What is Bias?

Bias refers to a tendency or inclination, especially one that is unfair or prejudicial. Bias can be exhibited in many different ways, including but not limited to the following:

• A cognitive bias refers to the ways in which our brains process information and can lead us to make judgments that are not entirely based on evidence or objectivity.
• The propensity to seek out and give more weight to information that confirms our existing ideas while discounting or ignoring information that contradicts them is known as confirmation bias.
• Representation bias refers to the ways in which certain groups are over- or under-represented in media, research, and other areas of society.
• Social bias refers to the ways in which societal expectations, stereotypes, and prejudices can influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviour towards others.

To advance justice and equality in society, it is critical to identify and deal with bias.

The majority of our social interactions are impacted by biases, which range from benign behaviours like choosing your own children over others to harmful or hazardous prejudices like thinking that one group of people is superior to another. No matter how objective you may be, it is crucial to keep in mind that everyone has a prejudiced perspective on something.

Although bias is frequently linked to unfavourable outcomes, like gender or racial biases, it is not always as serious or harmful. For instance, it would probably be deemed beneficial to be prejudiced toward one’s own children because it strengthens the link between parents and children.