The aim of this essay is to reflect on the influence cognitive bias has on the perception of information. Bias is an error in interpreting data due to personal inclinations, prejudice, or simplification of knowledge. It exists as a result of the brain trying to make an explanation of the world’s rules of functioning. It is important to be aware of biases as they influence a person’s beliefs, worldviews, and decision-making.
As an example of me being biased about a topic, I was prejudiced against getting the COVID-19 vaccine. This opinion was based on the idea that the vaccine was made too quickly and seemed to appear out of nowhere. This bias was so strong that even when I happened to find articles that contained information about vaccine benefits, I managed to find evidence of my own perception of its usefulness being questionable. This was an illustration of confirmation bias (Casad & Luebering, 2023). It means paying attention only to facts that confirm already existing ideas about the world.
Being conscious of our personal biases is essential as they are likely to give a distorted picture of the world. Making assumptions on the ground of bias leads to having incorrect or incomplete data about the subject. This is a cause for wrong conclusions and, therefore, making wrong decisions. It is significant to be aware of bias in research as well for receiving full and objective data about the studied subject. Reviewing all existing points of view on the topic is necessary, even if they seem wrong. Leaving out information affects the relevance, preciseness, and objectivity of research.
In conclusion to all mentioned above, biases impact the way people perceive data on a certain subject. Understanding personal bias is necessary to have more objective information and avoid false assumptions. Bias is able to form limited or incorrect views on a topic. They are able to affect the decision-making process in a negative way as well. This is why awareness of biases is important in the learning process.
Reference
Casad, B. J., & Luebering, J.E. (2023). Confirmation bias. Britannica. Web.