Authority bias is the tendency to give greater weight to the opinions, instructions, or behaviours of people in positions of authority—sometimes even against our better judgment.
For example, people may accept medical advice without questioning, agree with a boss even if they doubt the decision, or trust a celebrity endorsement because of the perceived status of the celebrity. Classic psychology experiments, such as Stanley Milgram’s obedience study, demonstrated the power of this bias—participants followed harmful instructions simply because they came from an authority figure.
While respect for expertise can be valuable, authority bias can lead to poor decisions if authority is mistaken, misused, or unqualified. Recognising this bias helps us strike a balance between valuing expertise and keeping our own critical thinking.