A ubiquitous phenomenon, confirmation bias is the interpretation of evidence or inferences in ways that are biased to one's existing beliefs. Prevalent among individuals who have deep-seated, emotional views, this bias arises from the direct influence of receiving information intuitively. Across the spectrum of political opinions and debates with which the nation has grappled, Americans are deeply divided regarding ideological values – which involves an individual seeking, favoring, interpreting, and recalling information to support one's claims. In essence, it is a form of self-deception that arises when you fail to interpret facts or evidence objectively. These cultivated beliefs may have developed years earlier, without rigorous review of the evidence, and may remain unchallenged. As a result, a person ignoring evidence that counters his cherished opinions leads to an argument devoid of reasons or open-minded statements, which affects various areas of his life. An example of two areas where individuals are affected by confirmation bias is politics, social media, and medical diagnoses. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Confirmation bias reinforces some information that supports an individual's beliefs, establishing evidence that can decrease active open-mindedness. Often, students gravitate toward sources that align with their biased learnings and often limit their searches online or on social media to find evidence that reinforces what they believe. Throughout your education, lessons provide endless opportunities to gather information and logically evaluate both sides of an argument. However, students deliberately find evidence that overlooks opposing beliefs or facts and are unable to “actively search for why an initial idea might be wrong” (Wikipedia). The dangers of confirmation bias arise from a person's lack of investment in alternative points of view, which often leads to a distorted interpretation of what the individual may read. Therefore, devaluing specific opinions or ideas makes it difficult for individuals to cultivate the character strength of balanced viewpoints – a necessary trait to counteract groupthink and make accurate decisions in life. Such a cognitive bias hinders a student's ability to think and reflect critically by seeking all available information or evidence before forming an opinion. Thoroughly questioning one's own views and assumptions – from political and governmental issues to everyday classroom debates – broadens an individual's horizons. Selective evidence gathering allows people to avoid credible messages and seek out certain political information through the media. Source credibility is relevant in modern election campaigns where most students acquire political information through the Internet and television news. As confirmation biases influence our news reporting, our perceptions on various issues cause us to interpret evidence in favor of a specific side, resulting in misinterpretation of impending conflicts. Political polarization has hindered people's ability to consciously expose themselves to evidence that challenges their deeply held beliefs. The “filter bubbles” of the online world, an algorithmic bias that personalizes the results individual users encounter online, make it difficult to change a person's mind. The combination of algorithmic editing or filter bubble.
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