confirmation bias

American  

[kon-fer-mey-shuhn bahy-uhs] / ˌkɒn fərˈmeɪ ʃən ˌbaɪ əs /

noun

Psychology.

1. bias that results from the tendency to process and analyze information in such a way that it supports one’s preexisting ideas and convictions: Unfortunately, their experimental method was proven invalid due to confirmation bias.

   Confirmation bias is a major issue when we get all our news from social media sites.

   Unfortunately, their experimental method was proven invalid due to confirmation bias.

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Etymology

Origin of confirmation bias

Coined in 1960 by English psychologist Peter Wason

Example Sentences

The emailed confirmation for the flight changes, with Calder’s original Lufthansa confirmation code, showed the charge and indicated it would appear on his credit card as LUFTHANSA//FLIGHTCRYS.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

The confirmation code is expected to last seven days before it expires.

From Washington Times • Feb. 1, 2023

Mareni Montiel of Mexico was elated to select a date and time for her two children — then didn’t get a confirmation code.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 28, 2023

Go to the email Slack sent you to get the confirmation code and enter it into the appropriate spaces.

From The Verge • Jan. 28, 2022

The confirmation codes in all cases slotted into the same chronological timeline as our initial batch sent by BBC colleagues and showed that the earlier the test result date, the lower the confirmation code.

From BBC • Jan. 27, 2022