whalebelow2

In lay terms "Confirmation Bias" is asking questions but subconsciously having a set of predetermined answers.

So when we ask a question, we then gravitate towards the answers we wanted in the first place.

More reading here.

Confirmation bias - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Just a casual observation from me if anyone cares for it ... It does seem to happen quite a lot here on SR.

biminiblue

It's also known as checking with your spiritual advisors when you are wrestling with a decision.

You know, like in AA.

Dee74

In some members posts more than others perhaps...

I think it happens anywhere - I've seen it happen in my working life in an office, and especially in my working life as an academic.

It takes a lot of courage to look at the evidence as objectively as we can and sometimes admit we got it wrong

D

pakman

I can be dense sometimes. Can you provide some examples?

Notimetoloose

100% I really only want to hear what I want to hear, However, sometimes and only sometimes, (unfortunately), when I hear what I need to hear it does propel me forward to make life & self improvements.

courage2

Well, yeah. It's a well known phenomenon and you'll find it here on SR as anywhere else. There are also a whole variety of response biases that are interesting: acquiescence and socially desirable responding are two of the most common types -- probably you won't find so much of them here among a bunch of alcoholics & addicts as you would in the general population

These phenomena are part of ordinary human psychology -- generally a person only worries about them when trying to do some kind of study where the truth-value of responses matters, and even then, some people don't worry about them at all.

Are you making a study of bias on SR?

whalebelow2

Seek and you shall find

Look around in threads where people ask advice, then draw your own conclusions.

jdooner

Whale below - why do you post on SR?

Bias and the placebo effect are real. But we are not doing double blind studies for efficacy of drugs.

I think there is awareness that one can develop in understand ones own motives in asking questions that is useful.

I use SR to share my experience, hope and strength. I use it to provide a solution that was shown and taught to me. I use it to challenge my own thinking, as I often need real accountability, as I can get too into the World according to JDooner. I have found in the past year plus that SR has been an excellent tool for all of these and I have made some real friendships in the process.

Most of my posts have some bias. This has changed and lessened over time. I find the responses that **** me off the most are often the ones that I need the most.

courage2

Good point, not being personal whale by why do any of us ask questions on SR?

I've posted several threads that ask questions. Sometimes I really want to know what people think. Sometimes I only want to know what one person thinks! Sometimes I want to validate my own nearly-settled thinking. Sometimes it's just for rhetorical flare. Studies of questioning among various types of people -- teachers, lawyers, policy makers -- show that people use questioning for many effects, and don't always listen or even care about the answers.

Does that bother you?

whalebelow2

To try & help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

In a general way , some posts contain things like "I'm desperate to stop, I'll try anything, please help"

So I suggest a spiritual path.

Which obviously horrifies some and so they end up entering into dialogue with the people who suggest "just keep trying" "just don't drink" "you CAN do it" and so on.

Again, in a general way, maybe they should have said "I'll do anything .... except ABC or XYZ"

They came in with a set of predetermined ideas of what they wanted to hear & all they really wanted was a pat on the back & some encouragement.

To put an analogy on this ...

Is it a good idea to keep putting band aids on the knee of a child who falls over a lot or is it better to offer & then teach them a way of walking that prevents them falling over all the time ?

And yes, some clever person will probably pick a hole in that analogy and sidestep the underlying question.

Human nature is just like that.

Dee74

From my reading everyday, I think the vast majority of newcomers are open to new ideas

but maybe that's my confirmation bias


Ah, now we're getting to the meat

In all genuineness, maybe the problem is not always the solution but the way it's being presented?

D

Aellyce

I would have a lot to say about this topic and phenomenon, but just one thing, which is marginally related but is rooted in the same. I see this extremely often (quazi everyday) in my science work also, especially in studies and discussions that are designed to be hypothesis-driven. In reality, they are often just as driven by the person's subjective motivation to be correct (which is rewarding for our brains) as by the actual scientific question or experimental design. And science is supposed to be the ultimate objective, unbiased discipline! I had a hard time with realizing all this in my career back in the early days when I was a student and for some years later to the point that I considered quitting this profession several times... thinking that if we can't even get to "objective truth" this way, it's pointless and depressing. It took some experience to not be disturbed by this so much anymore. I think many people go through a similar process being an SR member... or just in ordinary life

happyandfree

Maybe sometimes people ask questions that they know the answers because of ambivalence, denial, or indecision. They need to hear the answer from others so it feels more concrete and plausible. Maybe? And sometimes they don't like the answers they hear and will argue about it, just to be sure. It's part of their thought process. I don't believe any harm is intended.

whalebelow2

In short, yes.

I give freely of my time to answer peoples questions, so it does annoy me that they ask, seemingly open minded, but all they wanted was bias confirmation.

I'm not sure how I will ever be OK with that.

Even Yoda used to get peeved with Luke's self sabotaging, whining & pointless questions

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away albeit.

jaynie04

whale below….many newcomers who post such sentiments are often still cross-eyed from the worst hangover of their life. Throwing out a "spiritual path" might sound appealing to you but is a rather vague notion to someone who is simply trying to get their legs under them.

I know the steps are in order for a reason….sounds like you are jumping ahead to number 3 when someone hasn't even dealt with the first one.

courage2

Yes, if you think you're going to get at truth through verbal give-and-take, it's too bad Socrates is long dead because he might say 'go for it', but no one who's studied social science research methods would give you a snowball's chance. And Socrates used a loaded deck of questions AND cherry-picked his respondents AND used biases to his own advantage AND scrubbed his results.

Wish I could do that in my work!

Dee74

Some of us are square pegs and some of us are not.

Some people like to hear that someone else has the answer and all they need to do is this, this and that.

Others run a mile from that.

Still more simply want to be acknowledged.

The skill of being a good respondent (and it is a skill that can be learned IMO) lies in *really* reading the post and deciding what the appropriate response is to any given post, I think?

D

Aellyce

Oh gosh... now you are getting into some of my subjective reasons (reasoning) why I rejected majoring in philosophy a long time ago and choosing it as a profession, while in some ways that would have been my first choice back then... so instead, now I am studying psychiatry with experimental methods

jdooner

You may want to try a great book that will challenge your beliefs and views. Its Awareness by Anthony De Mello.

My bias in posting this is to support my own decision in reading this book and affirm the benefits I received from studying it.

There is also a true desire to help. This is selfish, because by helping (perceived) I benefit (real).

I also posted this to gain positive feedback for my honesty and intellect (perceived).

Be careful not to fall into the self righteous trap of my way is the best and these people need to take my advice. Been there done that - its dangerous in my experience.

bunnezjp

At the end of the day, people post here for advice, respond to posts, or just to tell us how their day is. Who cares if a post is confirmation biased? Sometimes I know the answer to a question, or know what I'd like the answer to be, and I still ask. I suppose I don't see the harm, or don't care enough to judge a post as having a bias per the OP. Just sayin'.

Bunnez