"I knew it, that person hates me."
In the morning classroom, Kaito declared.
"Why do you think so?" Hiyori asked worriedly.
"This morning in the hallway, they ignored my greeting."
Sora asked carefully, "Were you really ignored? Or did they just not notice?"
"Definitely saw me. Our eyes met."
Leo joined in. "Might be confirmation bias."
"Psychology terms again," Kaito sighed.
"People tend to collect information supporting their beliefs and ignore contradictory information," Leo explained.
"You're saying I'm doing that?"
Sora opened her notebook. "Kaito, when did you start thinking that person hates you?"
"Last week, when our opinions clashed during group work."
"After that, have you been observing their behavior?" Hiyori asked.
"Well, I was curious..."
"That's the point," Leo indicated. "After forming the hypothesis 'I'm hated,' you only observe actions confirming it."
"What's wrong with confirming?"
Sora gave an example. "If they returned your greeting, how would you interpret it?"
"That would be... well, just politeness."
"See," Leo said. "Ignoring greetings is 'proof of hatred,' returning them is 'just politeness.' Both lead to the conclusion 'I'm hated.'"
Kaito fell silent.
Hiyori gently said, "You don't want to prove you're hated, right?"
"No, I don't want to prove it. But..."
"But what?"
"If I'm not hated, then my victim mentality was wrong. That's scary too."
Sora showed understanding. "Admitting your perception was wrong is painful."
Leo supplemented. "But that's the trap of confirmation bias. Not wanting to admit mistakes, so you defend wrong beliefs."
"Then what should I do?"
Sora suggested. "Try finding counter-evidence. Moments when that person was kind to you."
Kaito thought. "Kind... hmm."
"Not even once?" Hiyori encouraged.
"Last week, they lent me an eraser."
"Isn't that a kind action?"
"But maybe it was just coincidence."
Leo laughed. "There, you're doing it again. Downplaying kind actions."
Kaito smiled wryly. "You're right. I'm biased."
Sora wrote in her notebook. "To avoid confirmation bias: ① Seek opposing evidence ② Listen to third-party opinions ③ Question your interpretation."
"Third-party opinions," Kaito looked around. "From your perspective, do you think that person hates me?"
Hiyori shook her head. "I don't know. But I don't see definite proof of hatred either."
Leo added. "'Don't know' is also an important answer. Accepting uncertainty."
"Not knowing makes me anxious," Kaito admitted.
"That anxiety strengthens confirmation bias," Sora explained. "Wanting quick answers, rushing to conclusions with incomplete evidence."
Hiyori proposed. "Why not ask directly? 'Did I say something offensive recently?'"
"Scary. What if they really do hate me?"
"But might be easier than continuing to worry in your imagination."
Leo said, "Plus, communication often resolves misunderstandings."
Kaito took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll talk to them after school."
Sora encouraged. "Assumptions aren't reality. Having courage to confirm is important."
At lunch, Kaito approached the person. It turned out the morning's ignoring was genuinely not noticing, and they actually wanted to become better friends.
After school, Kaito reported to the three.
"It was completely an assumption."
"I'm glad," Hiyori smiled.
"But it was scary. That my perception could be so distorted."
Leo said, "Everyone has it. What's important is noticing and correcting."
Sora closed her notebook. "To not be dominated by assumptions, keep questioning."
"Question my own thoughts?" Kaito murmured.
"Not doubting yourself. Doubting your interpretation."
Kaito laughed. "Difficult, but important."
The four left the classroom. Assumptions are invisible cages. But you hold the key.