Introduction

We gravitate to things that follow our narrative (even if that is subconscious) if we are not using critical thinking AND we aren’t in the mood to change. We like things that don’t rub us the wrong way or that will be better than what we currently have. Things that are to our liking. That might be the easier path, depending on your personality, or sometimes the opposite for those that love conflict. Then we gravitate toward the most controversial idea. Or, if being unique is at your core essence, you might pick something that is most obscure. This comes from our confirmation bias.

Definition of Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out, interpret, favour, and remember information that supports one’s existing beliefs, while giving disproportionately less attention to evidence that contradicts them.

“Confirmation bias is the tendency to selectively search for and consider information that confirms one’s beliefs.”
— Nickerson, 1998

Finding Balance, Consider Context

Balance and context are critical for finding what’s right for our needs at the moment. What’s good for one person might not be good for another. What’s good for you in one circumstance might not be the best choice right now. There are teens who game for hours every day that would love to hear research on how video games help with math. But they neglect articles on being sedentary for so many hours a day is harmful for other aspects of their intellect and physical health. A professional athlete might read an article on pushing yourself through pain. They want to win that medal and are willing to do what they have to get there.  They gloss over the research on pushing through the pain causing more injury long-term.  I’m not going to talk about how to do proper scientific research here, rather I want to focus on mindset. 

Mindset Matters, Be Intentional

When you’re looking at information, your mindset affects what you absorb, notice, and even believe to be true.  We always have a confirmation bias, yet we can also seek to know the truth even if it goes against our narrative. And how to recognize the cues in yourself because you believe something that may not be in your best interest. I already mentioned a few. Did you catch some of them? 

If something appeals to you because it seems easy or fun or it allows you to continue to do something inherently, that’s probably the biggest red flag. We want to hear that chocolate or coffee is good for you. Or you should rest when something is sore and achy. Most of us would love to just take that at face value, depending on our state of mind or circumstances. Where this hit home for me was in terms of exercise. 

My Experience, My Bias!

I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, an autoimmune disorder. There are few experts in the field of fibromyalgia because for a long time it was viewed with skepticism. Those of us with the disorder often rely on each other for information along with our general practitioner and rheumatologist. Almost all those with fibromyalgia will tell you doing too much makes them exhausted and in pain. So, we hear from many sources go slow, take it easy, rest as soon as it starts to hurt. Ok, that sounds reasonable and aligns with our own thinking. Confirmation bias sets in.  It did for me for several years. The only trouble is it almost always hurts at least a little, yet inactivity is the worst thing you can “do” for fibromyalgia. Really, inactivity is the worst thing you can do for your health for anyone. There are specific injuries requiring total rest for a period of time but the body needs some motion for circulation, the cornerstone of health. So, I ended up getting worse, both physically and, as a result, mentally. As did many others who tried this approach. Confirmation bias started ruining my life! The more pain I am in, the harder it is to get good sleep. Poor sleep affects cognitive function, which interferes with mental function. 

Turns out I needed a little push. That may not be true for YOU! But I was getting too comfortable avoiding pain. I’m probably not alone. Many of us don’t like to push ourselves for several reasons. Maybe it’s too much effort, we don’t have the time, we are avoiding pain, we want to do something else, and the list goes on. The interesting thing is when I push myself, I mean really push myself, the pain does go up a little bit but my enjoyment in life goes up exponentially! So, is avoiding pain and not doing the things I love worth it? When I do that, not only am I not getting to do the things I love, but it’s slowly making me worse because the body atrophies very quickly. And truth be told the pain eventually gets less the more activity I do, if I am consistent and alternate what muscles are being worked.

3 Step Fix to Combat Confirmation Bias

Let’s look at 3 steps to fix confirmation bias. Ok, you’ll always have a confirmation bias but you can fix the negative outcomes of it! 

Step 1: Acknowledge you have one!  You will naturally lean towards facts that support your view. Those will feel right. They will be welcome and confirm you are right. It feels good to be right, and you very well could be, but I’m sure you’ve also been very sure about something only to find out it wasn’t right. That leads us to Step 2. 

Step 2: Be willing to be wrong. You may or may not have the wrong facts, but you will not be able to truly see other points of view if you are not willing to be wrong. That’s not to say you can’t stand strong on what you believe to be true. No, in fact, do not be too willing to give up your ideas, just be open to hearing alternatives. 

Step 3: Search out the alternatives. Now, I’m not saying to willingly search for errors, but rather, go to commonly trusted sources and explore what they have to say on the matter. 

In my fibromyalgia journey I first had to acknowledge my bias. I am predisposed to avoiding things I don’t feel good at or are hard for me. I like doing fun things that come easily.  The second step is also hard for me. I like to be right! I had all kinds of studies and experts say “listen to your body” and that “no pain no gain” is not only a myth but harmful. It was easy to listen to this advice. It felt right. Once I got through Step 2, Step 3 was easy because I love research and I like testing and experimenting. I started trying to push myself, just a bit, then a bit more. I’ve found I can push too hard, but recover by pushing light the next day. BUT I can NOT avoid all activity, even on a “rest” day. 

You might find Step 1 the hardest, or maybe Step 3. That’s ok, we are all different yet the same. Just a paradox of our human condition. 

In Conclusion

Next time you read something that resonates, pause and ask: “Do I agree because it’s well-researched and balanced—or because it affirms my existing mindset?” Either answer is okay. Just take a moment to notice.

Sources:

Nickerson, R. S. (1998). Confirmation bias: A ubiquitous phenomenon in many guises. Review of General Psychology, 2(2), 175–220. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.2.2.175