Not strictly a bias, but it’s a force that makes one more biased.

In communication, unkindness puts both parties in an adversarial dynamic. It summons up negative defensive parts of our psyche. I think this applies to both the person receiving the criticism, but also to the one being unkind.

Everyone is subject to the my-side-bias family of biases. Being unkind—rude, adversarial, poking, making fun—only pulls you deeper into that dynamic—eg solidifies both parties in their perspectives.

People can change their minds when they feel safe. By being kind, we can help them genuinely consider new ideas. In this light, kindness and compassion can be unbiasing force.

When offering critique, it may makes sense to phrase it kindly—maybe balance it with something positive, or be extra kind to them as a person.

Example: I thought about it when Scott Alexander criticized Robin Hanson ideas on the effectiveness of medicine. Scott began by calling Hanson “one contrarian who nobody else listens to.-,I%E2%80%99ve%20spent%20fifteen%20years%20not%20responding%20to%20this%20argument%2C%20because%20I%20worry%20it%20would%20be%20harsh%20and%20annoying%20to%20use%20my%20platform%20to%20beat%20up%20on%20one%20contrarian%20who%20nobody%20else%20listens%20to.,-But%20I%20recently).” While the rest of the blog consists of carefully constructed arguments, what do you think stood out for Hanson? It was that unkind comment—Hanson’s own response to Scott’s blog begins with that quote.