Cognitive Bias and Workplace Investigations

  • January 22, 2025

This meeting was held via Zoom.

Webinar Lecture to CBABC Investigation Committee

January 22, 225 from 12-1 pm

Panelist/lecturer:  Dr. Carla MacLean

Chairs:  Sharon Cartmill-Lane and Jacqueline Beltgens

Agenda:

  1. Welcome and Land Acknowledgement by Sharon Cartmill-Lane
  2. Introduction of Speaker Dr. Carla MacLean
  3. Presentation by Dr. Carla MacLean
  4. Concluding remarks

Welcome and Land Acknowledgement:

Recognition of the meeting location on traditional Indigenous territories.  Acknowledgment of historical injustices faced by Indigenous peoples and CBABC's commitment to advancing cultural competency and inclusivity.

Introduction of Speaker:

Dr. Carla McLean, expert in professional decision-making, cognitive biases, and investigative techniques, was introduced as the guest speaker.

Structure of the Presentation:

  1. The architecture of human cognition and cognitive bias.
  2. Exploration of sources of bias that affect decision-making outcomes.
  3. Strategies to mitigate cognitive biases.

1. Understanding Cognitive Bias

  • Bias is not an ethical failing but a byproduct of the brain's cognitive systems.
  • Two key features in decision-making:
    • Consistency: Stability of judgments across time and among different evaluators.
    • Systematic Deviation (Bias): A consistent push or pull away from evidence-based conclusions.

2. Cognitive Systems and Bias Formation

  • System 1 (Automatic Thinking): Fast, intuitive, and efficient but prone to biases.
  • System 2 (Deliberate Thinking): Slower, analytical, and effortful but essential for critical evaluations.
  • Bias often operates unconsciously through learned associations shaped by culture, experience, and environment.

3. Sources of Bias in Decision-Making

  • Data Bias:

Bias inherent in the data being reviewed, such as socioeconomic signals or stereotypes. Example: Severe judgments against individuals in certain categories (e.g., BMI-based discrimination).

  • Contextual Bias:

Irrelevant contextual information (e.g., suspect confessions) can alter interpretations.

Order effects: Initial information heavily influences subsequent judgments.

  • Base Rate Expectations:

Pre-existing probabilities can skew judgment. Example: Airport security agents missing rare events.

4. Bias Impact on Investigations

  • Investigative order matters:
    • Initial exposure to complainants or respondents affects subsequent decisions.
    • Working hypotheses can anchor and bias the interpretation of evidence.
  • Confirmation bias:
    • Tendency to seek information supporting pre-existing beliefs while disregarding contradictory evidence.
    • Subjective evidence: Investigators deal heavily with ambiguous or opinionated information, increasing bias susceptibility.

5. Mitigating Cognitive Bias

  • Awareness and Preparation:

Acknowledge personal susceptibility to bias (bias blind spot).

Actively challenge stereotypes and preconceptions.

  • Context Management Strategies:

Blinding: Shield irrelevant information to focus on evidence.

Sequential Unmasking: Delay exposure to biasing details until critical judgments are made.

Collaboration: Engage colleagues for independent reviews.

  • Cognitive Management:

Consider alternatives and play a devil’s advocate role to counteract tunnel vision.

Use tools like the Implicit Association Test to uncover unconscious biases.

6. Practical Applications

Recommendations for structuring investigations:

  • Limit access to irrelevant or biasing data during initial stages.
  • Develop protocols for sequencing information to reduce bias impact.
  • Use diverse and inclusive frameworks to challenge entrenched stereotypes.

7.           Concluding Remarks

Dr. McLean emphasized that while biases are natural cognitive phenomena, awareness and deliberate strategies can significantly improve objectivity and decision-making quality. She encouraged attendees to actively engage with tools and practices that challenge biases, highlighting the importance of community efforts in fostering unbiased environments.

Guest Speaker

Dr. Cara MacLean, BA (UVic), M.Sc. (SMU), PhD (UVic), Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship (SFU)

Presentation

Impartiality underlies the role of the workplace investigator, and psychological research shows how cognitively difficult it can be to achieve true impartiality. Dr. Carla MacLean,  BA (UVic), M.Sc. (SMU), PhD (UVic), Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship (SFU), demonstrated how cognitive biases can affect our interpretations and conclusions in workplace investigations without our awareness of it, and suggests simple strategies to mitigate bias.

 

Duration of meeting was 1.0 hours. Of this, 1 hour can be counted towards CPD.