Information bias is a cognitive bias that leads individuals to seek out information even when that information does not affect the actions they plan to take. This bias manifests in the belief that more information equates to better decision-making, despite the reality that sometimes extra information may be irrelevant or unnecessary for the decision at hand.
In an experiment involving a diagnostic problem, subjects were presented with a patient likely suffering from globoma, with an 80% probability. Many chose to conduct an expensive ET scan despite the fact that it would not influence the appropriate treatment decision, which would still be to treat globoma. The test results were irrelevant to the diagnosis.
To overcome information bias, focus on the specific information relevant to the decision at hand and avoid the urge to seek unnecessary data that does not impact the outcome.