Bias Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
๐ฅ
bias
[หbaษชษs ]
Definitions
in decision-making
Prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
Synonyms
discrimination, favoritism, partiality, prejudice, unfairness.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| bias |
Used when someone has a tendency to prefer one person, group, or thing over another, often in an unfair way. It can be both conscious and unconscious.
|
| prejudice |
Describes preconceived opinions or feelings, often negative, formed without proper knowledge or experience. It is usually directed towards people or groups.
|
| partiality |
Similar to bias, partiality indicates an unfair preference for one side over another. It is often used in more formal contexts.
|
| favoritism |
Refers to giving unfairly favorable treatment to one person or group at the expense of others, often seen in informal settings like families or workplaces.
|
| discrimination |
Used in situations where people are treated unfairly or unequally because of certain characteristics like race, gender, age, or disability. It often involves systematic issues.
|
| unfairness |
Refers to situations where something is not just or does not follow the rules of equality. It's a general term that can be applied to many scenarios.
|
Examples of usage
- The hiring process should be free from bias.
- Her bias towards traditional methods hindered innovation in the company.
- The study aimed to uncover any bias in the data collection process.
- It is important to address unconscious bias in the workplace.
- The judge was accused of bias towards the defendant.
influencing unfairly
Cause to feel or show inclination or prejudice for or against someone or something.
Synonyms
color, distort, influence, prejudice, skew.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| bias |
Typically used to describe a preconceived opinion or feeling, either positive or negative, that affects judgment or behavior. It's often used in discussions about fairness and objectivity.
|
| prejudice |
Used to describe an unreasonable and often negative opinion formed without enough knowledge or thought. Strongly negative connotation, commonly used in social and political discussions.
|
| influence |
Used when referring to the ability to affect the development, behavior, or thinking of someone or something. Generally neutral, depends on the context whether it's positive or negative.
|
| skew |
Usually refers to making something biased or twisted in a particular direction, often statistically. This word often implies a negative impact on objectivity or accuracy.
|
| color |
Often used metaphorically to describe how someone's view or perception is influenced, especially by emotions or preconceived notions. Can sometimes have a slightly negative connotation indicating a lack of objectivity.
|
| distort |
Used when talking about changing something from its original form or meaning, often in a way that is misleading or untrue. Typically has a negative connotation.
|
Examples of usage
- The media coverage biased the public opinion.
- Her personal experiences have biased her views on the matter.
- The teacher's favoritism towards certain students biased the grading process.
- It's important not to let personal feelings bias your judgment.
- The survey results were biased due to the wording of the questions.
Translations
To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.
Interesting Facts
Psychology
- Cognitive biases are systematic patterns of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment, influencing decisions and beliefs.
- An example of a common cognitive bias is confirmation bias, where people tend to favor information that confirms their existing beliefs.
- Bias can lead to stereotype formation where individuals make generalized assumptions about others based on limited information.
Social Science
- Bias can significantly affect research outcomes, as personal beliefs of researchers may influence their interpretation of data.
- Social biases can occur in different contexts, such as hiring practices, where candidates may be judged based on gender or ethnicity rather than merit.
- Cultural biases affect how societies perceive different groups; these biases can perpetuate inequality and misunderstanding.
Media
- Media bias occurs when journalists or media outlets present stories in a way that favors one perspective over others, shaping public perception.
- Different media outlets can have political biases, which may affect how news is reported and interpreted by the audience.
- Understanding media bias is crucial for consumers to critically evaluate the information they receive.
Law
- Judicial bias refers to a situation where a judge may influence case outcomes due to personal beliefs, potentially compromising fairness.
- Anti-discrimination laws aim to reduce bias in legal settings, ensuring everyone is treated equally under the law.
- Bias can also manifest in jury selections, where lawyers may attempt to eliminate or include jurors based on their backgrounds or attitudes.
Origin of 'bias'
Main points about word origin
- The word 'bias' comes from the Old Provenรงal word 'biais', which means 'slant' or 'slope'.
- It originally referred to a slanted or diagonal line, representing how thoughts or opinions can lean one way.
- The term started being used in the context of judgment and opinion around the early 19th century.
The word 'bias' originated from the Old French term 'biais,' meaning 'oblique, askew, or awry.' Over time, it evolved to describe a partiality or inclination towards a particular viewpoint. The concept of bias is integral to various fields such as psychology, sociology, and statistics, where it plays a significant role in understanding human behavior and decision-making processes.