[ElViajero]

> Elementary school children significantly increased their exploration of the dolls when their intuitions had been contradicted as compared to when they had been confirmed, frequently picking up the smallest and the biggest doll concurrently to compare their relative weight—a direct test of the claim they had been given. Preschool children rarely engaged in this behavior, whether their intuitions had been confirmed or contradicted.

Interesting study. Good to make clear that this does not apply to older children. Older children will verify any surprising claims. On the other hand they suffer, like adults, of confirmation bias. If the information fits their expectation they will not check is veracity. I guess that confirmation bias is just an efficient way of learning about the world, do not waste time if things seem to fit your current understanding of the world.

[jamiek88]

To see a creature with not enough confirmation bias watch a horse if it encounters something even slightly usual. It will shy away and or investigate or refuse to move until you have investigated the slightly oddly positioned leaf on the path.

If we did indeed check everything we nevertheless expected to be as usual we’d never get anything done and would get stuck in mega loops.

[germinalphrase]

To hilarious effect with regard to llama competitions at the state fair. Very serious twelve year olds (god bless ‘em) leading their llamas through a rigorous course of “touch your nose to a mirror of death”, “walk the gauntlet of pool noodles”, “step across the tinfoil floor of doom”, “remain calm under the umbrella’s predatory gaze”.

[kleton]

Horses spooked by unexpected street markings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMyf6ewi7E8

[tyingq]

Interesting. Cows won't step over painted parallel lines if they have encountered a cattle guard before.

Where a cattle guard is parallel pipes in the road at a gate opening meant to keep them in...their hooves can't negotiate the spaces between the pipes.

Real one: https://www.conteches.com/Portals/0/Images/US%20Forest%20Gri...

Painted one: https://i.stack.imgur.com/gT5vU.jpg

[User23]

My brother did civil war reenacting pretty seriously (he had a bit part as a union soldier running across the battlefield and getting shot dead in the film Gettysburg, among other things) and he told me that a horse would get spooked by a coffee mug if it hadn't seen one before.

It gives you a whole new appreciation for HEMA and what it took to train destriers.

[mannykannot]

That is an interesting observation. As prey rather than predator, however, a horse’s response has, more or less, been validated by the survival of the genus.

I would guess that a wild horse or mustang would not be frozen in place by such things, suggesting, perhaps, that domestication has created a conflict between instincts, which is sub-optimal for its rider, but not necessarily for the horse.

With regard to the general point about checking everything, you are correct, and it takes a certain amount of judgement to doubt one’s intuitions without being paralyzed by doing so.

[jacinda]

> I guess that confirmation bias is just an efficient way of learning about the world, do not waste time if things seem to fit your current understanding of the world.

Interesting observation - in this light, confirmation bias could almost be considered a variant of Occam's razor.

[tantalor]

yep, that's the simplest explanation.

[vmception]

Check lists of other acknowledged biases, such as putting too much weight on earlier presented information

[naniwaduni]

Occam's razor is a variant of confirmation bias.