What are the three types of bias?

• A. Explicit, Implicit, and Statistical
• B. Explicit, Implicit, and Confirmation
• C. Personal, Cultural, and Formal
• D. Conscious, Subconscious, and Systemic

Answer: (B)

Bias comes in different forms that shape how we think and decide. The best-known trio includes explicit bias, which is the attitudes people are aware of and can describe or express openly; implicit bias, which operates below awareness and can influence judgments and actions without conscious realization; and confirmation bias, the tendency to seek out, interpret, and remember information in a way that reinforces what we already believe, while downplaying or ignoring contradictory evidence. Together, these cover conscious beliefs, unconscious associations, and the way our mind tends to process information to fit our preconceptions. Other options mix terms that aren’t standard bias types—statistical isn’t a bias type on its own, and personal, cultural, or formal aren’t the typical categories used to describe cognitive biases. Understanding these three helps explain how someone can express bias openly, act on automatic associations, or stubbornly cling to evidence that supports their view.