It drives me nuts that diet researchers keep changing their minds about what foods are good and which are bad for us. Butter and eggs are two that have switched sides several times lately. And red wine? Well, I only believe the reports that say a moderate amount is good for your heart (Do you suppose I could be a little biased? đ).
We all have biases. Thatâs how our human brains work. Itâs easier to avoid being biased if you are aware of how your opinions can get off track.
So here are some different types of potential biases we can haveâŚ
Hindsight bias â focusing and rationalizing the past without paying enough attention to current facts. An event that happened to us or someone close to us in the past can influence us more than it should, even if itâs a rare occurrence.
Optimism bias â choosing an excessively rosy outlook. We are often influenced by what we hope, sometimes irrationally, will happen in the future
Selection bias â âcherry pickingâ the facts that agree with your theory. Talking only to people with the same beliefs as you can increase your bias while listening with an open mind to those with opposing ideas can lessen it.
Funding bias â keeping your sponsor happy so theyâll donate again. If Grandma gives you money for a gift, you might tend to buy something sheâd approve of...
Self-selection bias â when more people choose to comment or participate because they agree with what is being discussed or measured. This can make it appear that a cause or idea has more support than it actually does.
Recall bias â our human tendency to remember the fun parts of an event, especially after some time has passed. Opinion surveys are best done one day after an event: immediately after we want to be kind to the organizer, and a week later we have already forgotten most of the bad parts and remember more of the good.
Scientists, too, need to know about their own human failings and adjust their research to reduce bias as much as possible. However, itâs easy for it to creep in when they arenât vigilant⌠To try to prevent bias, studies include a âcontrolâ group to compare and measure how much change the factor being tested is creating. Those gathering the information from both groups as well as those being tested arenât told who is in which group. This is called a âcontrolled double blindâ study. Of course, they canât do this with diet studies, and perhaps this is one reason why studies often reach opposite conclusions, depending on who is running the study, how accurately people remember and report their diet information, and who paid for the study.
When a researcher or politician has a personal interest in a certain outcome, it can influence how he interprets the information, whether he realizes it or not. The job of a lobbyist is to change the opinion of those who make decisions in favor of whoever is paying them. There are so many factors that can affect decisions that are made and what we see in the news.
Itâs the same for us as we make decisions about what type of diet is healthy, who to vote for or whether we should vaccinate our children. We are influenced by personal experiences, who we talk to, what media we choose for our news, and many other factors. If itâs health-related, your doctor is likely the best person to give you balanced advice.
Social media
But, increasingly, social media influences our opinions. Social media follow what we like and post, to gauge what we are interested in, and then send us information that supports what we already believe. I was surprised to learn that, not only is this done with advertising, but with regular posts as well. And, of course, anyone can post whatever they wish â whether it's facts, opinion or fictionâŚ
So, how can you reduce your own biases and make better decisions? One way is to look for information on both sides of any question. Read what those who disagree with you are saying. Are their arguments valid and based on fact? Search out information from experts and, as much as possible, read facts rather than opinions. Realize that media reports are often sensationalized, because thatâs what sells.
Be open-minded
Another way to reduce your bias is to keep an open mind. Winston Churchill was known for beginning a statement with phrases like âI could be wrong, but I thinkâŚâ or âIn my opinionâŚâ, encouraging the person he was conversing with to offer their opinion and leaving room for him to change his if the facts offered warranted it.
Since Iâve retired from active pharmacy practice, I find I have more time to seek out alternative opinions. This has made me question some of my long-held beliefs as a pharmacist. But I try to keep an open mind and keep reading. Things can change quickly in medical circles with the discovery of a new information, but sometimes entrenched ideas can take a long time to change.
A Harvard Business Review article had 3 suggestions to reduce bias:
Question assumptions â donât just immediately accept what you are reading as truth.
Follow through the writerâs logic â does it make sense and agree with other information you have read? Is the argument supported by scientific evidence or is it presented from a limited personal experience?
Diversify thought â look for other opinions to keep your point of view balanced.
When it comes to diet research, try not to get caught up in the latest fad. Aim for a balanced diet of whole foods, lots of veggies and everything else in moderation - and be skeptical of extreme claims in headlines, especially on the internet! I try to be as unbiased as I can, while sharing health news I find interesting, and I will always include my references so you can see my sources and evaluate them yourself -- because, like all humans, I have my biases too... especially when it comes to wine!
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