Confirmation bias
The tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one's pre-existing beliefs or hypotheses.
This is a specific type of cognitive bias where individuals are not just biased, but actively seek out and give more weight to evidence that supports what they already believe, while downplaying or ignoring contradictory evidence.
Word relationships
- selective perception: The tendency to interpret information in a way that is consistent with one's existing beliefs.
- myside bias: A specific form of confirmation bias where people evaluate evidence and test hypotheses in a way that is biased towards their own prior beliefs.
- intellectual humility: The recognition that one's beliefs might be wrong and a willingness to consider new evidence.
- open-mindedness: Willingness to consider new ideas or opinions.
Commonly confused with
- Bias: 'Bias' is a general inclination or prejudice. 'Confirmation bias' is a specific type of cognitive bias where one favors information that confirms existing beliefs.
Collocations
- strong confirmation bias
- prone to confirmation bias
- overcome confirmation bias
- exacerbate confirmation bias
Example sentences
- "Confirmation bias can make it challenging for people to change their minds, as they naturally gravitate towards information that validates their current worldview." Discussing human psychology.
- "In an echo chamber, confirmation bias is rampant, as users are constantly fed content that reinforces their existing opinions, rarely encountering dissenting views." Analyzing online behavior.
Memory hook
You 'CONFIRM' what you already believe, showing a 'BIAS' for information that fits your view. It's CONFIRMATION BIAS. Confirming my bias
When not to use
Don't use 'confirmation bias' to describe simple agreement. It specifically refers to the cognitive process of selectively processing information to uphold existing beliefs, often unconsciously.
Fun facts
- Confirmation bias is one of the most widely studied cognitive biases and is considered a major contributor to belief perseverance.
- It can affect everything from scientific research to personal relationships, making it difficult to objectively evaluate evidence.
Explore more words
echo chamber, verification, overconfidence, fallacy, corroborate, spin
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