BiasBelief updating · Confirmation Bias · Entry 55
Conservatism Bias – when new evidence doesn’t change old beliefs
Do you stick to your beliefs even when new facts contradict them? That’s Conservatism Bias – the tendency to underweight new information and fail to update beliefs sufficiently.
Where it can show up
- Finance – investors ignore new market trends because they’re attached to old strategies.
- Science – people continue believing outdated theories despite new research.
- Personal life – if you’ve always seen someone as unreliable, even their good actions don’t change your opinion.
A practical countermeasure
- Be open to changing your views – if the data says one thing and you believe another, reconsider your stance.
- Separate emotions from facts – old information feels familiar, but it isn’t always correct.
- Seek refutations, not just confirmations – evaluate new evidence as seriously as the old.
