Which statement best defines confirmation bias in clinical practice?

• A. The tendency to seek information that confirms pre-existing assumptions about a patient while ignoring contradictory evidence.
• B. The habit of relying on first piece of information and not updating.
• C. The tendency to attribute new physical symptoms to mental illness.
• D. The habit of always seeking second opinions.

Answer: (A)

Confirmation bias in clinical practice is the tendency to seek information that confirms pre-existing assumptions about a patient while ignoring contradictory evidence. In real-world care, this shows up when a clinician forms an initial hypothesis early in the assessment and then looks for data that fit that view, while downplaying or discounting findings that don’t align. For example, if a clinician quickly attributes a patient’s shoulder pain to a simple musculoskeletal strain, they might emphasize movement tests and history that support that idea and overlook red flags or data suggesting another cause. This can lead to missed or delayed diagnoses and less comprehensive care.

This bias differs from anchoring, which is about clinging to the first piece of information and not updating with new data, rather than actively seeking confirming information. It’s also distinct from attributing new physical symptoms to mental illness, which is a separate labeling bias, and from always seeking second opinions, which is generally prudent and collaborative rather than biased. The key idea is the proactive pursuit of information that reinforces a current belief while filtering out information that could disconfirm it.