Week 12: Confirmation Bias

 

    Dictionary.com defines Confirmation Bias as “Bias that results from the tendency to process and analyze information in such a way that supports one’s predicting ideas and convictions.” This has become common place on the internet when discussing all topics. Whether it be political or not, if there is an argument made on the internet, chances are echo chambers will be formed. We as humans want to be around others like us, especially ones that a like-minded and share out ideals. this is most likely due to our need to belong and confirmation bias more or less helps with that. It helps to find others who share the same opinion on a topic and allows us to speak more freely about our opinions concerning a certain topic. Not only that, but it can at times help us find supporting evidence for a particular argument when consulting others who are looking for the same thing. However, more often than not, confirmation bias is a real problem that does more harm than good. Many times when people are divided on an issue, they will refuse to look at evidence that would challenge their ideas, or listen to others who have a differing opinion. Dividing the groups involved even further, and often times making them even more unwilling to listen to the opposing group. We do not like having our ideas challenged, which is why we often do not listen or willfully ignore opposition and is also why confirmation bias is a natural thing to have. Whether we are aware of it or not, everyone has some level of confirmation bias, it is just how our brains work. As mentioned before, often times things such as online forums become simple echo chambers for like minded individuals. However, the mainstream media is now nothing but multi-billion dollar funded echo chambers. FOX News, CNN, MSNBC, any mainstream news source usually takes one side of an argument or an opinion and sticks with it no matter what. Even if there is hard evidence to challenge their ideas, they will either dismiss it as myth or outright ignore it like it does not exist. The fact that it is so hard to find a news outlet, mainstream or not, that presents both sides of an argument and then offers their opinion, is honestly detrimental to the U.S. and its people. The people are hardly ever truthfully informed anymore, at least not 100% truthful. There is always some kind spin on the stories the media tell us to try and make us think a certain way. Not only that, but nobody does their own research anymore and I dare say that many do even think critically anymore. Much of the U.S. population now just blindly believes what they are told by the echo chambers to fulfill that confirmation bias and feel good about what they think, not willing to learn and grow. Overall, while it is natural and can be helpful in certain scenarios, confirmation bias is usually a detriment the people should fight to overcome.