Bias has been getting a bad rap in the media, in academic circles, in business, and in politics. Bring on the flame, because I am going to say that bias is not inherently a bad thing. In fact, it is one of the most important functions that our brain performs. Bias is a form of judgment, which is largely what separates us from other animals.
I don’t consciously decide that it is a chair, I don’t evaluate where these beliefs came from, and I don’t question others who also believe the same thing. This is essentially a form of heuristic bias.
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We are bombarded with thousands of stimuli every minute, and our amazing, complex brains automatically code much of these stimuli non-consciously. These are called cognitive shortcuts, and are critical to our advance functioning. Much of this is thanks to our biases, which have been formed over years of experience. I am grateful that my brain works this way, so that I don’t have to go through a tedious and repetitive exercise every time I walk down the street or step into a room.
For example, I know that when I see an object about three feet tall with a platform and four legs in close proximity to a table, it is likely for sitting on, without having to examine how all my previous experiences and data have helped me reach this conclusion. I don’t consciously decide that it is a chair, I don’t evaluate where these beliefs came from, and I don’t question others who also believe the same thing. This is essentially a form of heuristic bias, Every once in a while, there is an occasion where this could prove to be embarrassing or slightly uncomfortable – for example, when a co-worker once pulled a prank where he unscrewed all the office chairs so they would fall apart instantly upon sitting – but this did not cause me to from then on closely examine all the chairs I sat in (well, at least not for more than a week).
Psychology Today defines bias as: “a tendency. Most biases—like preferring to eat food instead of paper clips—are helpful.” Biases help us know that we should not walk into glass doors, and that a smaller cup of coffee should cost less than a large one. And, some of our biases, when fully recognized as such – “I prefer dark chocolate over milk chocolate” – are not only NOT harmful, but in fact helpful (for example, for my husband on Valentine’s Day).
So what psychologists and behavioral scientists know, and so should we, is that when left unchecked, unchallenged, and in our unconscious, some biases can be dangerous, error-ridden, stifling, and prevent the best thinking from emerging.
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Psychology Today continues in its definition of bias, “But cognitive shortcuts can cause problems when we’re not aware of them and we apply them inappropriately, leading to rash decisions or discriminatory practices.” So what psychologists and behavioral scientists know, and so should we, is that when left unchecked, unchallenged, and in our unconscious, some biases can be dangerous, error-ridden, stifling, and prevent the best thinking from emerging.
Inside Out, the wonderful 2015 Disney Pixar film that brings neuroscience into the mainstream, presents many beautiful metaphors for our intricate brain. One of its most brilliant moments happens as an aside during a particularly chaotic moment in our adolescent Riley’s brain. Joy accidentally bumps into two boxes and their contents spill out, creating a mixed up mess. As she looks at the pile of items that look almost identical, she bemoans, “Oh no! These facts and opinions look so similar!” Bing Bong, trying to be helpful, assures her, “Don’t worry about it, happens all the time.” He promptly gathers up the mixed up pieces, and dumps them back in the two boxes without any notice or regard about which they belong in.
Such is the dilemma with our own biases. When we have categorized facts and opinions in the wrong boxes, we are at risk of flawed decisions and problem solving. This is why there is so much training available on the subject of “unconscious bias,” which helps us uncover which of our biases are useful and which, while in some cases useful, may in other cases be holding us back.
Because I prefer dark chocolate, I would not go so far as to say that milk chocolate eaters are wrong, or that milk chocolate should be outlawed, or that all milk chocolate eaters are terrible people. In fact, the older I get, the more I like milk chocolate and I may soon prefer it to dark.
Our challenge is not to discount or degrade our biases, but to acknowledge them, and separate the helpful from unhelpful biases.
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In the current climate of division, it is easy to confuse the facts and opinions of our dialogue, and to abandon the curiosity to learn and understand where others’ beliefs come from. A recent Wall Street Journal’s print article titled “Facebook to Train Against Bias” was appropriately renamed in the online version to ““Facebook Will Train Employees to Spot Political Bias.” We all have political biases, which essentially inform how we vote. However many of our problems stem not from the fact that we have biases, but from the fact that we do not recognize them as such.
If you and I have a difference of opinion, do I judge you, or take the time to better understand what it is about your experiences that have led you to your beliefs? Am I comfortable knowing that I would rather not live in a world where everyone held the same beliefs, because I am not interested in living in Stepford? And knowing that people’s beliefs and opinions can change over time, do I realize that this can only occur when conversations allow space for us to share our biases and treat them as such, rather than as the ultimate truth.
Our challenge is not to discount or degrade our biases, but to acknowledge them, and separate the helpful from unhelpful biases. Not all situations are created the same, and not all of our biases should be shed.
Wikipedia has several excellent lists of cognitive biases, as does Strategy+ Business which provides one of my favorite summaries from David Rock and Heidi Grant-Halvorson.
Start learning how to spot your own biases, particularly during this particularly dynamic political cycle. It will lead to better conversations, decisions, and you may even learn something about yourself and others.
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Photo: Getty Images
So true! We do tend to label bias as ‘bad’ without taking into account much of the science behind how our brain actually works and really understanding the difference behind helpful and unhelpful bias. This was eye opening for me as well as I tend to quickly associate the word bias with being something that is not good. The key is identifying the ‘good’ from the ‘not-so-good’, which is a challenge, because they are somewhat ‘hardwired’ into our brain from experiences. I loved the question in this article – ‘If you and I have a difference of opinion, do I… Read more »
Great article that informs the reader about the importance of biases to function efficiently in everyday life and the impact an unchallenged bias can have on our ability to think critically and expand our understanding. The word “bias” has taken on a negative connotation in society as many people are led to believe that all biases are negative. I thoroughly enjoy some of my biases (e.g., my sports team biases). Upon reading this article, I was able to reflect on times when my openness to experience, information and conversations has changed some of my unhelpful biases and transitioned into more… Read more »
I’d love to see a follow-up to this discussing how recognizing and acknowledging our unconscious biases can help us act in more equitable ways.
The clarification you provided on the psychological definition of bias is very helpful – that it’s a “tendency” driven through a cognitive shortcut. And yes, I agree that there can be value in our biases changing/evolving over time. As we add new, diverse experiences and knowledge to our brain’s “database”, it can certainly influence a new perspective. But when does a bias differ from a personal value? And isn’t a personal value less likely to change?