Entrenched Opinions
/While lack of knowledge is certainly a major source of bias, professional expertise doesn’t fare much better. Whether we are looking at judges, lawyers, professors, scientists, doctors, engineers, architects, writers, journalists, politicians, investors, economists, managers, coaches, consultants, or computer programmers, sharp differences and entrenched opinions are the norm. Deep experience and expertise do not necessarily lead to objective consensus. As behavioral scientists have long noted, subject matter experts tend to:
1. Rely too much on societal and professional stereotypes
2. Overvalue their personal experiences, especially recent ones
3. Overvalue their personal gut feel
4. Prefer anecdotes that confirm their existing views
5. Have limited knowledge of statistics and probability
6. Resist admitting mistakes
7. Struggle to keep up with the skills and literature in their fields
8. Burn out and/or make mistakes in demanding work environments
9. Avoid criticizing, evaluating, or disciplining their peers
10. Become less open-minded over time
For decades, we have seen the unfortunate results of these traits in criminal sentencing, student grading, medical diagnoses and treatments, hiring and salary negotiations, financial services, editorial coverage, athletic evaluations, political processes, and many other areas.
We may think that we are being impartial and fair, but our minds are full of stereotypes, preconceptions, self-interests, confirmation biases, and other discriminatory forces.
David Moschella writing for the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation