Which bias is the tendency to judge harmful actions as worse or more immoral than equally harmful inactions?

• A. Confirmation bias
• B. Premature closure
• C. Automation bias
• D. Omission/commission bias

Answer: (D)

The tendency to judge harmful actions as worse or more immoral than equally harmful inactions reflects how people assign blame based on agentive control. When someone commits an action that causes harm, it signals deliberate choice and direct influence over the outcome, which invites stronger moral condemnation. In contrast, an inaction that leads to the same harm is seen as passive or less within the person’s control, so the blame perceived for the outcome is typically lighter—even though the final harm is identical. This mismatch—favoring action over inaction in moral judgments—is precisely what this bias captures.

This contrasts with other biases: confirmation bias is about favoring information that confirms beliefs; premature closure is about stopping information gathering too early; automation bias is about overreliance on technology. None of those describe the moral weighting of action versus inaction in the face of equal harm.