We share information as a way to connect with one another and feel a part of a social group, whether online or in-person. Often the desire to connect overwhelms our desire for the truth and we share information that hasn't been verified.
This is the start of misinformation.
Cognitive Bias is a psychological process that makes our brains more susceptible to believing things that aren't true. It affects your judgment when you are trying to determine facts from fallacies.
Examples of Cognitive Bias:
Familiarity Bias - Social Media operates on the "high volume = believability" principle. If we hear something often enough our brain will want to believe it is true.
Availability Bias - Our brains believe the things that are easiest to remember. This is why sensational stories easily spread. The easier it is for our brain to retrieve a memory, the more believable it will seem.
Confirmation Bias - Our natural tendency to seek out and believe information that supports our existing beliefs and expectations.
When we connect in person, or online/social media, we are regularly set up to fall into one of the Cognitive Biases; learn how to be aware of the influence our internal bias may have on our judgment to share information, verified or not.
