The Bias Blind Spot: Perceptions of Bias in Self Versus Others

Abstract

Three studies suggest that individuals see the existence and operation of cognitive and motivational biases much more in others than in themselves. Study 1 provides evidence from three surveys that people rate themselves as less subject to various biases than the “average American,” classmates in a seminar, and fellow airport travelers. Data from the third survey further suggest that such claims arise from the interplay among availability biases and self-enhancement motives. Participants in one follow-up study who showed the better-than-average bias insisted that their self-assessments were accurate and objective even after reading a description of how they could have been affected by the relevant bias. Participants in a final study reported their peer’s self-serving attributions regarding test performance to be biased but their own similarly self-serving attributions to be free of bias. The relevance of these phenomena to naïve realism and to conflict, misunderstanding, and dispute resolution is discussed.

A Role for Social Psychology Instruction in Reducing Bias and Conflict

“…Among possible explanations for this apparent contradiction, participants' self-ratings of accuracy might have decreased (consistent with greater openness to their own biases), while their ratings of their classmates' accuracy might have decreased to greater degree, leading to a stronger better-thanaverage effect. In general, people see others as more prone to bias than themselves (e.g., Pronin et al, 2002), and learning about so many biases in a social psychology course might greatly decrease students' ratings of other students' accuracy. To test this possibility, future research can ask participants to rate themselves and their classmates separately.…”

“…Most people rate themselves as better than average on desirable attributes, including one's ability to avoid the better-than-average effect (Friedrich, 1996). Although education about such self-serving biases has not appeared to reduce them (Frantz, 2006;Friedrich, 1996;Pronin et al, 2002), I investigated whether my students might show a decrease in the better-than-average effect in rating their accuracy in understanding others. Unlike previous reported examples of bias education, I not only included instruction on the bias itself but also cautioned students against assuming they were better than average in avoiding biases in general.…”

“…In addition to measuring the constructs from Study 1 (FAE understanding, openness to biases, peaceful reactions, and the FAE), I measured the better-than-average effect (e.g., Pronin, Lin, & Ross, 2002). Most people rate themselves as better than average on desirable attributes, including one's ability to avoid the better-than-average effect (Friedrich, 1996).…”

Self-relevance and wishful thinking: Facilitation and distortion in source monitoring

“…These types of errors perform a useful role in mood maintenance, helping to maintain comfort and happiness. When we are faced with unpalatable information, we may alter aspects of our perception, memory, or judgment so that they become more consistent with our desires (e.g., Alicke, 1985;Bradley, 1978;Hawkins & Hastie, 1990;McFarland & Alvaro, 2000;Pronin, Lin, & Ross, 2002). desires to win and do not maintain an explicit desire for their competitor to lose.…”

Most of us are biased

“…Create an environment in which it is acceptable to question colleagues when bias might be influencing their behaviour. It is easier to detect bias in others than ourselves 8 , so we need to help each other without judgement. It is especially helpful if men initiate conversations about gender bias so that women don't bear the full responsibility.…”