The Problematic Cognition
A phenomenon is currently running through our society. Pulling up Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you can see it everywhere. If someone posts something that confirms your belief or perception, you have just experienced confirmation bias. This particular bias actually has a purpose in our lives.
Confirmation bias is how an individual gathers, interprets, and/or remembers information selectively, so it doesn’t challenge preexisting beliefs. Come on, we all do it. We all favor information that confirms our own beliefs. It can make us feel as if our perception is “right” while others are wrong. Many researchers believe that confirmation bias is problematic. They believe that confirmation bias impedes our ability to form well knowledge and intelligent beliefs. Further, the bias reduces the ability to correct mistaken views and allows individuals to feel “overconfident.”
When an individual is confident about their ideas and beliefs, it is easier to convince others that their beliefs are correct. A confident individual presents information differently than those that are underconfident. It is seen in their tone of voice and body language. As others jump on the same bias boat, a connected form of social reality is formed. If individuals all have the same beliefs and reality, society is often calm.
Confirmation bias is not selective in nature. No matter what an individual’s IQ, cognitive ability, or motivation to avoid it, the automatic cognitive process is part of human nature. Why does this “problematic” cognition still exist in human nature? Some researchers believe that confirmation bias exists as cognitive economics. If we believe something and find other information to support our belief, we are conserving our cognitive energy. It’s economical if individuals don’t have conflicting ideas bouncing around in their mind.
Socially, most individuals want to be seen in a positive light. Individuals believe they are generally good and behavior is performed with good intentions. Conflicting beliefs challenges the perception of being a good person. It can cause anxiety and challenge self-identity. It may be a reason individuals seek friends who have the same beliefs and perceptions. If everyone in an individual’s group owns parallel beliefs, self-identity is not challenged. When self-identity is challenged, an individual can decide to investigate the information presented, or often, can consider the challenge a threat to their self-identity and become defensive.
Concurring with other’s beliefs gives the perception of “strength in numbers.” The larger the group, the more power is perceived. Individuals perceiving power often are unable to see information that contradicts their bias. The perception of power is defined as the ability to own and control resources, physical or psychological. I state power as a ‘perception’ as an individual may perceive they own resources, when others may perceive the individual doesn’t. The more power experienced by an individual, often the more bias they own. Power can allow someone to be “blind” to differing perceptions.
How many people on this Earth are the same or identical? That’s right, ZERO. Even identical twins are not actually identical. If we are all different, why are we expected to have the same thoughts and perceptions as anyone else? It’s ok to think different or have different perceptions. It shouldn’t be a threat, but a reminder that God made us all different on purpose.