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 memo said investigators probably overlooked the fact that the car descriptions between the brothers didn’t align because of confirmation bias, which they described as “the commitment to the belief that Holmes was the perpetrator irrespective of evidence to the contrary.”

From Washington Post

“It’s a confirmation bias because crime guns are typically the ones stolen from law-abiding citizens, not the ones legally purchased,” he said, adding that Everytown has a gun control agenda.

From Washington Times

In the refusal to do surveys, the confirmation bias is compounded by another cognitive bias, called the false consensus effect.

From Scientific American

The confirmation bias offers an important explanation for this seeming incongruity.

From Scientific American

He added that when things do work out, such as the aforementioned Maren prediction, then it creates a sense of confirmation bias.

From Washington Post