What is Confirmation Bias? (Lesson and Activity)
I like using this activity with my AP Lang students. Check it out!
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Have you ever heard someone say “I base my beliefs on facts.” or “I wait for the facts before I make a decision,” or my favorite-- “facts don’t care about your feelings.”
This, of course, sounds good. Striving to be objective and fact-based is a good thing.
However, even the facts can get distorted by something called confirmation bias.
This is the human tendency to seek facts and information that agrees with existing beliefs while disregarding information that conflicts with these same beliefs.
For example, pretend that you love coffee. You love the smell, the taste, the sound of the coffee brewing--everything. And the great thing about coffee, you think, is that it is healthy for you. You know this because you have been reading about the benefits of coffee for years. In fact, John Hopkins Medicine--one of the most venerated medical institutions in the world-- says that there are 9 reasons why coffee is good for you. And all these reasons are backed by facts and data. That’s right--facts and data.
Here are some of the facts that demonstrate the health benefits of coffee.
Now you are never going to believe this, but a friend of this coffee-loving fellow refuses to drink coffee. Yeah, strange, I know. He says coffee is unhealthy for you. He has read facts and data proving this for years, he says. For example, coffee can increase your risk of heart disease, and worsen anxiety disorders. He knows this because WebMD says so, and he wants to follow the science.
Now both of these people could be right with their facts. However, if they only read information that agrees with their previous beliefs, and refuse to read opposing viewpoints, then that is a prime example of confirmation bias.
To combat confirmation bias, it is essential to proactively seek news and information that disagrees with our beliefs. Many people don’t like to do this because it is often uncomfortable to have our beliefs challenged. The instinct is to resist. However, as objective, fair, and nuanced thinkers it is imperative that we seek discomfort. The more facts we can gather from various sources and viewpoints, the more well-rounded our ideas will become.
Your task is to follow a person or news organization on social media that holds beliefs contrary to yours. If you don’t have social media, then frequently visit the website of a person or news organization you disagree with. The mission is not to poke fun or get angry at this new perspective, but to try to understand the logic and point of view of others.
So get reading, get thinking, and be prepared to write a 250-word or more reflection describing what you learned from this experience.
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