Confirmation Bias
There are many forms of bias. Confirmation bias is my favorite because it explains why people, including myself do a lot of silly things. Confirmation bias is favoring information that confirms your existing beliefs or biases.
Examples:
- You read/watch the news that supports your political party.
- You hang out with people that think your awesome (i.e. your Mom đ).
- You research all the reasons why your product idea will work.
I use confirmation bias on a daily basis to keep myself in check. I ask myself⌠âwhy are you doing this?â Itâs often because Iâm trying to confirm my belief. Confirming your beliefs feels good in the short-term⌠but it prevents you from getting to the inevitable truth.
I also use confirmation bias to understand the motives of others around me. I question their thinking internally. Why is this person sending me a link about the product idea they havenât made yet? Why is this person telling me how great their political party is? Youâll quickly see that a lot of peopleâs actions are driven by confirmation bias.