What Confirmation Bias Is.
This is simply a situation whereby you search for, interprete or understand certain facts based on an your already mentally programmed information or experience. As simple as this may sound, it plays a huge role in our lives. The reason for this is that an already well crafted ideology of scenarios before they happen may end up manipulating how we perceive or interpete these events once they start unfolding.
How confirmation bias is ruining your debugging process
Whether it’s syntax error debugging or Logic Error debugging the moment you allow your confirmation bias rule you it begins to ruin your debugging process by:
Inefficient debugging: Because of the idea of what the bug should be or where it should be your brain finds it difficult to locate the actual bug and tends to only search in areas you have initially thought it would be.
Poor problem solving.
How to avoid confirmation bias during debugging
To create better programming experience you have to take the conscious decision to avoid confirmation bias as much as possible. You could do this through the following methods:
Approach debugging with a blank mental state.
Consider different hypotheses regarding the cause of the bugs.
You could introduce tools like debuggers or profilers.
Seek different perspectives from colleagues and mentors.
Stay open minded.
