Seek Truth, not the Comfort of Being Right

Confirmation bias is one of those psychological tendencies we all fall into, often without realizing it. It shapes how we interpret, process, and even remember information to support what we already believe. While this might feel comforting, it can lead us off course in decision-making, both personally and professionally.

Understanding Confirmation Bias

What Is It, Really? At its core, confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out and favor information that aligns with our existing beliefs while conveniently dismissing anything that contradicts them. It’s like always asking a friend who tells you exactly what you want to hear, instead of one who might give you an honest, critical perspective.

This bias influences three key areas:

• How we search for information

• How we interpret what we find

• What we choose to remember

Why Do We Do This? Confirmation bias arises from deep psychological roots, such as:

• A need to process information efficiently (blame your brain)

• Protecting our self-esteem

• Maintaining a consistent worldview

• Avoiding the discomfort of cognitive dissonance (the mental unease caused when our beliefs clash with contradictory evidence or actions)

The Trap of Asking the Wrong Questions

Here’s where confirmation bias becomes especially tricky: we’re naturally inclined to ask questions that confirm what we believe rather than challenge it. For instance, if I think my latest project idea is brilliant, I might ask, “What are the benefits of this idea?” instead of the more critical, “What could go wrong?”

The first question keeps me in my comfort zone; the second one forces me to wrestle with uncomfortable truths. It’s the intellectual equivalent of eating your vegetables—less fun, but better for you in the long run.

Why Scientific Thinking Matters

Adopting a scientific mindset can help us escape this trap. Scientists don’t aim to confirm their hypotheses; they aim to disprove them. It’s a subtle but profound shift: instead of asking, “How am I right?” they ask, “How might I be wrong?” Proving an idea wrong often requires identifying a single flaw, whereas proving it right demands comprehensive evidence that withstands all scrutiny. You can never prove an idea right with the same level of effort it would take it to prove it wrong.

Applying this to everyday decision-making means:

• Seeking out evidence that could falsify your beliefs

• Framing questions in neutral terms

• Embracing discomfort as a sign of growth

Overcoming Confirmation Bias in Practice

Here are some strategies to reduce the grip of confirmation bias:

1. Play Devil’s Advocate

   • Actively challenge your assumptions.

   • Pretend you’re arguing the opposite side.

2. Ask Better Questions

   • Replace, “Why am I right?” with, “What evidence would prove me wrong?”

   • Start with open-ended, neutral questions (questions framed without bias, designed to gather information objectively rather than support a pre-existing belief).

3. Engage Diverse Perspectives

   • Surround yourself with people who see things differently.

   • Encourage constructive disagreement. Feel uneasy if everyone agrees—it might signal that critical perspectives are being overlooked.

4. Use Structured Methods

   • Rely on decision-making frameworks, such as the Six Thinking Hats method, the Decision Matrix, or the OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) Loop.

   • Document your reasoning and revisit it after decisions are made.

A More Rational You

Acknowledging and addressing confirmation bias is about ensuring your beliefs are well-founded. By incorporating scientific thinking into our daily lives, we can make better decisions, reduce errors, and even grow a little wiser. So next time you catch yourself asking a question that feels too convenient, pause and ask: “Am I trying to confirm, or am I trying to learn?”

Seek truth, not the comfort of being right. - Oz Akan

Study Guide

Quiz

1. What is confirmation bias, and how does it typically influence our thinking?
2. According to the article, how does confirmation bias affect the way we search for, interpret, and remember information?
3. What are the underlying psychological reasons that contribute to the development and persistence of confirmation bias?
4. How does asking biased or leading questions relate to confirmation bias, and why is this problematic?
5. Explain how the scientific method, as described in the article, can help us combat confirmation bias.
6. What does it mean to “play Devil’s Advocate,” and how does this practice help overcome confirmation bias?
7. Why is it important to ask open-ended, neutral questions rather than those that seek to confirm existing beliefs?
8. Why is it important to engage diverse perspectives and what can it signal if everyone is in agreement?
9. What are some structured methods mentioned in the article that can aid in decision-making and reduce the impact of confirmation bias?
10. What is the main takeaway of the article, as suggested in the final question posed by the author?

Answer Key

1. Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out and favor information that aligns with our existing beliefs while dismissing contradictory information. This often happens subconsciously and leads us to reinforce our current views instead of considering alternatives.
2. Confirmation bias influences what information we look for, how we interpret that information, and what aspects we choose to retain in our memory, all in ways that support our pre-existing beliefs. It filters information based on our existing viewpoints.
3. Confirmation bias is rooted in our need to process information efficiently, protect our self-esteem, maintain a consistent worldview, and avoid cognitive dissonance, the discomfort felt when our beliefs are challenged.
4. Asking biased questions directs our search towards confirming evidence, rather than exploring the full spectrum of possibilities, and can limit learning and lead to poor decisions. This type of questioning reinforces, rather than challenges our beliefs.
5. The scientific method is about disproving hypotheses rather than confirming them. It focuses on finding flaws and challenges, which can help to combat confirmation bias by focusing on where we might be wrong instead of just where we’re correct.
6. Playing Devil’s Advocate means actively challenging your assumptions and arguing from an opposing viewpoint. This helps to uncover weaknesses in our thinking and broaden perspectives.
7. Open-ended, neutral questions aim to explore a subject objectively, rather than looking for confirmation of what we already believe. This helps to gather a fuller range of information and avoid bias.
8. Engaging diverse perspectives provides access to different viewpoints and helps to challenge our assumptions. If everyone is in agreement, it can signal that critical perspectives are being overlooked which may indicate confirmation bias in action.
9. The article mentions structured methods like the Six Thinking Hats method, the Decision Matrix, and the OODA Loop, all of which provide systematic frameworks for decision-making, promoting a more thorough and less biased approach to problems.
10. The main takeaway of the article is the importance of seeking truth rather than simply trying to confirm our existing beliefs, encouraging a shift from confirmation to genuine learning by asking the question, “Am I trying to confirm or am I trying to learn?”

Essay Questions

1. Discuss the impact of confirmation bias on decision-making in personal and professional contexts. Use specific examples of situations where confirmation bias can lead to negative outcomes and how to mitigate these effects.
2. Explore the relationship between confirmation bias and the concept of “intellectual humility.” How does acknowledging our limitations and biases contribute to more rational thinking and improved problem-solving?
3. Analyze the strategies provided in the article for overcoming confirmation bias. Discuss the practical challenges associated with implementing these strategies in real-life situations and how to overcome those challenges.
4. Consider the role of social media and information bubbles in reinforcing confirmation bias. How does the design of these platforms contribute to echo chambers, and what steps can individuals and societies take to promote more diverse information consumption?
5. How can the principles of scientific thinking, as described in the article, be applied to other areas of life beyond just problem-solving, and how can those principles help us lead more effective and fulfilling lives?

Glossary

• Confirmation Bias: The tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information that confirms or supports one’s prior beliefs or values.
• Cognitive Dissonance: The mental discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes, often leading to a need to resolve this inconsistency.
• Neutral Questions: Questions framed without bias, designed to gather information objectively rather than supporting a pre-existing belief, which helps to uncover areas of disagreement, uncertainty, or gaps in information.
• Devil’s Advocate: A person who expresses a contentious opinion in order to provoke debate or test the strength of an opposing viewpoint, used as a tool to test one’s assumptions.
• Open-ended Questions: Questions that require more than a simple one-word response, allowing for deeper and more detailed answers which tend to reveal a broader range of information.
• Structured Methods: Systematic approaches to problem-solving or decision-making such as The Six Thinking Hats method, the Decision Matrix, or the OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) Loop. These aim to reduce bias by introducing order and organization into thinking processes.
• Scientific Mindset: An approach that values objective inquiry, critical evaluation of evidence, and a willingness to question one’s own beliefs, and to actively disprove rather than confirm assumptions.