People don’t like to be accused of bias. We want to think of ourselves as fair and rational, making decisions only with our higher brains. And if you genuinely believe you can do that, then it feels very natural to bristle at rules meant to correct bias by favoring a particular outcome over another. Such rules, when they’re well-intentioned, are trying to figure out which outcome is already being (unfairly) favored because of bias, and adjust in the other direction.
I’m also against those rules, generally. But for different reasons.
You see, I know enough about how the brain works to know that bias is absurdly unavoidable. You can’t avoid being biased, and most of the biases that affect your thinking are happening without you ever realizing it. Since I also value being correct as often as I can, I also think it’s a marvelous idea for you to personally create rules for your decisions that help you correct for your own biases.
To be clear: “Just don’t be biased” doesn’t work. You couldn’t if you wanted to. That’s not me accusing you of being irredeemably racist or sexist or anything. Often it’s much more subtle than that.
And that’s why I’m generally against the broad rules. See, everyone is biased, but everyone is biased differently. About different things, in different amounts, and even in different directions. Broad rules, by their nature, have to be aimed at a limited number of these biases, adjusting them in the same direction and in a specific amount. And that would be fine if everyone was biased in exactly the opposite direction, in exactly the same amount, on that subject.
Not only is that not true, but it also doesn’t allow for change. One of the best ways to decrease the impact of your bias on your decisions is to be aware of it. Just the awareness lets you calibrate at least a little, and continue to do so as you make that category of decision again and again. But if the rule adjusts you toward a given outcome 20% every time, then soon the rule is no longer lining up to the problem it tries to correct. Sometimes people will even start biasing back the other way to correct for the inaccuracy of the rule!
Individually, we all have a responsibility to use tools in our decision-making that diminish the impact of bias. Consulting with others, adding time to our decisions, writing explanations, etc. There are plenty to try! But blanket, “one size fits all” rules are crude tools. Don’t outsource your brain’s improvement.
Of course, that might just be my bias – which is why I’m writing my explanation and sharing it with you.
The Opportunity Machine 