Seeing What We Expect
Written by Studio AM.
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Once we form a belief, we may give more attention to facts that support it than to facts that challenge it. This tendency is called confirmation bias. We do not always notice it, which can make the pattern stubborn.
Consider someone convinced that a certain food cures colds. When they recover after eating it, they count that as proof. When they stay sick, they decide they simply did not eat enough, or they forget the case entirely. Every outcome is bent to support the belief.
The danger is not that we hold opinions but that we stop testing them. A more careful thinker deliberately searches for evidence that could prove the belief wrong. If the belief survives that honest search, it has earned more trust. Confirmation bias is not a sign of stupidity; even brilliant people fall into it. Our expectations and motives can shape how we search for and interpret information. Comparing explanations can help us notice what we have overlooked.
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Question 1 of 4
The passage is mainly about
The answer is B: how we favor evidence that supports beliefs we already hold
The whole passage defines and illustrates confirmation bias, the tendency to favor confirming evidence.
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Question 2 of 4
According to the passage, what makes a belief more trustworthy?
The answer is C: Withstanding an honest search for opposing evidence
The text says if a belief survives a search for disproving evidence, it 'has earned more trust.'
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Question 3 of 4
As used here, 'stubborn' most nearly means
The answer is B: hard to change or overcome
Stubborn describes a pattern that is difficult to change or overcome, especially when we fail to notice it.
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Question 4 of 4
In the passage's example, what does the believer do when they stay sick after eating the food?
The answer is C: They decide they did not eat enough, or forget the case entirely
The passage says that when the food fails, "they decide they simply did not eat enough, or they forget the case entirely": every outcome is bent to support the belief.
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