Editing Confirmation Bias (section)

== <span style="color: #FFFFFF;">Understanding</span> ==
Confirmation bias is understood through '''Information Filtering''' and '''Defense Mechanisms'''.

'''1. The Search (Finding Evidence)''':
We don't look for the "Truth," we look for "Agreement."
* If you believe a specific diet is healthy, you will google "Benefits of [Diet]" rather than "Risks of [Diet]."
* You find what you were looking for, and your belief gets stronger.

'''2. The Interpretation (Spinning the Facts)''':
Even when we see a fact that contradicts us, we find a way to dismiss it.
* "That study was funded by a rival company."
* "That news source is biased."
* "That was just a one-time fluke."

'''3. The Memory (Remembering the Hits)''':
We remember our "Wins" and forget our "Losses."
* A psychic might make 100 predictions. If 1 comes true, the believer remembers that 1 and forgets the 99 failures.

'''Why We Do It''': It takes energy to change our minds. It feels bad to be wrong (Cognitive Dissonance). Confirmation bias is a "Protective Shield" that keeps our identity and world-view stable.
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