Last week, the CONNECT2Lead Blog tackled the topic of information overload. One way to control the volume on information is to be more discerning about the sources you rely on. By scrutinizing sources, you’ll save time. You’ll also protect your credibility and build your leadership effectiveness. That’s because people rely on you for quality information, and credible leaders are selective about what they access in making decisions.
Complicating this simple evaluation is your own unconscious bias which could impair your credibility and leadership effectiveness.
Your own natural inclinations may be working against you, though, and impairing the quality and variety of information you access or consider. Here are three insidious factors that subconsciously affect what sources you turn to and how you filter information.
Confirmation Bias is something we automatically respond to as we seek, filter, and accept information. We tend to select sources that generally support our own ideas and ideologies. We conduct online searches using phrases that are more likely to produce information that supports our preconceived notions. We hastily reject information that contradicts what we already believe is true. Confirmation bias is extremely self-limiting as it precludes us from getting a full picture and prevents us from seeking a diversity of thought and input.
Familiarity Bias is similar. It’s our natural preference to accept what is already known, comfortable or familiar and to reject anything that deviates from the familiar. We are more confident in what’s familiar, so we give it extra (undeserved) weight when evaluating options or information. This, too, is self-limiting because it keeps us from being exposed to what’s new, what’s emerging, and what could be different. Going back to the same sources over and over again, for example, makes us vulnerable to being limited by the filters they employ (because of their own confirmation bias, agenda, etc.).
With confirmation bias and/or familiarity bias, many people find themselves trapped in echo chambers. Having rejected views that don’t fit in with their own and selecting only the sources that align with their thinking, these people only hear echoes and affirmations of their own ideas. They may even get to a point where they don’t realize there are other points of view.
Bandwagon Effect is a compelling phenomenon. Humans want to go along with others and can easily be swept up by popular opinion (or the perception of popular opinion). When “everyone” is doing something, we fear missing out or looking different. That feeling causes people to do things they normally wouldn't do, even when they don’t understand the purpose for doing it. This video shows a social experiment that demonstrates the power of the bandwagon effect. Because the desire to be like others is so strong, advertisers and politicians often imply that “everyone” or a vast majority is adopting a product or idea. This effort is meant to sway others who will go along without even questioning the claim.
To overcome your natural inclinations and biases, access these three traits (which come in handy, too, for your leadership effectiveness in other ways, too!). Use these to evaluate information, especially when you catch yourself succumbing to confirmation bias, familiarity bias, or the bandwagon effect.
The point isn’t to be a contrarian or to slow down your decisions and actions. It’s to improve the critical thinking that goes into your own and group decisions so that you improve decision quality and save time in the long run. These traits will help you do that and improve your own and others’ confidence in the decisions made.
To sort out what information is presented with a bias and what information is closer to objective, you have to consider the source. Here are three questions to ask so you’ll evaluate sources more carefully.
The closer you get to the original research, data, opinion, or conclusions, the more likely you are to be getting the complete and unfiltered version. Knowing and recognizing the difference will help you be more discerning about information.
You may consider academic literature boring, too difficult to access, or overkill for what you need. But this is where you’ll find most primary sources and a more complete and balanced treatment of the subject. For very important information, don’t rule these out!
The main differences between popular (widely circulated) and academic sources include the purpose of the information being shared, the process for determining what’s published, and the authority/ reliability of the information.
This is a newer distinction, made possible by the proliferation of outlets and the ease of publishing content.
There is no guarantee that a big-name outlet is more reliable than a small, independent one. It would not be accurate to say that academic sources are always more credible than popular ones. And while primary sources are generally more complete than tertiary ones, this would also require scrutiny because all sources can be biased and may have an agenda to consider in your evaluation.
No matter what the source, apply these five criteria in your evaluation. Credible sources present information that is:
When you build the skills and habits for scrutinizing information, you’ll save time and make better-informed decisions. You won’t be led astray by others’ hidden agendas and biases. You’ll improve your leadership effectiveness, be more confident in your actions and decisions, and inspire others to do the same.
Here are three next steps you can take:
Or you can also watch a series of videos about critical thinking skills that include and complement the ideas in this article.