Confirmation bias
- 1. Confirmation bias 23/4/2014 In this lesson, I have learned about confirmation bias. Based on confirmation bias, we actively seek out data that support our beliefs. Besides, we actively disregard data that refute our beliefs. For example, you see someone positively; you will automatically tend to interpret their positive behaviour because you focus to confirm the bias that you already have. Therefore, any new information of a person that contributed the way you see the person. In our life, we will come across many type of people. We meet new faces every day. Many of them remain anonymous, some may be got to know each other and some become our friends. For me, Chan Lee Wen is my best friend. She is a very dynamic and zealous girl. Besides, she is a talkative person. Sometimes she can talk so much that she can even nag her listeners to death. Maybe because of that, we get closer easily compared to the others. We contact each other frequently. Whenever I am with her, I will always laugh my head off. Moreover, I am proud of her. She is intelligent and smart in studies. All the students in our class look forward to her for guidance. She is recognized as the best student in the state. Besides, she is also very compassionate, and always willing to lend a helping hand or give a sympathetic ear to other people’s problems. When she was facing some problems, she will think twice before she comes out with any solution. She does not say much but each word has weight. She takes all the things seriously and cares about the problems. That is why, aside from my mother, I always share my problems with her. Lee Wen lives with her family. She has a desolate and pity family background and unstable family life. Her parent was killed in a car crash when she was young. Therefore, she lives with her grandmother
- 2. after the incident. Her grandmother took the responsibility to look after her grandchildren. Lee Wen is the eldest among her siblings. Being the eldest in her family, she has the responsibility of looking after her two younger brother and two younger sisters. Poverty is one of the main problems that Lee Wen suffers from. Unlike the other children living in a financially stable family, it is only her grandmother who has income every month to support the family. Without the support of others, Lee Wen's grandmother facing tough challenge in maintaining a stable economy for their family. Therefore, her grandmother has limited financial sources and couldn't afford to cover their grandchildren's education fees and others. For this reason, Lee Wen quits school and finds some part time jobs. The reason why she sacrifices herself is because she wants to relief her grandmother burden and she hopes that her siblings can continue to study. I was so touched and sad when she told me her decision. I was touched because she is a mighty sister. She is willing to give up herself education for her siblings. I was sad because I am going to lose an awesome classmate who I love so much. Anyway, I support her and believe that it can help her a lot in her present and future life. Lee Wen is a shy person, she doesn't want anybody to know her family background and she tries to cover it, she doesn’t dare to tell teacher the fact of quitting the school. Therefore, she uses “transferred to another school“ as the reason to the teacher when she making formalities. After she quits school, she was serving beers at the pub which is nearby her house. Serving beers is the only way that can earn money faster. She needs this money to buy some dairy needs for her family and pay for tuition fees. One day, some of our classmates were going to the pub to celebrate birthday party. They witnessed she was selling beers at that pub; all of them couldn’t believe that was Lee Wen. They thought that Lee Wen is a smart and helpful girl. Therefore, they kept asking Lee
- 3. Wen why she is doing this kind of job. Lee Wen was very panic and shy; she didn't know how to answer them. Therefore, she just ignored their question. Started from that movement, scandal of Lee Wen started widespread around the school. They didn't know the true reason why she is working at that place. They said lee Wen is a prostitute and they said she is a whore. They said lee wen was able to get good result was because of cheating in exam. However, they try to use those scandals to change my perception about lee Wen. Unfortunately, it doesn't work for me. This is because I know lee Wen's personality very well. I know she isn't that kind of girl. Besides, I understand why she is working at pub. Therefore, I just ignored those scandals. After that, Lee Wen asked me out and have a talk with her. At that movement, I tried to persuade Lee Wen to tell the facts to teacher and classmates. This can clarify her personality and will remove the scandals about her. Finally, she had the courage to tell the facts to teacher and classmates. After all of them know the true reason, they felt very pity and guilty. They felt sorry for her and stop the scandals about her. Therefore, they tried to help her when she needs help. They often provide foods or drinks to her. Besides, they will also go to her house to visit her grandmother and try to help her do some house chores. At the end, teacher asked her to continue her study. Beside, teacher had suggested her to teach tuition. Although it earn lesser, but it is more suitable for her. Teacher had recommended some student to register with her. The amount of students increases month by month. The amount of money that she can earn also increases month by month. Finally, she can cover the family expenses. Therefore, she decided to go back to school to continue her study.
- 4. In this confirmation bias, I have sought out data that support my beliefs. For example, I fathom about Lee Wen's family background and the problem encountered by her very well. Therefore, I believe Lee Wen's personalities and behaviour. Besides, I disregard data that refute my beliefs. For example, people started to talk bad behind her because she worked as a waitress in a pub, I did not believe them. I refuse to do so because I know Lee Wen’s good personality and she will never do that job if there are no shortage of money in her family.