Friday’s Big Idea
Today's Big Idea: Confirmation Bias
How can we look at compelling evidence that is right in front of us and draw conclusions that directly contradict that evidence?
It is easy to spot this confirmation bias in other people, particularly those you disagree with. And yet, it is harder to recognize how we all possess this bias. An insight from the filmmaker Errol Morris helps explain why.
When we confront a situation -- especially if it is something as traumatic as a murder scene -- our minds develop a narrative to make sense of what happened. After this "theory" of what happened is firmly entrenched in our minds, we become blind to evidence that might not fit this theory.
It is therefore important to know how our minds censor information in order to know how susceptible we all are to untruth. So how do we avoid it?
