survivors, the pictures, the videos, the written documentation, and the Nazis who carried it out saying it happened, they claim it didn't. I agree with Boingboing -- we have our prejudices and beliefs that automatically discounts what we believe. One of the most obvious examples this time of year is Christmas: it's been pretty well documented that (a) Jesus wasn't born on December 25 (or even in December), (b) early Christians put His birth in either March or September (on modern calendars), and (c) December 25th was picked because it coincided with an evil pagan holiday as a means of appeasing or attempting to convert the pagans. None of this stops people from ignoring the facts and singing "Jesus was born on this day."
3 people like this
@norcal (4889)
• Franklinton, North Carolina
6 Dec 15
Holocaust deniers certainly are an extreme example of this. If people can deny something that can so clearly be proven, how many more people can close their minds to more subtle evidence?
As far as the day of Jesus' birth, I agree with you that Dec 25 was probably not the day. This is not too significant to me though, because I am not a practicing Christian, and I don't have a problem celebrating a birthday on a different day. I don't think people are necessarily evil because they are pagan, but I could be wrong.
2 people like this
@Drosophila (16568)
• Ireland
7 Dec 15
I caught myself doing this all the time. Especially with people, I'd tell myself I was wrong about them.. Only to have my suspicion confirmed later on. Happened a lot.
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16568)
• Ireland
7 Dec 15
@norcal Well, confirmation bias is seeking out evidence to fit your theory. e.g. If I thought Ken dislikes me, then I would go out of my way looking for evidence of that.
What I'm saying is, I often catch myself doing this, so I try to course correct. I'd look for evidence that shows contrary. As it turns out, 9 times out of 10, my gut instinct is right. The worst part of this is I'd rather be wrong in all those instances..
1 person likes this
@norcal (4889)
• Franklinton, North Carolina
8 Dec 15
@Drosophila ok, I see what you mean. Thanks for clarifying. Just because have a bias dose not mean we are wrong.
1 person likes this
@troyburns (1405)
• New Zealand
15 Dec 15
If we didn't have confirmation bias we'd all suffer from cognitive dissonance. It makes a mockery of the notion of free will, doesn't it?
1 person likes this
