Confirmation Bias
noun /ˌkɒnfəˈmeɪʃən ˈbaɪəs/ — The mind's tendency to find what it already believes.
Definition
The tendency to search for, interpret, and favor information that confirms or supports one's prior beliefs or values.
Beyond the definition
One of the most well-documented biases in human cognition — and one of the hardest to recognize in yourself. We are all prosecutors of a case we've already decided. Understanding this doesn't make you immune; it makes you slightly more suspicious of your own certainties.
Origin & history
Coined by English psychologist Peter Wason in 1960 during his famous card selection experiment.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Confirmation bias explained why she only noticed the data that supported her thesis.
The comment section is a machine for generating confirmation bias.
Knowing about confirmation bias is the first step; escaping it is another matter.
Synonyms
motivated reasoning, selective attention, wishful thinking
Antonyms
open-mindedness, objectivity
Related words
Confirmation Bias vs cherry picking
Confirmation bias is a subconscious mental tendency to seek out information that supports existing beliefs. Cherry picking is an intentional, deliberate act of selecting only evidence that proves a point while ignoring contradictory data.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Adult and partner looking in mirror
One adult chooses an outfit in front of a mirror while their partner copies them, looking to the first for cues.
The partner’s tendency to mirror the other highlights the act of selectively searching for information that supports a pre-existing view, effectively creating a feedback loop that validates their own perspective.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration