Confirmation bias is also a great example on how we process information illogically. It shows how humans at first do make a decision in an unbiased manor, but once that information is processed, we like to rationalize our decision any way we can. Since humans are programmed to decipher information that comes to us, and confirmation bias only allows one side to inform a person, it leads to a bigger dispersion of beliefs. If one side of an argument only hears voices for their argument and vice versa, there would never be room for compromise because both side don't listen to one another.
Out of all of the theories that we use to make decisions on the world around us, arguable the most important one to understand is confirmation bias. This refers to individual's tendencies to process information by looking for, or interpreting, information that is consistent with one's existing beliefs. Confirmation biases impact how people gather information, but they also influence how people interpret and recall information. This means that people who have a particular opinion on an issue will most likely seek out information with a similar attitude to theirs.
Although it's a good thing while trying to come up with arguments for your opinion, it also leads to heavy bias while communicating. Communication bias leads to many people holding to strong false beliefs or to give more wight to information that supports their beliefs than is warranted by the evidence. Think about someone who is very left leaning in their political beliefs. That person would prefer to listen to left speaking journalists because they agree with the narrative being portrayed. Choosing not to hear both sides of a story is extremely detrimental to compromise. This also leads to issues in the professional setting as well.
In a doctors office for example, a trained doctor might come into a patients room with the knowledge of all these different diagnosis of what might be the issue. Once the doctor developed a "hunch" on what happened, they are going to look for any reason as to why that theory is correct. These thoughts act as dangerous roadblocks in our mind prohibiting us from the truth.
Thought of as utility that leads to bias thoughts and actions, confirmation bias can also be used in persuasive speaking. At the end of the day, everyone just wants to be told what they want to hear. Telling someone exactly what they want to hear also develops trust within the relationship and might even make someones day. When your girlfriend asks you how she looks in a particular outfit, you can use confirmation bias to assure her that she looks good even though she might not. Not only does this make her feel better about herself, it also saves you from the doghouse.
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