What is Cognitive Bias?

 

            This is a quick look at what shapes our opinions of others as the doorway to judging others without truly knowing anything about them. Honestly, you know what others want you to know about them, while they keep their true self locked up deep inside. 

 

Familiarity Bias - Social Media operates on the "high volume = believability" principle. If we hear something often enough our brain will want to believe it is true.

Availability Bias - Our brains believe the things that are easiest to remember. This is why sensational stories easily spread. The easier it is for our brain to retrieve a memory, the more believable it will seem.

Confirmation Bias - Our natural tendency to seek out and believe information that supports our existing beliefs and expectations.

 

When we connect in person, or online/social media, we are regularly set up to fall into one of the Cognitive Biases; learn how to be aware of the influence our internal bias may have on our judgment to share information, verified or not.  

 

         Cognitive Bias is a psychological process that makes our brains more susceptible to believing things that aren't true. It affects your judgment when you are trying to determine facts from fallacies. 

 

         Understanding what the problem is makes it much easier to correct or remove the problem. We ALL judge others. We all need to stop. It has been well documented throughout my writings that I have this problem. It’s a tough one to break, but with the Spirit’s help, it can be accomplished. 

         I would like to make this clear. I try very hard to avoid an accusatory tone with my writings. Instead, I use a more inclusitory tone. (I think I just made up a new word. Lol.) Something like ‘I have this problem, maybe you do too.’ I hope that you pick up on that, because my feeling is that I am NOT the judge of anyone. Only God can judge. 

         Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries