Many studies have demonstrated that any aspect of investigation that requires human judgment is subject to confirmation bias,48–50 which was also found to influence the inclusion and exclusion criteria of randomized controlled trial study designs.51 There are many examples of confirmation bias in the medical literature, some of which are even illustrated in DNA matching.16

A long recognized phenomenon in human psychology, confirmation bias can distort the results of a study and thus reduce its reliability. Confirmation bias —like other forms of cognitive bias—is not unique to latent print examination, but is rather a fixture of human experience. Confirmation bias is a tendency of people to interpret information in a way that confirms their expectations. krisanapong detraphiphat/Getty Images. The very real phenomenon of looking for evidence to support a presupposed theory is the very antithesis of scientific thought. Not a day goes by without non-experts believing themselves experts because of an anecdote about events that have happened to them or to somebody they know. 10 Types of Study Bias. 10. January 8, 2014, mason, Leave a comment. The role of bias in human decision making was generally well understood at the time of the Madrid bombing investigation. In criminal investigations, preference for hypothesis-consistent information could contribute to false convictions by leading investigators to disregard evidence that challenges their theory of a case. by Patrick J. Kiger.

Confirmation bias is the tendency to bolster a hypothesis by seeking consistent evidence while disregarding inconsistent evidence. Famous Examples of Confirmation Bias. Advertisement.

Confirmation Bias. Prev NEXT . Confirmation bias occurs when a researcher takes the hypothesis that he or she starts out with ("marijuana is beneficial/detrimental") and shapes the study methodology or results to confirms that premise, whether or not it’s actually justified.