Introduction
Many situations may arise in professional and personal life that require special attention from individuals. One of these is the definition of possible blind spots, which may relate to issues such as the alignment of the unconscious mind and conscious beliefs or biases. As part of this work, I will conduct a study of my blind spots with the help of additional sources to gain an understanding of how they can affect my activities and judgments.
Unexpected Messages from the Videos
One of the interesting messages that became new to me was the influence of the human unconscious on how people interact with the world around them. I knew before that many of our judgments and conclusions are based on experience; however, I did not pay much attention to the extent of this process. The video “Blind Spots: Challenge Assumptions “notes that” different perspectives, inclusive relationships, diverse networks, better outcomes, seeing people for who they are” can help in limiting blind spot individuals (PwC, 2017a, 00:01:39).
In particular, this aspect can be helpful in professional activities as it mitigates the occurrence of negative assumptions. In another video, it was noted that people make an unconscious conclusion about specific signs of other people that they consider favored, which, for me, is known information (Gordon, 2022). At the same time, what was new to me was how much impact this seemingly innocent process has on individuals’ professional and personal lives.
Recognizing Misalignment Between the Unconscious and Conscious Mind
One of the issues that one should pay attention to when studying this topic is cases when the unconscious mind is not aligned with conscious beliefs. One of the leading symptoms of this process is unstable behavior. In other words, individuals face situations that may have similar characteristics and act differently. They cannot clearly define and compare the morality and value of conscious beliefs and unconscious assumptions.
Another symptom may be called biased behavior, which manifests itself when it is impossible to control this aspect. Among the circumstances or situations that commonly lead to this misalignment, insufficient assimilation of social norms and values, insufficiently developed confidence in one’s judgments, and lack of critical thinking skills can be highlighted.
Situations Where Confirmation Bias Influences Thinking
There are several situations where people might be more likely to rely on confirmation bias. This type is based on the conclusion that the individual’s opinion is valid despite the existing facts and evidence (“How to address 12 types of bias in the workplace,” n.d.). This problem can be encountered in professional activity when finding the easiest way to solve it is possible despite certain aspects indicating its complexity.
Moreover, with excessive self-confidence, people can make conclusions based on personal bias and assumptions, leading to an erroneous opinion about a person or event. One of the main positive consequences of abandoning confirmation bias is the improvement of the process of critical thinking. In addition, this process provides an opportunity to create a more open-minded society.
Experiencing and Understanding Similarity Bias
In my life, I have encountered situations where I apply more significance to information that supports my judgments and discard information that does not. An example would be the refusal to vaccinate against the disease since, at that time, I thought that it could harm my health despite a large number of studies refuting this opinion. Thus, the result of this bias was that I got sick and, for a long time, could not recover from the consequences on my well-being. In the absence of certain assumptions related to my previous vaccination experience, I would have made another choice, and I would not have had to suffer a severe illness that affected the quality of my health.
Positive and Negative Effects of Similarity Bias
I believe similarity bias is one of the most common types but is the most deceptive by nature. This is because “most people unconsciously feel more comfortable around those who share a similarity with them” (“How to address 12 types of bias in the workplace,” n.d., p. 15). The area of my identity where I encounter this problem more often becomes hobbies.
Hence, I often consider a particular occupation better than others because more people adhere to this opinion, which brings me a significant level of reinforcement. However, this behavior negatively contributes to my life, as it can put me in the position of an ignorant and selfish person who does not respect someone else’s opinion. Therefore, it will also directly affect my relationships with others.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this paper emphasizes that in professional and personal life, individuals face the critically important task of recognizing personal blind spots. This aspect implies gaining awareness about bias and subconscious assumptions that negatively affect the decision-making process and problem-solving. In addition, awareness of the influence and events associated with bias in people’s lives positively affects the acquisition of such traits as open-mindedness and critical thinking.
References
Gordon, S. (2022). The basis of unconscious bias. LinkedIn. Web.
How to address 11 types of bias in the workplace. (n.d.). Indeed. Web.
PwC. (2017). Blind spots: Challenge assumptions [Video]. YouTube. Web.