Political Psychology Questions
Confirmation bias is a cognitive bias that influences political beliefs and information processing by causing individuals to selectively seek, interpret, and remember information that confirms their preexisting beliefs while disregarding or discounting information that contradicts them. This bias leads individuals to seek out sources and engage in conversations that align with their existing beliefs, reinforcing their own perspectives and creating an echo chamber effect. Confirmation bias also affects information processing by distorting the interpretation of new information, as individuals tend to interpret ambiguous or complex information in a way that supports their existing beliefs. This bias can lead to polarization, as individuals become more entrenched in their own beliefs and less open to considering alternative viewpoints. Overall, confirmation bias plays a significant role in shaping political beliefs and information processing, contributing to the formation and maintenance of partisan divisions.