Bias

While we were analyzing Nea's character in Saving Sourdi, I recognized some natural biases that she had. Reading it from a different perspective, instead of living as that main character who has those flaws, made me remember that we're easily biased by our own personal thoughts that we often find indisputable despite what the truth holds later. Even as I recognized it, bias is still hard to recognize and accept when I try to look at it within myself. 

Nea already didn't like Sourdi's to-be husband from the start. Once she saw him, she immediately had a distaste for him because she had a feeling he was never going to leave. As time went on, she personally saw nothing good about him, solely seeing him in a negative light.

Pessimism Bias: According to Effectiviology, pessimism bias "causes people to overestimate the likelihood of negative things and underestimate the likelihood of positive things, especially when it comes to assuming that future events will have a bad outcome."

Her pessimism towards Sourdi's husband led her to rashly assume that Sourdi wasn't going to live a happy life with her husband. Nea assumed Sourdi was in trouble, only knowing that Sourdi was crying when she called. She impulsively set out for confirmation of her suspicions that Sourdi was being mistreated. 

The moment Nea saw Sourdi's bruises in person, she immediately confirmed her suspicions of her sister being mistreated. [Confirmation Bias: According to Simply Psychology, confirmation bias is "the tendency of people to favor information that confirms their existing beliefs or hypotheses."] In reality, a box fell on her face and gave her the bruises. 

In the end, bias is pretty inevitable because we're full of these overpowering emotions. Behavior and actions always are based heavily on feelings. We all have our own way of handling and dealing with these various thoughts and emotions, prompting us to act on our personal guidelines. As complicated and mixed it could get, the unique ways of thinking and acting make an individual special and have many layers beneath the surface.