Cognitive bias is the enemy of critical thinking. It restricts our ability to think rationally and make balanced judgements. Unfortunately, we’re all biased. Our points of view are shaped by our upbringing, our experiences, our ethnicity, where we live, what we choose to read, the people we hang out with, and the organisation we work for. Wikipedia lists over 180 cognitive biases we all suffer from. Here are a few of the most common ones.
Confirmation Bias Our tendency to seek out and prioritise information that confirms our existing point of view on the world.
Recency Bias Our tendency to act upon the most recent piece of information we have. This means we tend to ignore or forget information that occurred in the more distant past.
The Availability Heuristic A mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method or decision.
There are many more.
Hans Rosling in his wonderful book ‘Factfulness’ refers to our biases as ‘instincts’ which he summarises in the poster below.
None of us like to be accused of being biased. We all want to make good, well-reasoned judgements. So how do we manage our biases? Here are a few suggestions.
1 Develop greater self-awareness
This is the starting point. When you’re forming an opinion on a subject, ask yourself what has shaped it. I’m a white, 50-something, London-based, son of Italian immigrants, with two daughters, who was brought up in the East Midlands. My points of view are shaped by these facts and I’m deeply aware of them. Therefore when listening or reading about developments and events beyond your immediate experiences, be conscious of the perspective you’re looking at them from. Factor this into your judgement.
2 Seek the alternative perspective
To avoid getting stuck, seek out other points of view. There’s a lovely TED talk called, ‘Beware online filter bubbles’ which argues that the way we - and search engines - filter our information, means that we don't get exposed to information that could challenge or broaden our worldview.
To avoid this, read articles and writers who challenge your current perspective. Broaden your research beyond your favourite publications. It’ll help mitigate against confirmation bias.
I’m very aware of my musical bias. I have a clear point of view on what I consider to be great music. I suspect all of us do. I used to play a game with my daughter. Every Saturday on the 45-minute drive to her horse riding session, she took control of the Spotify playlist. We could only listen to the music she chose. I forced myself to listen to music I wouldn’t normally listen to. It didn’t mean I loved all her choices, but it certainly opened my mind to new stuff. I learnt that there was a world beyond David Bowie and 70s funk and soul.
3 Look for new experiences
Travel does indeed broaden the mind. As do all new experiences. Experiment. Try out new cuisines. Go to galleries and museums you’ve never been to. Try out a new hobby. Meet new people. Experience them all with a fresh and open mindset and incorporate them into your worldview. It’ll encourage you to see how people act and behave with a more informed perspective.
4 Look backwards
We’ve all got short memories. We don’t always see the big picture. Therefore make sure you learn the lessons of the past. Become a history student. What happened today, is likely to have happened in the distant past. Don’t always rely on contemporary examples to prove your point. Look at long and detailed data sets.
Avoid recency bias. Don’t rely on stuff that’s immediately around you. Don’t discount the value of research, events, experiences, literature, and actions from the past when developing a point of view on what’s happening today.
5 Seek out facts and evidence
As Hans Rosling pointed out, many of our beliefs are misconceptions. Evidence should be the foundation of our points of view. Otherwise, we simply have an opinion. We, therefore, have 2 responsibilities.
1 To seek out robust evidence to back up our arguments
2 To ensure that the evidence we use is reliable and trustworthy
If you’re weak on either of these points, then it could be that you’re simply relying on your biases as the basis of your judgement
6 Don’t jump to conclusions
Malcolm Gladwell in his book ‘Blink’ talks about the power of intuitive judgement. He references our ability to use limited information from a very narrow period of experience to draw conclusions. It’s a fascinating book. However, he also points out its dangers. How bias can corrupt this. Therefore watch out. If you feel you have the relevant knowledge, experience, and ‘gut feel’ to draw a conclusion, then by all means trust it.
Sometimes we need to make quick decisions. But keep a check on this. Where possible, try and reflect before you decide. Consult others. Weigh up the evidence. It’s not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of effective critical thinking.
In summary
We all need a clear, strong point of view on the world. We all need to have a clear set of values and beliefs to guide us. And sometimes there’s nothing wrong with having strong opinions and passions that sometimes defy logic. I’m often asked why I continue to support Derby County. We’re human after all.
However, if we want to make better, more informed decisions, remember to continually challenge our opinions. Work on your self-awareness. Seek out alternative points of view. If they serve to validate your existing perspective - great.
Equally, have the humility to change your position if new evidence comes to light that challenges it. Look for new experiences to prevent you from maintaining a narrow perspective. Don’t jump to conclusions too quickly. Reflect before you judge.
We can never get rid of our biases. But we have the ability - and the responsibility - to manage them better.