The Power of Confirmation Bias

Let me first say that I am not trying to make enemies nor am I trying to make friends. I am simply trying to make you think and hopefully educate all of us by writing this blog. Maybe a few people will ask why more often and take the time to be objective and try to understand why others see things the way they do.

I once again want to share with you some thoughts on confirmation bias, which is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms or supports one’s prior beliefs or values, as well as its opposite – objectivity.

I do this because the more I observe, the more I see the impact confirmation bias has on our society.
Confirmation bias is one of the primary reasons that our society is divided and continues to drift further and further apart.

So far in January, we have inaugurated a new President, seen a new NCAA Football Champion crowned, and endured record low temperatures in much of the country.

As for the Presidency change, depending on who you ask, many people believe the new President is the Godsend this country needed, while others think this President is the beginning of the end for civilization as we know it. Confirmation bias can help you “prove” either point-of-view.

For sports fans, the new National Champion in college football either had the most unprecedented run in college football history by beating the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 9th and 10th ranked teams this season, including #9, 3, 4, and 2 in a row, or they didn’t deserve to be included in the playoffs.

After all, they did not win their conference and if it were not for the expanded college football playoff system (from four teams to twelve) they would not even have been included as they were ranked eighth. Confirmation bias can help you “prove” either side of this argument.

And do not get me started on the weather. Is it bitter cold because of global warming or are weather patterns cyclical? Should we alter our lifestyles to save the planet or since other countries are making matters worse is it not our job to spend money to try and offset their abuse?

To all these questions and points of view, I can honestly say, it depends on what you want to believe is true. And once most people make up their mind, they are reluctant to reconsider.

“Successful people hate being wrong even more than they like being right.”
— Marshall Goldsmith, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

We have two choices – continue to desire to be right and look for reasons why we are not wrong (Confirmation Bias) or consider evidence and arguments without being influenced by personal biases or preconceptions (Objectivity).

What do you choose?