Alan Johnston: victim of cognitive bias

"Out-group homogeneity bias." That was my thought on seeing the posters of kidnapped BBC journalist Alan Johnston outside Bush House this morning.
I suspect he's a victim of this bias. When his kidnappers took him, they probably just saw a westerner, and inferred - with all westerners being the same - that he was a supporter of Israel. They were oblivious to the heterogeneity of western opinion and the fact that Johnston is (oddly for a BBC man) a "friend of the Palestinian people."
But of course, it's not just Palestinian kidnappers who commit this error.  We all do. Whenever someone speaks of the "Muslim community" or "Iranians", they also commit it - and the error is not mitigated much by glib distinctions between "moderates" and "extremists".
I never think of myself as belonging to the white secular liberal community, because we white secular liberals are all unique, diverse individuals.
It's only "they" who are an undifferentiated mass.

Comments

[dearieme]

I did enjoy your hint that the BBC might suffer from in-group homogeneity bias.

[Colin Wilfred Holland]

Some 10 days ago I sent a message to the BBC that if they allowed Alan Johnston to die in seclusion then I and the majority of UK people will not forgive them.
I am happy to see that their efforts are now somewhat more vocal and focussed, but still not at the level I would expect.
Colin.

[Max]

My debating group in Damascus (made up of Kuwaitis, Syrians, Americans, Britians, Yemenis, Iraqis, Muslims, Christians, etc.) always seemed to go over the same initial ground at the start of every subject (be it football, Israel, Islam).

Yes. There are different strands in Islam.
Yes. There are different schools in Christianity.
Yes. There are Arabist and Zionist papers.
Ad nauseum.

[jameshigham]

Fair comment, Chris.

[chrisC]

BBC middle east coverage is notoriously pro-Palestinian (one correspondent openly weeping at Arafat's funeral for example) - no doubt when he is released he will be excusing his own kidnapping!

[Mark Wadsworth]

What? They've taken our postman-turned-education minister hostage and the government is doing nothing about it? Will he be allowed to sell his story?

[ditdotdat]

Guess what Chris, there are plenty of people who think that the BBC's Middle East coverage is 'notoriously' pro-Israel or pro-American. They too can quote plenty of examples.