Updated 12/4/2025
The Systemic Consequences of Cognitive Inertia: Real-Term Effects of Confirmation Bias in High-Stakes Domains
Confirmation bias (CB) represents a foundational vulnerability in human decision architecture, manifesting as the non-deliberate tendency to selectively search for, interpret, favor, and recall information that supports pre-existing beliefs, hypotheses, or values ([1], [1]). Far from being a minor cognitive quirk, this bias operates as an automatic, unintentional strategy that significantly distorts objective reality, particularly in high-stakes environments where desired outcomes or deeply entrenched, emotionally charged beliefs are present ([1]).