When Expectations Shape What We Think We See
EXPLAINER @jorgebscomm for @empowervmedia Photo: Jane T D. via Pexels · Pexels License Two people can encounter the same evidence and construct different explanations. Understanding that difference requires attention to what they saw, what they expected and what the material actually established. I magine watching a short interview after being told that the speaker is highly experienced. A hesitant answer might seem thoughtful. Now imagine encountering the same footage after being told that the person is poorly prepared. The hesitation might appear to confirm a lack of competence. Neither interpretation necessarily follows from the pause alone. Yet the information supplied before a recording can influence which details seem important afterwards. This raises a question central to media and communication: when we believe a recording confirms an explanation, how much of that explanation did we bring to the recording ourselve...
