What is confirmation bias?

Confirmation bias is best defined as the tendency to only acknowledge information that confirms one's pre-existing beliefs. This cognitive bias leads individuals to seek out, interpret, and remember information in ways that align with their existing views, often disregarding or discounting evidence that contradicts them. This can significantly affect decision-making and critical thinking, as it reinforces existing opinions and hinders objective analysis.

In the context of the other options, while generating new hypotheses based on existing data might involve critical thinking and scientific approaches, it does not characterize confirmation bias. Accepting information that challenges existing beliefs defines open-mindedness or cognitive flexibility, which is the opposite of confirmation bias. A systematic approach to assessing all types of evidence equally represents a balanced and fair evaluation of information that confirmation bias inherently contradicts. Thus, the correct understanding of confirmation bias focuses specifically on the selective attention to information that supports one’s pre-existing views.