What is the Information Bias?

The information bias is a cognitive bias. People tend to overvalue information, even if it is skewed or unduly focused on specific elements. The more information we have, the more reliable and authentic things seem to us. We may not even verify the information before building this judgement.

Using statistical data in an advertisement or your website is a good way for a brand to increase reliability. Suppose you look at product descriptions on popular e-commerce websites. In that case, you will notice that they provide a lot of information about the products available, all neatly organised into different sections. Customers may not even read all the information that is presented to them.

However, the illusion of access to information can create an impression of authenticity and, by extension, increase the level of trust. This is the information bias in action. Similarly, information gaps or perceived missing pieces can hamper customers' decision making. One way to combat the information bias is by providing an FAQs section and a contact form or chatbot, giving the customers a channel to send their queries.