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Developing the Bias Blind Spot: Increasing Skepticism towards Others
Fadwa B Elashi1, Candice M Mills2
1Educational Studies, Arab Open University, Amman, Jordan.
Plos One
|November 3, 2015
Summary
Children recognize bias in others but underestimate their own susceptibility to it. This bias blind spot strengthens with age, reflecting increased skepticism towards others' potential for bias.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Development
- Social Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- The bias blind spot (BBS) is the tendency to underestimate one's own susceptibility to cognitive biases.
- Previous research has primarily focused on BBS in adults, with limited understanding in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and developmental trajectory of the bias blind spot in children aged 7–10 years.
- To examine how self-other judgments regarding bias differ between younger and older children.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted with 88 children aged 7–10 years.
- Participants rated their likelihood of committing various biases compared to a specific peer or an average child.
- Self-other differences in bias judgments were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Both younger and older children exhibited a bias blind spot, rating themselves as less biased than others.
- Self-other differences were more pronounced for biased behaviors than for neutral behaviors.
- Older children showed stronger self-other differences, particularly in their judgments of bias in others.
Conclusions:
- The bias blind spot emerges in children once they can recognize bias in others.
- Developmental changes in BBS are linked to increased skepticism regarding others' susceptibility to bias.
- Understanding the development of BBS is crucial for cognitive and social development research.
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