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Bias is disproportionate weight in favour of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
(wikipedia article explaining bias)Bias is disproportionate weight in favour of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
But what does this have to do with the news?
But what does this have to do with the news?
The news that we are exposed to is almost always biased. This isn't so bad, as long as we are able to think critically so that we can recognize the biases and not get sucked into or persuaded so easily by what we read or listen to. We need to be smart and make up our own minds!
The news that we are exposed to is almost always biased. This isn't so bad, as long as we are able to think critically so that we can recognize the biases and not get sucked into or persuaded so easily by what we read or listen to. We need to be smart and make up our own minds!
Bias can be looked at through...
Omission
Placement
Photos
Names & Titles
Statistics
Word Choice & Tone
Source Control
T H I N K C R I T I C A L L Y !
Who created / paid for the message?
For what purpose was it made?
Who is the target audience?
What techniques are used to attract my attention and increase believability?
Who or what might be omitted and why?
What do they want me to think or do?
How do I know what it means?
Where might I go to get more information?
Why is this message being sent?
Who stands to benefit from this message?
How might different people interpret the message differently from me?
What can I do with this information?
What do I know; not know; like to know?
What lifestyles are promoted and why?
Does the message contain bias or stereotypes?
You are biased, too.
It's part of what makes you human.
We become biased based on the culture we grow up in. We might have biases toward or against an individual, an ethnic group, a sexual or gender identity, a nation, a religion, a social class, a political party, or a species.
Biased means one-sided, lacking a neutral viewpoint, or not having an open mind. Bias comes in many forms and it's related to prejudice.
Once we're aware of our biases, we can begin to tackle them so that we become much better at understanding and relating to the world and the people in it.
CONFIRMATION BIAS is what happens when we only look for or believe information that CONFIRMS or is THE SAME AS what we already believe. It's like a pat on the back. This can be a slippery slope. Be careful! While it feels nice to see what we believe reflected back to us in the news, we still have to challenge ourselves to look for what's missing--we need to consider all the facts.
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