What is Bias?
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, bias is: an inclination, leaning, tendency, bent; a preponderating disposition or propensity; predisposition towards; predilection; prejudice.
Bias is a point of view that may influence how information is conveyed and processed
- Spin
- information itself may be incorrect, but it is "spun" or presented in such a way that it is interpreted to mean something else, or be aligned to a targeted point of view or values
- Implicit Bias
- unintentional
- upbringing or personal background
- media exposure creeps in
- affects judgments, decisions, and behaviors.
- develop self-awareness skills to be aware of your own biases
- self-awareness means to have conscious knowledge of our own character, feelings, motives, and desires.
- choose resources with the potential of bias in mind
- evaluate if a bias is strongly influencing the trustworthiness of the source
- many people see opinion they agree with as fact or as truth and opinion they disagree with as fake or false
- Explicit Bias
- attitudes and beliefs we have about a person or group on a conscious level
- take root because of a perceived threat to well-being
- expression
- discrimination
- hate speech
- violence
Understanding and addressing our personal biases helps us be more aware of how we are interacting with information.
- Are you curious and open to new information?
- Do you seek out information from multiple and divergent perspectives?
- Do you prefer information that confirms what you already "know"?
- Are you comfortable updating our thinking when presented with new information?
- Do you just double down so you don't have to be bothered?
The chart below depicts biases we are all vulnerable to.
Sources:
Lee, Samantha and Drake Bear. "20 Cognitive Biases That Screw Up Your Decisions." Business Insider Australia. Dec. 24, 2015. https://www.businessinsider.com.au/cognitive-biases-that-affect-decisions-2015-8. Accessed June 30, 2020.
Butler, Walter, D. Aloha Sargent, and Kelsey Smith. "Information Sources: Bias," Introduction to College Research. OER. Pressbooks. 2020. https://introtocollegeresearch.pressbooks.com/chapter/information-sources-bias/
