Blog #10: EOTO Learn Confirmation Bias

 

While listening to presentations Group 3, the Theories group really stuck out to me. They went into depth about each theory and I learned a lot. one of the theories that stuck out to me was confirmation bias. The reason it caught my eye is that I think it's a concept that many of us pick up even if we aren't meaning to. Confirmation Bias is the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories. 

I can admit I do this all the time. With apps like Tik Tok, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat we are getting fast news that may not be 100% accurate. I've caught myself multiple times believing something the first time I saw it. Later, when looking at other news outlets I would tend to go into it with the knowledge I had previously learned. This then leads me to pick certain information that would back up my previous views. 

This doesn't just affect me, but the rest of the world in a crazy way. This affects the way that we interpret and recall certain information. Going in closed-minded can reduce our communication skills. A perfect example of this is people fighting over politics. Due to the bias each party usually only listens to the facts of their party. They tend to ignore what the other parties have to say. If they do listen they usually disagree and don't keep their minds open. I think we all tend to do this from time to time. By educating people about confirmation bias, we can hopefully reduce the number of people who use it. If people open their minds we will be able to create stronger communication skills between individuals. 

In conclusion, I am grateful I was able to learn what confirmation bias is. I will now be able to watch myself and remember to keep an open mind. I'll also be able to help others learn about it!