Don’t Cloud Your View

Are you biased? If you answered “no”,  guess what? You have a bias.

Truth is, we all have biases. We’ve had them since we were monkeys. It was necessary for survival.

See that tiger?  The one that shredded your best friend?  Next time you see anything that resembles a big furry striped animal you are going run like hell,  right?  Or let’s say you’re out in the woods and see a yummy red berry that poisoned your uncle.   Note to self: small red berries bad don’t eat.

Biases are baked into our brains.  They are unconscious processes our brains use to “cut to the chase”.  A cognitive shortcut. They happen in a split second before we can even detect them

And that’s why it’s impossible to detect them. We are primed for biases.

What does bias have to do with creating an alchemy?  Plenty.  Biases can lead to inaccurate answers.  They can also lead to insight. Both can go a long way with preventing a rift or helping create a chemisty  between a brand and its audience.

Six Most Common Biases

Blind Spot

A bias survey of 661 people reported that only one person thought he/she was more biased than the average person. The rest said they were less biased than the average person.  Researchers can tend to believe they know how to ask unbiased questions.  Blind spot?  Bingo.

Confirmation Bias

Studies have repeatedly shown that people often test a theory in a one-sided way by searching for evidence consistent with their current belief.  Asking  questions in a way that will receive an answer that supports a theory  leads to inaccurate data. Confirmation bias is an internal “yes man”, echoing back our beliefs.

Observer Expectancy Effect It

’s the result of advertently asking questions in a way that subtly communicates societal expectations  People are likely to respond according to what’s in line with social standards they think they ought to meet.

“Are your children’s clothes still dirty after you wash them?”  If the clothes of a mother’s child are still dirty after washing them, she may answer “no”.   Mothers tend to worry that if others see her child wearingndirty clothes they will think she is a bad mother. Answering “yes” to that question risks the perception of “bad mother” versus the result of an ineffective laundry detergent or a faulty washing machine.  A better way to ask the question might be, “How well does your laundry detergent/washing machine clean your child’s clothes?”  or “What do others think if they see a child with clean clothes?”

Framing Effect

Insight often come as a result of the framing effect. The following questions are framed within the context of effective vs ineffective results.

“When shopping for a disinfectant, would you choose a product that kills 95% of all germs ?  Would choose a product where only 5% of germs will survive?”

Because, even though the results are the same, people will choose the product that kills 95% of all germs over the one that kills only 5%.  The result is insight into how to frame consumer messaging.  “Our product is more effective than other disinfectants.  With other disinfectants 5% of germs survive. Our product kills  95% of germs.”

 Cultural Bias

Let’s say you identify with the mainstream health culture.  You will be more likely to think biohacker culture beliefs are “weird”.  A cultue bias  will affect an accurate perception of the  biohacker culture.  It could interfere with providing  accurate and valid insight into getting the attention of a biohacker audience  searching online for  biohacker products .

 The biohacker culture differentiates itself from the mainstream umbrella of health culture. Micro cultures like biohackers are what comprise niche markets and their members identify themselves through what defines their shared interests.

 Curse of Knowledge

Ever spent three frustrating hours with assembly instructions only to wind up on the floor in a puddle of tears?  No,  you are not stupid.  Whoever wrote those directions couldn’t put themselves in the shoes of someone who has never assembled a jungle gym.  because  whoever wrote those diretions.  The curse of knowledge can’t see that others may not have the same level of knowledge. The more familiar we are with something It’s  hard to unlearn what we know. And that makes it difficult to see with fresh eyes.

How to Keep Bias in Check

Bias are tricky little buggers The problem with biases is we can’t know when we have one or which one we have. So ask a friend or colleague to tell you if they see any behaviors that suggest you have  bias.   When we are aware of a bias, we can do something about it.   Maintaining a clear view will help keep alchemy in sight.

So what does this have to do with a alchemy beetween brands and people