They tried doggedly to
prove their own idea
about what the rule
was, which Watson
coined as confirmation
bias - trying to prove
their own hypothesis by
selectively processing
information. Wason’s
experiment was later
called into question as
it was possible participants were employing
something called ‘positive stress strategy’ - a
tendency to make tests
that are consistent with
a working hypothesis,
33
and not confirmation
bias. However, from
Wason’s
experiment
and coining of the term
confirmation bias went
on to be proven in many
later experiments.