confirmation bias
kon-fer-MAY-shun BY-us
ˌkɒnfərˈmeɪʃən ˈbaɪəsListen
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Dictionary meaning
the tendency to search for, interpret, favour, and recall information in a way that confirms or supports one's pre-existing beliefs or hypotheses, while giving less attention to information that contradicts them; confirmation bias operates across domains from politics and science to everyday interpersonal judgments; it is considered one of the most pervasive and consequential cognitive biases because it can entrench mistaken beliefs, polarise discourse, and distort empirical inquiry when researchers unconsciously design studies or interpret data to validate expected outcomes
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