should people be more wary of 'confirmation bias'?

Question

even though i'm sure most of you partisan hacks will miss the point entirely.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias

or disconfirmation bias

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disconfirmation_bias

beachbum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_oil_bourse

i agree with the definition on wikipedia. it is correct.

Answer 1

Yes absolutely.

I think the layman term for this might be 'selective hearing, reading or seeing.'

I admit I sometimes am guilty of this... especially when I have hit a hot tip and start doing research... sometimes I have an idea of what I know I am looking for before I find it.

Like right now I am researching Saddam's refusal to sell his oil for US Dollars and transforming to the Euro.. I already knew this but what I am looking for is other countries were supposedly considering doing the same... which ones, etc... what stopped them.. was it the war... what would have been the impact... where does Iran stand on the issue...

See, I have an idea where this is going... so is my inductive reasoning impaired... although, I would think to be aware of this might hinder it a bit.

I've seen quite a bit of extreme cases of this here on Answers though... especially the ones so caught up in denial or lies that they would deny truth even if Jesus came down and told them a fact they disagreed with... no I should say, a fact they 'could' not see. I sometimes think guilt stops them from seeing... it's like their minds literally couldn't handle it if they knew what puppets they were being played as.

Answer 2

This is a natural human reaction. We all try to support our already existing beliefs even when evidence shows us that it is wrong. Of course, we should be aware of it, but change is a difficult and long process.

You have to ask yourself if the new evidence really support your belief or should cause you to reform your belief.

I was once pro-death penalty, but morality led me to be fully pro-life. It was a hard change, but it happened and was necessary.

Answer 3

What is "confirmation bias"? Define it in your own terms.