Chapter 5: Authority and Bias
5.1 Let’s Define
Bias and authority are two important concepts in the development of information literacy. Both concepts are inherent in any form of information consumption and creation. This page will start with some definitions of bias and authority before digging deeper into these concepts later in the chapter.
What is Bias?
Bias is an inclination to favor or oppose a specific person, idea, or group. No one is free of bias. Everyone possesses some inclination towards different ideas, people, or groups. It’s important to be aware of bias, because counteracting negative thoughts and perceptions can slow the spread of harmful mis and disinformation and promote the spread of different points of view.
Biases come in two broad categories, explicit and implicit. Explicit bias is when someone is aware of their bias. Implicit bias refers to those biases that are unconscious. Biases can be further broken down into many types, too many to list here. However, some of the more common kinds of bias that you might encounter include confirmation bias, sampling bias, and publication bias. These will be discussed later in the chapter.
Impact of Bias
Bias can impact the kinds of sources you look for, as well as which ones you actually use. This acts like a sort of domino effect, having further effects on the result of your paper and your findings, which in turn will impact what your reader takes away. If you elect to ignore sources that go against whatever result you desire, you may end up perpetuating falsehoods. For example, imagine you wrote a paper on the health impacts of eating chocolate and only search the phrase why chocolate is good for you. You would be missing out on important research that might suggest otherwise!
What is Authority?
Authority, as a general concept, is the ability to influence the thoughts, actions, and opinions of other people through your own words and actions. Authority is both constructed and contextual, meaning that authority may be recognized differently by different groups. And someone who is an authority on one topic won’t be an authority on every topic!
Authority vs. Expertise
Since authority encompasses the ability to influence others thinking, it’s worth considering things like position, prominence, and fame. Someone with authority may not have extensive knowledge of a given subject, but are still capable of influencing others, for better or for worse. Expertise, on the other hand, is mastery of a subject or skill. Doctors, professors, and people who have earned a degree in a subject are experts. So are mechanics, cooks, and librarians. An expert knows their respective subject or skills, and can instruct others on it. Expertise does not necessarily require a degree, but a degree is often seen as a symbol of expertise, a sign that you have taken time to learn this topic. But it’s worth noting that expertise can be developed in other ways.
Some information sources will contain authority and expertise. Consider sources or information shared by an NKU professor. They have to know their subject (expertise) and they may share that expertise widely to the extent they become a recognized authority. It is important to recognize when an authority does or does not have expertise, and the impact that level of expertise has on the quality of information.
What are you an expert on? You might have developed strong expertise in subjects like math or political science, or you might have developed strong knowledge and skills around baking, videos, or maybe 90’s sitcoms. Whatever it is, consider your own expertise and who might consider you an authority figure on the topic.
