What is Confirmation Bias? Does it Lead to Individual Gun Purchases?
Confirmation bias is the tendency for people to prioritise information that supports their own beliefs.
What is Confirmation Bias? Does it Lead to Individual Gun Purchases?
What is Confirmation Bias?
"Truths do not disappear just because we ignore them."
Aldous Huxley
Confirmation bias is a cognitive bias that affects individuals' ability to process information objectively. It refers to the tendency to search, interpret, prefer and remember information in a way that goes beyond our existing beliefs or prejudices. Confirmation bias can cause individuals to resist accepting new information and ignore various evidence.
The internet has become an indispensable part of our lives. It makes it easier for us to come together with those who have the same opinion on any subject. We read blogs and spend a lot of time on digital platforms, which almost always favour our own opinions. Through the personalisation of news and the algorithm on social media platforms, it can be ensured that opposing or different opinions do not appear on our screens at all. We increasingly move in virtual communities of like-minded people, which further reinforces confirmation bias.
Confirmation bias affects how people process information by selectively focusing on evidence that supports their beliefs, while ignoring or rejecting a variety of evidence. This biased approach can lead individuals to develop a distorted understanding of reality, reinforcing their existing perspectives and preventing them from considering alternative viewpoints.
What is Individual Armament?
Individual armament refers to the possession of firearms by individuals for their own safety or for other purposes (such as hunting and shooting sports). This is a process that usually takes place within the framework of the law and requires individuals to follow certain procedures.
To better understand the issue, let us tell a small story.
Two neighbours living in a small town were notable for their different views on individual armament. Ekrem believed that guns would provide more security in society. He read in the newspapers about armed citizens stopping criminals and believed that guns were necessary to protect himself and his family. Fazlı, on the other hand, thought that guns could increase the likelihood of involvement in crime. He read statistics about gun accidents and domestic violence and believed that the widespread use of guns would lead to more violence in society.
One day in the town where they lived, both of their houses were broken into on the same night. Both neighbours' houses were affected by this situation. Ekrem, the gun owner, heard the thieves entering his house and a gunfight started. Fazli described that night as follows. "The thieves robbed my house first, my sleep is a little heavy. I didn't realise that the thieves had robbed my house, but I heard the gunshots and woke up. I said, "What's going on?" I got out of bed and looked out of the window and there was gunfire in front of my neighbour's house. The thieves were shooting with guns and my neighbour was shooting back at the thieves with his own gun. I immediately called the police. I had no choice but to wait for the police to arrive. Minutes passed like hours. I think the police came in 10-15 minutes. Hearing the police siren, the thieves left the gunfight and fled." Ekrem, on the other hand, saw this incident as a proof of the benefits of individual armament and asked his neighbour Fazlı to take note.
The police started an investigation. The burglars were caught in a short time and as a result of the interrogations, a surprising information was revealed: The probability of burglary of the houses of those who owned guns was actually higher than known! Why? Because the burglars preferred to avoid entering houses with individual weapons where they burgled.
The burglars saw the use of a gun as an unnecessary risk and took every precaution to avoid an armed confrontation. However, they would not refrain from using a weapon if they encountered armed resistance. The thieves knew that getting involved in an armed confrontation during a simple robbery could turn it into an attempted armed robbery or armed robbery, which could lead to harsher penalties for them if they were caught. Therefore, they did not want to increase the risk of being caught and the possibility of attracting police attention. They also preferred to keep their own weapons with them in case they encountered an armed landlord during the robbery. However, when they entered Ekrem's house, which they did not think was armed, they realised that they were wrong; because Ekrem was actually armed.
As a result of this incident, Ekrem and Fazlı's views changed completely. Ekrem realised that guns were not always a deterrent and could even increase the danger. If everyone was armed to prevent burglaries, burglars would have difficulty finding an unarmed homeowner and this would lead them to abandon simple burglary schemes and plan armed robberies that could involve potential armed confrontations. On the other hand, Fazli realised that his concerns about guns were actually well-founded.
Some people believe that carrying a gun gives them a greater sense of security and strengthens their personal defence capabilities. In this way, they think that they can protect themselves and their loved ones against possible dangers.
Owning a gun can make some people feel psychologically safer. Knowing how to use a gun can increase people's self-confidence to think that they are more prepared for possible attacks. However, this varies from person to person and does not apply to everyone. Some people believe that owning a gun can actually increase the danger. Individual armament can have profound and sometimes harmful effects on society. These effects can affect the psychological and social structure of society, as well as crime and violence rates. Confirmation bias is the tendency for people to prioritise information that supports their own beliefs. The relationship between these two concepts is related to how individuals perceive and interpret their attitudes towards armament.
Individual Armament and Confirmation Bias
The relationship between confirmation bias and individual armament is complex but worthy of further research. People who believe in the necessity of arming themselves for personal protection may unintentionally fall victim to confirmation bias when seeking information about self-defence.
Selective Information Processing:
Confirmation bias can affect the way individuals gather information about crime rates, personal safety statistics, or instances where firearms have been successfully used for self-defence. For example, if an individual is concerned about safety, they may specifically seek and accept information that individual gun ownership increases their sense of safety. They may be more likely to seek out sources that support their belief in the efficacy of firearm ownership, while ignoring sources that challenge this viewpoint, which may lead them to ignore information about the dangers of guns while reinforcing the belief that guns are protective tools. Research shows that individuals who possess and carry guns are more likely to have been involved in crime than those who have never had access to a gun. This suggests that individual armament is not only an individual choice, but is also related to social and systemic factors.
Strengthening Existing Beliefs:
Individuals with pro-individual armament attitudes are more likely to surround themselves with like-minded individuals or interact with content that supports their beliefs through social media or online communities. This reinforcement further strengthens their confirmation bias, as they are constantly confronted with ideas that confirm the effectiveness of individual armament.
Rejection of Claimed Evidence:
When confronted with evidence that questions the efficacy or safety of individual armament, people affected by confirmation biases tend to dismiss such evidence as unreliable or contrary to their point of view. Instead, they prefer to cling to arguments that are consistent with their pre-existing beliefs, while minimising conflicting data.
The Dangers of Unchecked Bias:
Confirmation biases regarding individual armament lead individuals to maintain fixed mindsets and inhibit the critical thinking abilities necessary to objectively assess changing circumstances. The desire for and acquisition of individual armament is closely associated with a sense of social uncertainty and insecurity. In such situations, individual armament advocates may overlook alternative solutions, such as community-based initiatives that focus on crime prevention or non-violent conflict resolution.
Overcoming Confirmation Bias:
How can we overcome confirmation bias and have more productive discussions about individual armament and gun control?
Actively seek out opposing viewpoints: Challenge yourself to read articles and learn about perspectives different from your own.
Be mindful of your own biases: We all have these biases, so recognise them in yourself and be critical of how they might shape your thinking.
Focus on facts and data: Seek reliable sources of information and avoid emotionally charged rhetoric.
Engage in respectful dialogue: Listen to the other side on social media platforms and try to understand their point of view, even if you disagree. Never compromise on a respectful demeanour when you communicate. Become more aware of confirmation bias and take steps to mitigate its impact by becoming more aware of it and not being under the illusion that if you don't take the necessary steps, someone else will. More informed and productive readings and discussions can be held on this complex topic. Individuals should not miss or ignore the views of people with opposing opinions.
Conclusion
In this paper, we have tried to examine the relationship between confirmation bias and individual armament. Killing one's favourite theories is a difficult task, but an open-minded person cannot avoid it.
Confirmation bias refers to the tendency of people to place more value on evidence that supports their existing beliefs and worldviews. In order to feel safer based on this bias, individuals support their need for weapons based on their existing beliefs and prefer individual armament.
However, the consequences of individual armament triggered by confirmation bias should also be addressed in an important way. It should not be forgotten that while gun ownership is expected to provide an increased sense of security, in reality it may lead to more violence. In this case, the potential for danger to society at large may arise.
Alternatively, a solution, emphasised in this paper, is to provide accurate information and raise awareness. To reduce confirmation bias, it is necessary to provide access to information that helps people understand different perspectives. It is also important to focus on alternative methods of safety as a society and provide individuals with other options.
People resort to individual armament because they do not feel safe. In order to prevent individual armament, it is necessary to adopt a multifaceted approach. Effective operation of the justice system is critical for deterring criminals and ensuring social peace. Equipping law enforcement forces with modern equipment and deploying them effectively play an important role in eliminating security weaknesses. Reducing inequalities, eliminating poverty and ensuring equal opportunities through social and economic policies will be effective in reducing violent tendencies. It is necessary to create an anti-violence culture through social awareness raising and education programmes and to improve individuals' ability to solve their problems without resorting to violence. Physical security measures are an important complement to ensure the general security of individuals and society. In this way, it will be possible to create a safer and more peaceful society.
In conclusion, we can say that there is a deep connection between confirmation bias and individual armament. However, considering the complexity of this link, solution-oriented approaches should be adopted at the social level. These approaches can have a positive impact on both personal safety and general public safety.
If you have not read my other articles on individual armament or if you want to remember them, I leave the relevant links below.
Is Individual Armament Necessary? Or Not?
The Illusion of Security: Individual Armament and Excessive Personal Confidence
Bibliography
Historical prevalence of slavery predicts contemporary American gun ownership Nicholas Buttrick and Jessica Mazen
https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/1/3/pgac117/6656154
https://lsmagazine.wisc.edu/issues/spring-2023/explorediscover/under-the-gun/
https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2017/06/22/americas-complex-relationship-with-guns/
https://giffords.org/lawcenter/report/the-truth-about-permitless-carry/
https://www.kuow.org/stories/pandemic-and-protests-spark-record-gun-sales
