Academic

Leonard on Bias

By Lawrence Solum

Adam Leonard has a nice post entitled Explaining Bias on Brains.  Here is an excerpt:

The ability of fMRI scans to detect which modules of the brain are
active during cognitive processes provides a crude, but nonetheless
revealing window into how we ?think?: it allows testing whether some of
our gross assumptions are true or not.

For example, a widely referenced July 2006 Scientific American ?Skeptic?
column http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-political-brain by
Michael Shermer proclaimed, : ?A recent brain-imaging study shows that our political predilections are a product of unconscious confirmation bias.?

The column related that shortly before the 2004 presidential election
fifteen subjects who described themselves as ?strong Republicans? and
fifteen who described themselves as ?strong Democrats? underwent fMRI
brain scans while being asked to assess statements by George W. Bush and
John F. Kerry in which the candidates appeared to contradict themselves.
In all cases the subjects were critical of the candidate they opposed,
and spun explanations excusing the candidate they supported. ? What was
surprising, however, was what the fMRI scans revealed: parts of the
brain associated with processing emotions, resolving conflict, and
making moral judgments were activated, but the part of the brain
associated with reasoning was not. When the subjects finally arrived at
a conclusion that satisfied them, the part of the brain associated with
reward and pleasure was activated.

And a bit more:

An awareness that unconscious bias exists in all of us, scientists as
well, helps to explain the not infrequent battles that arise whenever
new data begins to conflict with accepted theory. It is normal, and
unfortunately natural, for proponents of an existing theory or viewpoint
to fiercely reject without real examination any data that might
challenge the status quo. Hopefully, the growing awareness that we are
all ?wired? to do this will cause us to consciously resist our impulse.

Check it out!

Full post as published by Legal Theory Blog on April 02, 2008 (boomark / email).