Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out and give greater weight to information that confirms what we think rather than what contradicts it. Apparently there is quite a bit of research in the area of confirmation bias that points toward people searching for evidence to support their preexisting viewpoints, and then interpreting that information in a way that reinforces their beliefs. This type of bias has served to polarize issues in the news recently, in particular the police shooting of the unarmed black teen, Michael Brown in Ferguson Missouri. Confirmation bias creates a bigger gap between black and white by eliminating the gray area. Regardless of the evidence each side has their minds made up with the help of confirmation bias and neither side will give, instead they choose to ignore or underweigh evidence that could disconfirm their own views. The truth in my opinion is that another tragic shooting of an unarmed child has occurred. I don’t pretend to know the circumstances but as a mother my own bias makes my heart go out to the family, friends, and community who are the ones that have to endure this loss. Community law enforcement is a part of this community too. The real trouble in the aftermath is that confirmation bias distorts everyone’s active pursuit of facts.