The Psychology of Confirmation Bias

You are in a conversation with a friend or family member on a particular topic. You share your opinion and they share theirs.

But you have the opposite opinion. So, you start Googling something to prove that your opinion is right.

Maybe you can recall certain situations where you nodded along in a conversation. If you observe deeply, you will realize the truth behind it. You didn’t nod because the arguments were solid; you nodded because it just felt right to you.

When you behave like this, you know that Confirmation Bias is in action.

What is Confirmation Bias?

At its core, confirmation bias is the tendency to:

• Search for information
• Interpret information
• Remember information

In a way that supports what we already believe and fits well into our pre-existing worldview.

Let’s discuss what it means in detail.

1. Search for Information

When we search for something, we seek what we want to believe. Like, when people type something into Google, they are often not asking,

“Is this belief true?”

They are asking,

“Can I find someone who agrees with me?”

For example, instead of searching “Does sugar really cause acne?” someone may search “How sugar causes acne”. By searching like this, they have already assumed it is true.

But why do we behave like this?

Because humans are not neutral researchers. We are emotional beings who want certainty and comfort. We want our beliefs validated.

We don’t like doubts as they are uncomfortable. Especially when our identities, values, or egos are attached to them.

2. Interpret Information

Basically, we twist what we see to fit our frame.

We all have our own interpretation of any information that we consume. Like, when two people are exposed to the same piece of information, they can interpret it in completely opposite ways. They do it based on what they already believe.

Imagine a politician gives a speech.

One viewer interprets: “What a leader! He and his party have great vision.” Another interprets: “What a liar! He is full of manipulation and lies.”

Two different interpretations. Despite watching the same speech.

Social psychology calls this motivated reasoning. We twist and bend information to support what we want to be true.

3. Remember Information

We remember information (memories) that agree with us. So we selectively remember experiences that reinforce our beliefs. But when it comes to experiences that contradict our beliefs, we forget or downplay them.

For example, a teacher who believes a student is “gifted” will recall all their high scores. But they forget or excuse their careless mistakes.

Let’s take another example: A person is in deep love with someone. She remembers all of the compliments and beautiful moments with her partner, but forgets the red flags or gaslighting moments she may have experienced with him before.

Over time, these selective memories reinforce our belief system. It builds what is essentially an emotional echo chamber within the mind.

Why Confirmation Bias Exists

Confirmation bias is a part of human evolution. It’s not a mental error, it’s a psychological survival strategy that evolved to help us survive in a complex and unpredictable world.

Yes, confirmation bias does seem irrational today, but it once served a powerful purpose.

In early human history, people didn’t have the luxury to sit and do endless analysis, like today. Life was dangerous. If they showed just one hesitation, it could cost them their lives.

So it was better for them to assume that a predator was nearby if they heard any rustling in the bushes. Similarly, if their tribe told them that a particular plant or fruit was poisonous, they would be safer by not challenging it.

At that time, quick decisions mattered, even if they were biased. Due to quick decisions, they could take faster actions and ensure the group’s unity.

Confirmation bias gave our ancestors a way to act with confidence because doubt could be deadly.

How Confirmation Bias Shapes Our Social Lives

1. Friendships & Relationships

Whether it is a friendship or a love relationship, we all look other person through a lens of stories that we carry in our minds.

Stories like:
“She really cares about me.”
“He always lies to me.”
“They never let me down.”
“He always hesitates to show affection in public.”
“I think I’m not a priority to him.”

We associate such a story with our partner or friend. We become selective and notice only the things that match our story.

That’s confirmation bias in action, but on an emotional and relational level.

2. Politics

Confirmation bias is very visible when it comes to politics.

People don’t just have different opinions about politics and politicians. They often live in different informational worlds. We choose our own world of different news channels, different newspapers, and different influencers for political information.

When it comes to public debates or political speeches, we don’t engage as detached thinkers. We show up as:

• Members of a family
• Citizens of a country
• Followers of a faith
• Survivors of past injustice
• Defenders of a way of life

Our opinions are deeply tied to our identity, religion, and community experience.

So when someone questions our political beliefs, we feel like they are questioning us.

3. Social Media Echo Chambers

Go on any social media platform—Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, or TikTok. They know exactly how to keep you engaged.

They do this by feeding you content you’re likely to agree with or strongly react to.

Their algorithms track your behavior. Like a video about video games? You’ll start seeing more of them. Comment on a post questioning vaccines? You’ll get more anti-vax content. Search for a particular political party, and you’ll be shown more content supporting that view. Watch a motivational reel on masculinity or feminism? The next 20 videos will revolve around that topic.

The more we consume content that agrees with us, the more validated we feel. We stop questioning our own thinking. We ignore content or information that doesn’t align with our beliefs.

That’s how social media platforms create echo chambers. As we consume such content, we begin to believe that’s what most people think.

4. Workplace Biases

Let’s review the following statement:

“If you think a coworker is lazy, you’ll keep noticing when they leave early. But not when they stay late.”

This isn’t just a personal opinion. It’s a personal bias.

The moment that label exists, your brain starts filtering information to keep the story alive:

• If they log in late once, you see it as proof of what you believe.
• If they work overtime, it’s a fluke. It just happened. You won’t change your opinion for that.
• If they take a break, it’s laziness.
• If someone else you admire does the same thing, you take it as “self-care” or “stress relief.”

You ignore the fact that this double standard is not fair to the person you are targeting. That’s why confirmation bias is dangerous.

The Cost of Staying Stuck

If we are not careful of our confirmation biases, we don’t just pay with poor reasoning—we pay with our relationships, our growth, and our humanity.

1. It Blinds Us to Truth

We don’t see things as they are. Instead, we see them as we expect them to be.

Confirmation bias narrows our vision. We tend to overlook facts that don’t align with our existing beliefs. We stop investigating and start assuming. This impacts our thought process, and we start mistaking comfort for clarity.

2. It Fuels Unnecessary Conflict

When everyone believes they’re absolutely right, conversation turns into combat.

Instead of listening, we defend. Instead of learning, we attack. This creates tension in relationships, teams, and even entire communities.

3. It Limits Personal Growth

Growth requires challenge. But confirmation bias shuts the door on anything unfamiliar or uncomfortable.

We stop asking questions and start repeating ourselves. Stay safe, but stuck. Over time, it becomes a roadblock between who we are and who we could be.

4. It Reinforces Damaging Stereotypes

When we believe a label, we find “evidence” to support it. Even if it’s unfair or incomplete.

We see a lazy teen, an emotional woman, and an untrustworthy stranger. Because we are looking for them. This kind of thinking sustains prejudice and blocks empathy.

5. It Blocks Genuine Connection

It is straightforward. If we try to correct someone, we can’t truly connect with them.

When we are influenced by Confirmation bias, we become reactive. We become unwilling to consider or accept new suggestions and ideas. Instead of holding space for different experiences, we push our perspective. And lose the intimacy of understanding.

How to Break Free from Confirmation Bias

We shouldn’t forget that real connections require curiosity, flexibility, and empathy. Confirmation bias has the power to erode such qualities.

When we are stuck defending our belief:

• We don’t listen to understand. We listen to reply.
• We don’t ask deeper questions. We assume you know already.
• We don’t hold space for others. We try to fix or convert them.

We can’t connect with someone if we are always trying to correct them.

We all carry confirmation bias. It’s not a personal failure, it’s a shared human trait. But the more we become aware of it, the more conscious and compassionate our social experiences become.

Sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is to question what we have always believed to be true.