Which bias occurs when people seek information to support their point of view and discount data that contradicts it?

Which bias occurs when people seek information to support their point of view and discount data that contradicts it?

• A. Confirmation bias
• B. Sunk-cost bias
• C. Anchoring and adjustment bias
• D. Framing bias

Answer: (A)

This question tests confirmation bias. It’s the tendency to look for information that supports your existing viewpoint and to discount or ignore data that contradicts it. When people do this, they selectively gather and interpret evidence in a way that reinforces what they already believe, making it harder to see the issue clearly. Think of it like this: you have a belief about something, so you seek out sources, anecdotes, or data that agree with that belief and treat conflicting information as less credible or ignore it altogether. This can happen in everyday decisions, research, or debates, and it can lead to overconfidence because the information you’re relying on feels confirmation-rich. To contrast with other biases: sunk-cost bias is about sticking with a bad decision because you’ve already invested time or money; anchoring and adjustment bias involves relying too heavily on an initial number or impression when making new judgments; framing bias occurs when the way information is presented changes how you respond. None of these capture the core behavior of actively seeking supportive evidence while dismissing contradicting data as confirmation bias does. A good way to counter this is to intentionally seek out credible evidence that could disconfirm your view, diversify sources, and pause to evaluate how much weight to give each piece of information.

This question tests confirmation bias. It’s the tendency to look for information that supports your existing viewpoint and to discount or ignore data that contradicts it. When people do this, they selectively gather and interpret evidence in a way that reinforces what they already believe, making it harder to see the issue clearly.

Think of it like this: you have a belief about something, so you seek out sources, anecdotes, or data that agree with that belief and treat conflicting information as less credible or ignore it altogether. This can happen in everyday decisions, research, or debates, and it can lead to overconfidence because the information you’re relying on feels confirmation-rich.

To contrast with other biases: sunk-cost bias is about sticking with a bad decision because you’ve already invested time or money; anchoring and adjustment bias involves relying too heavily on an initial number or impression when making new judgments; framing bias occurs when the way information is presented changes how you respond. None of these capture the core behavior of actively seeking supportive evidence while dismissing contradicting data as confirmation bias does.

A good way to counter this is to intentionally seek out credible evidence that could disconfirm your view, diversify sources, and pause to evaluate how much weight to give each piece of information.