Which statement best defines confirmation bias in group decision making?

• A. An objective approach that seeks out all evidence regardless of beliefs.
• B. A tendency to favor information that confirms preconceptions.
• C. A systematic process for generating new hypotheses.
• D. A method for ranking evidence by statistical significance.

Answer: (B)

Confirmation bias in group decision making is the tendency to favor information that confirms preconceptions, even when evidence is mixed. In a group, this means members selectively search for, interpret, and weigh data that supports their preferred view while discounting or ignoring disconfirming evidence. This can lead to premature consensus, limited exploration of alternatives, and suboptimal decisions.

That description matches the chosen statement because it directly captures the bias: seeking out information that reinforces what people already believe. The other ideas describe aiming for objectivity, systematically generating hypotheses, or ranking evidence by significance—processes that are about thorough analysis and methodology, not bias. For example, focusing on all evidence impartially or using rigorous rules to compare data would counter confirmation bias in practice.