Brain Bias – Common Questions, 7

Do you only learn biases in childhood?

You can learn a new bias as long as you live. You can become biased against almost anything and anyone. You can develop a bias any time in life, especially if an unpleasant experience is globalized. Meaning that you apply what you learned not only the unpleasant experience but to anything that was connected with the experience. Everything after the brain’s initial and innate bias assessment tends to represent a learned response (based on personal experience, reports from others you trust, what you read or hear on the news…) If it is a valid and appropriate learned response, great—if not, there may be undesirable consequences. Over time, a bias tends to become an entrenched belief, which can strengthen the bias and make it seem very real.

Why does it matter what your biases are and whether or not you know what they are? (more tomorrow)