Selective Perception and Confirmation Bias
Selective Perception and Confirmation Bias.
There are two harmful mental habits that many fall into, which have the effect of distorting judgement and therefore people's reactions to events. These habits are selective perception and confirmation bias.
Selective Perception
This is the act of focusing one's attention onto a small, narrow field of the environment, to the exclusion of other things. The effect of this is to exclude from one's mind many other relevant factors, which in reality are connected to the situation, but are never identified or acknowledged.
Selective perception is like looking at the world through a long narrow tube. The field of perception is reduced to a small circle and everything else is blanked out. The result is tunnel vision and a loss of relevant information.
The counter measure is simply NOT to do this. We need to ensure that we feed all the factors that are relevant, but peripheral, into the "mental computer".
Then we must also be wary of confirmation bias.
Confirmation Bias
This is the act of accepting only that information that corresponds and supports our existing beliefs.
It means rejecting information or evidence that contradicts our existing beliefs.
For example, imagine a person who believes that Donald Trump is terrible (or terrific); then confirmation bias would be the act of ignoring, disbelieving or distorting any information that may indicate the opposite.
Confirmation bias is like feeding information through a sieve that passes on only certain kinds of data and stops all others. The consequence is that we become dogmatic, stubborn and impossible to reason with. And the consequence of that is that we lose a lot.
The countermeasure is simply NOT to do this. We need to remain always open to the possibility that the opposing view may have at least some merit.
Consider Other Opinions
The three questions we should use, when considering a view that opposes our current opinion are:
- Is it possible that this opposing view is at least partially true?
- If yes, then which parts of the opposing argument may be partially true?
- And how would we test it?
"Every truth has two sides; it is as well to look at both, before we commit ourselves to either." Aesop
About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years’ experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
Blogs by Email
Do you want to receive an email whenever we post a new blog? The blogs contain article 5-10 minutes long - ideal for reading during your coffee break!
Further Reading in General Development
-
What Could you Learn from Socrates, Plato and Aristotle?
What Could You Learn from Socrates, Plato and Aristotle? I am guessing that you have heard the names Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. You probably know that they are the three most famous philosophers in history. But unless you have made it a special study, you may not know much about what...
Read Article > -
How to Prevent Burnout at Work
Working long and hard without support is a recipe for burnout. Find out how to recognise and prevent burnout in this article from training expert Chris Farmer.
Read Article > -
Understanding Human Behaviour
Understanding the behaviour of other people can be difficult, understanding ourselves can be even more tricky. Learn more with Corporate Coach Group.
Read Article > -
How to Tell Whether an Idea is True
We act on ideas that we believe to be true. But how can we be sure that what we believe is actually correct?
Read Article > -
Selective Perception and Confirmation Bias
Many people fall into harmful habits which can distort their judgement and their reaction to events. We examine these habits and learn how to counteract them.
Read Article >
Looking for Personal Development Training?
If you're looking to develop your General Development Skills, you may find this Personal Development Training Course beneficial:
Open Training Course Pricing and Availability
Next Open Course Starts in 5 days, Online - Teams, places available