How Cultural, Cognitive, and Narrative Biases Affect Us

We all have biases, we can minimize or even overcome them by being aware of them. There is a spectrum of bias from unconscious (implicit and cultural) assumptions to overt and consciously manipulative ideologies. When projected by mass media, these might land on and inflame our tendencies towards confirmation bias and cognitive rigidity, as opposed to encouraging cognitive flexibility and growth. As a psychiatrist, I favor humanitarian, inclusive, compassionate, and egalitarian ways of framing issues, as well as reason-based, thoughtful inquiries and comparisons. It’s an emotional labor to deal with stimuli that don’t favor, broaden, and........

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