What is the Selective perception bias?
Selective perception, also known as confirmation bias and myside bias, is a psychological phenomenon in which people only notice the information that confirms their existing opinions. This effect has been called « biased blind spot » because people were found to acknowledge more numerous biases in others than in themselves.
Why this bias is dangerous?
The danger of selective perception is the risk of developing an inaccurate world view due to ignoring or misinterpreting new evidence. It can be costly if deploying decisions are based on false assumptions about opponents’ abilities. In fact, it can create conflicts between individuals and groups by deviating from reality.
Why do people use this bias?
People use selective perception to protect their self-esteem. They are motivated to feel good about themselves and are inclined towards defending their own ideas. For example, an individual who is a self-described liberal Democrat may fail to notice any wrong-doing by his or her party members. The person does this in order to sustain the desired positive view of being a true Democrat.
How do people use this bias?
People use this bias quite often at home. It can be seen when parents always think that their children are better behaved than other children. Even though they might not be doing anything bad, they still believe that it is normal for their kids to behave well.
Basically, it’s all about what you want/expect to see! Everyone has thought « I don’t know what I would do if the people I support lost » or « If my team wins it’s because they are better » at least once. It has nothing to do with what you like them to be, but with existing ideas about how things work (i.e., The world is a fair place)
How can we create this bias?
The selective perception bias can be created in many different ways. For example, during the 2016 US presidential race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton there were several debates held across the country for journalists and voters to ask questions. Trump supporters criticized the moderators of the match-ups for asking biased questions aimed mainly at Clinton; however, when debate moderators wanted to ask both candidates about big issues, Trump supporters viewed the questions as fair.
How to avoid this bias?
There are several steps that can be taken in order for an individual to reduce their chances of experiencing the selective perception bias. For example, they should ask themselves what caused them to make a judgment, whether or not there were any distortions involved, and if they knew the full story.
It’s very easy! People must understand that opinions isn’t facts. Everyone have different point of views and everyone have its own way to see things so even if you think « My team is better » it doesn’t mean your teammates thinks the same thing. The only way to know how others see things is by asking them and listening/reading their responses! If you understand and listen to other people’s opinions you will be able to create a better atmosphere where everyone feels respected and listened.
Selective perception bias examples?
One example of this kind of bias might be the 2016 US Presidential race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Trump supporters criticized the moderators for asking biased questions aimed mainly at Clinton; however, when debate moderators asked both candidates about big issues, Trump supporters viewed these questions as fair. Selective perception is also shown by men who feel that women are less competent than they actually are or that women receive undeserved advantages. For instance, men often overestimate how often other men show sexual interest in women and think that women try harder than they do to turn them on sexually (see illusory asymmetry).
Selective perception is seen amongst all the people, no matter what race or religion they are. For example, a leader can believe that his group is superior to another group without any type of rational argument. In fact, this phenomenon was studied in a classic research project conducted by Henri Tajfel. He gathered teenagers from various schools and separated them into groups based on something as arbitrary as their preference for abstract art over representational art. Then he had the participants make a series of judgments about other teens including rating how likely it would be for the teens to engage in certain behaviors such as engaging in a fight after school.
Which profession use the Selective perception bias?
The selective perception bias is used in different professions. For example, defense lawyers might think that their client is innocent because he/she doesn’t have a criminal history, which leads them to focus only on the evidence that supports this idea rather than considering all of the facts. Another profession where people can fall victim to this kind of bias are doctors who often view themselves as being better off financially and more productive than they are in actuality.
Selective perception bias conclusion.
Selective perception bias is a type of cognitive bias that leads people to perceive the world in a way that’s consistent with their beliefs. This means that people will ignore the parts of the story that are contrary to their point of view, while accentuating incriminating evidence against an opposing group or idea. As this phenomenon becomes increasingly widespread, it presents serious dangers not only for society but also for individuals who can develop tunnel vision about particular topics and issues which can lead them to behave in dangerous ways. Though there is no way to avoid making assumptions and generalizations, it is imperative that we become more open-minded and objective when assessing new evidence and information related to our personal views.
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