What is bias?

• Systematic errors in our thought processes that impact the way we live and work 

• An inclination of temperament or outlook 

• Often associated with prejudice or favoritism 

Biases in Research

• Researcher Bias

• Respondent Biases

• Analysis Biases

Researcher Bias

• Leading questions: Rather than allowing the respondent to answer the question honestly, these types of questions nudge them in a particular direction. 

• Loaded questions: Force respondents to answer in a way that may not accurately indicate their true opinion or experience. 

• Order bias: Questions positioned earlier in your survey might influence how respondents choose to answer questions that appear later in your survey. 

Respondent Bias

• Status quo: Preferring things to stay the same.

  • Ex: Presenting a new & affordable way to stream TV but most participants reporting they would prefer Netflix since it’s what they are used to.

• Availability heuristic: Using info that comes to mind quickly/ easily

  • Ex: A respondent is currently watching “The Voice”. They respond with “The Voice” when asked what their favorite all-time TV show is, despite having many other favorite shows.

Analysis Bias

• Framing effect: Drawing different conclusions from the same information depending on how it’s presented 

  • Ex: Hand sanitizer is labeled as "99% effective" vs. "1% not effective"

• Confirmation bias: Finding and remembering information that confirms our perceptions & beliefs 

  • Ex: Closely looking for patterns in your test data to prove your hypothesis, overlooking the data that says otherwise.