Bias in Research

Bias in research refers to any systematic error in how a study is designed, conducted, or interpreted that skews results away from an accurate reflection of user behavior, attitudes, or needs. Bias is one of the most significant threats to the validity and usefulness of user research.

Bias can enter research at any stage. Common types include: confirmation bias (seeking data that supports existing assumptions), social desirability bias (participants answering in ways they think researchers want to hear), leading question bias (questions that suggest a preferred answer), selection bias (testing with an unrepresentative participant sample), and moderator bias (the moderator's presence or tone influencing responses).

Identifying and mitigating bias requires deliberate research design: writing neutral, open-ended questions, recruiting a diverse and representative participant panel, separating the research team from the design team where possible, and using multiple methods to triangulate findings.

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