Category Cognitive Biases
Impact 3 / 5
Confirmation
Bias
The tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or hypotheses.
Also known as: Confirmatory Bias, Myside Bias
Cognitive processing
System 1 (fast, intuitive). Biases often lean on quick judgments (System 1) unless you slow down and analyze (System 2).
Evidence & time
Evidence strength: experimental. Typical read: about 5 min.
Catch it next time
Practical steps for Confirmation Bias
1
Actively seek disconfirming evidence
high effectivenessmoderate difficulty
2
Practice devil's advocate thinking
medium effectivenessmoderate difficulty
Tape this to your desk.
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Encountering opposing views
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Researching a controversial topic
Actively seek disconfirming evidence
Effectiveness: high
Difficulty: moderate
Practice devil's advocate thinking
Effectiveness: medium
Difficulty: moderate
05
Potential decision harms
Poor investment choices
major Severity
Political polarization
critical Severity