The Confirmation Bias describes the human tendency to favor information that confirms our existing beliefs (Selective Attention) and to interpret it in a way that fits our current world view.

To do this, new information is compared with existing information, evaluated and mixed with it. Cognitive processing, which we already know from First Impression or the Anchoring Effect, plays an important role here.

We also tend to remember information that confirms our existing beliefs or assumptions more strongly. As studies show, information that contradicts our beliefs is forgotten more quickly, i.e. ignored or sorted out.

We do this because it reduces complexity and thus facilitates decisions - also because it makes the world more comprehensible and it feels good to be confirmed in one's own opinion.

Origin

The Confirmation Bias was first systematically examined in the 1960s by psychologists Peter Wason and Raymond Nickerson. Their studies showed how selective perception and patterns of interpretation influence the cognitive processing of information.

  • Wason, P. C. (1960). On the failure to eliminate hypotheses in a conceptual task. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 12(3), 129–140.
  • Nickerson, R. S. (1998). Confirmation bias: A ubiquitous phenomenon in many guises. Review of General Psychology, 2(2), 175–220.

What can you do to avoid the Confirmation Bias?

The question arises as to what can be done about Confirmation Bias if you want to be less subject to it. Does knowing that this bias exists help? Unfortunately not, say social psychologists. "What doesn't help is the intention to pay attention to Confirmation Bias and not to allow it, because we don't know exactly when it occurs."

Another approach has proven to be an effective remedy for Confirmation Bias, namely the application of the Opposition Strategy. This involves actively questioning things and facts. So in an adversarial discussion, you can simply ask yourself: Could what my counterpart is saying be true despite my current conviction? What speaks for it? Just change your perspective and look for arguments for the other side.

In scientific research, this kind of error culture is a matter of principle, and for good reason. Before a study is published, several experts try to refute it. These arguments are then included or at least, as here on this website, always cited as critical opinions, so that an objective picture can be formed.

Application in UX and UI design

In UX and UI design, the Confirmation Bias is relevant because designers may tend to favor design decisions that confirm their own assumptions and expectations. This can lead to user feedback that contradicts these assumptions being ignored or devalued. To counteract this, it is important to use objective user tests and a variety of data sources to obtain a balanced picture of user needs.

However, critical voices point out that becoming aware of this cognitive bias and systematically avoiding it is a real challenge.

Impact on the User Experience

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Further information