AAMC FL Practice Exam

What does confirmation bias involve regarding the perception of information?

1. A tendency to seek out contradictory evidence

2. A tendency to search for information that supports preconceptions

3. A tendency to recall memories inaccurately

4. A tendency to ignore emotional responses

The correct answer is: A tendency to search for information that supports preconceptions

Confirmation bias refers to the cognitive tendency whereby individuals favor information that aligns with their existing beliefs or preconceptions while disregarding or minimizing information that contradicts those views. This can manifest in various ways, such as selectively gathering data, interpreting new evidence in a manner that supports one’s pre-existing attitudes, or even recalling facts that confirm their beliefs more readily than those that challenge them. The correct answer highlights this aspect of confirmation bias, focusing on how individuals actively pursue and prioritize information that reinforces their viewpoints. For instance, in the context of political beliefs, a person may seek out news sources that align with their ideology while avoiding or dismissing sources that present opposing perspectives. This reinforces their existing beliefs and can create a skewed understanding of complex issues due to a lack of exposure to a diverse range of viewpoints. The other options touch on different cognitive biases or behaviors that may not specifically relate to confirmation bias. For example, seeking out contradictory evidence denotes an openness to other viewpoints rather than the selective information gathering associated with confirmation bias. Similarly, recalling memories inaccurately pertains more to memory distortions than to the selective information process of confirmation bias. Ignoring emotional responses relates to emotional regulation rather than how information is perceived and processed in the context of one's beliefs.