I drive a silver metallic car, a motor vehicle. Nothing special about that I hear you say. And you’re quite right. What if I were to tell you that according to studies and research silver metallic is is currently at the time of making this video the most popular colour of cars in the Europe and North America. This means there are more silver metallic cars than any other car out there. Think about that for a moment and why that might be.
Click on the heading to learn more about it.
Now that you know this of course, why you are out there today after watching this video you are going to see and notice all the silver metallic cars that are out there. You will see them everywhere they will stand out as you drive past them because of the fact I placed this happy fact in your brain.
The thing is, the fact that I gave you is just not true. I just made it up. Curiously, even though you now it is not a fact Nevertheless even knowing that you are still going to notice those cars.
In a nutshell that is how unconscious confirmation bias works. Confirmation bias is our unconscious, quiet human tendency and habit of looking for and interpreting information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs. It’s not really a problem when we’re talking about motor vehicles. It is a problem when we’re talking about people. If you believe a person or a group of people or a culture behaves in a certain way your bias will lead to you looking for noticing evidence that supports your belief and confirms your bias. This all happens unconsciously, and can lead to a thing called the self-fulfilling prophecy, often expressed, consciously or unconsciously, as are they are you are you see! Or I kneiw it.. or I told you so! If for example you are you are convinced that someone from culture x just doesn’t do business properly your brain will unconsciously help you to find find another evidence.
Very often, no matter what what people from those cultures do, you will find are there you are you say evidence. If they come late for a meeting if they come too early for a meeting how they shake your hand the words they use their non-verbal you’ll be picking up at all kinds of are there you are you seeking for confirmation bias the backup your belief.
It takes a lot of work to really question is that what I’m really seeing? It takes a lot of effort to delay your judgement and challenge your own bias however in terms of improving your interactions with other people it’s well worth the effort