Confirmation bias, a phrase coined by English psychologist Peter Wason, is the tendency of people to favor information that confirms or strengthens their beliefs or values and is difficult to dislodge once affirmed. The tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms or supports one’s prior beliefs or values. People display this bias when they select information that supports their views, ignoring contrary information, or when they interpret ambiguous evidence as supporting their existing attitudes. The effect is strongest for desired outcomes, for emotionally charged issues, and for deeply entrenched beliefs. Confirmation bias is insuperable for most people, but they can manage it, for example, by education and training in critical thinking skills. 

Biased search for information, biased interpretation of this information, and biased memory recall, have been invoked to explain four specific effects: 

• Attitude polarization (when a disagreement becomes more extreme even though the different parties are exposed to the same evidence) 
• Belief perseverance (when beliefs persist after the evidence for them is shown to be false) 
• The irrational primacy effect (a greater reliance on information encountered early in a series) 
• Illusory correlation (when people falsely perceive an association between two events or situations). 

Even the most attentive listener can fall prey to confirmation bias. This cognitive trap occurs when we unconsciously favor information that confirms our existing beliefs and downplay or even ignore anything that contradicts them. During active listening, confirmation bias can distort how we receive and interpret a speaker’s message.

Imagine a conversation about climate change. If you believe it’s a pressing issue, you might pay close attention to details supporting that view, like rising sea levels or extreme weather events. Conversely, someone skeptical of climate change might latch onto arguments about natural fluctuations in temperature, filtering out evidence of human impact.

Confirmation bias doesn’t just distort factual information; it can also color our perception of emotions. If you believe a friend is angry with you, you might misinterpret a neutral tone as passive-aggressive, escalating the situation.

This bias can be particularly harmful in situations requiring open-mindedness, like decision-making or conflict resolution. By clinging to pre-existing views, we miss out on valuable perspectives and hinder our ability to reach common ground.

Overcoming the Confirmation Bias Hurdle

The first step is acknowledging its existence. Before engaging in a conversation, take a moment to reflect on your own beliefs about the topic at hand.

Next, practice active listening with a conscious effort to be objective. Pay attention to both verbal and nonverbal cues, and ask clarifying questions to ensure you understand the speaker’s full message.

Finally, be mindful of the tendency to dismiss opposing viewpoints. Instead, approach them with curiosity and a willingness to learn. By actively seeking out diverse perspectives, we can break free from the confirmation bias bubble and gain a more nuanced understanding of the world around us.