Psychologist, professor, and author Adam Grant notes: “Confirmation bias is when your beliefs hijack your neutrality in selecting and interpreting data. To correct for it, err on the side of disconfirmation. Seek evidence that challenges your beliefs, and raise the burden of proof for evidence that affirms them.”

The human tendency toward confirmation bias – our inclination to seek out and favor evidence that supports our arguments, and to ignore or devalue contradictory evidence – can lead to damaging errors in judgment at the bargaining table. As a mediator, I see this impact negotiations all the time. Even the most sophisticated attorneys and businesspeople are susceptible, and they can miss key facts or arguments that later come back to bite them in court.

It’s easy to become so entrenched in one way of looking at a question that losing perspective is inevitable.

And confirmation bias can impact our everyday thinking, as well. Suppose you have a strong opinion on a given issue. What’s your view on today’s most controversial news story, global crisis, or political debate? Whatever your take, chances are you’ll be more likely to seek out, and interpret, information in a manner that supports your position. Social media algorithms and an explosion of accessible online news ensure that justification for your opinion is just a click away. It’s in our nature, of course, to like the confirmatory notions we encounter.

Grant’s prescription is not to deny that we are biased in this way. Rather, he suggests that we recognize this most mortal vulnerability, acknowledge competing viewpoints, and scrutinize our positions as if they were not our own. These suggestions apply in professional and personal contexts and help us separate opinion from objective facts.

When weighing a competing viewpoint: Instead of reflexively seeking to prove you’re right, consider questioning how you might be wrong. This is no small task, especially when embroiled in a conflict or disagreement, but one so important to sound decision-making and conflict resolution.

Failure to analyze your options and objectively project possible outcomes can lead to miscalculations and assessments of risk. So be wary of the “confirmation bias” trap.

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