Bias in Bias in

researchresearchObjective 1.6 Prologue

Objective 1.6 Prologue

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• BiasBias is a form of systematic is a form of systematic error that can affect scientific error that can affect scientific investigations and distort the investigations and distort the measurement process. measurement process.

• A biased study loses validity A biased study loses validity in relation to the degree of in relation to the degree of the bias. the bias.

• While some study designs While some study designs are more prone to bias (such are more prone to bias (such as qualitative research), its as qualitative research), its presence is universal.presence is universal.

• It is difficult or even It is difficult or even impossible to completely impossible to completely eliminate bias. eliminate bias.

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ext • In qualitative research, In qualitative research,

bias affects the validity bias affects the validity and reliability of findingsand reliability of findings, , and consequently affects and consequently affects public perception. public perception.

• In qualitative research, In qualitative research, bias is inevitable. The bias is inevitable. The goal of qualitative goal of qualitative research is to recognize research is to recognize and reduce it, or at least and reduce it, or at least be aware of how it be aware of how it impacts data. impacts data.

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there are two major there are two major categories of bias: categories of bias: • Researcher biasResearcher bias• Biased questionsBiased questions• Biased samplesBiased samples• Biased reportingBiased reporting

• Participant Expectations• Biased actionsBiased actions• Biased answersBiased answers

Objective 1.6Objective 1.6

Explain effects of Explain effects of participant expectations

participant expectations and and

researcher biasresearcher bias in qualitative research.

in qualitative research.

•Researcher biasResearcher bias, also called , also called experimenter biasexperimenter bias, is a process , is a process where the researcher performing where the researcher performing a study consciously or a study consciously or subconsciously influences the subconsciously influences the results, in order to portray a results, in order to portray a certain outcome.certain outcome.•Participant expectationParticipant expectation or the or the Hawthorne effect Hawthorne effect is the process is the process where subjects of an experiment where subjects of an experiment change their behavior, simply change their behavior, simply because they are being studied. because they are being studied.

• In qualitative research In qualitative research researcher bias is a researcher bias is a problematic problematic conceptconcept, since by definition the , since by definition the qualitative researcher is part of qualitative researcher is part of the process, and all researchers the process, and all researchers are different.are different.

• This This human factor human factor has been has been said to be both the greatest said to be both the greatest strength and the greatest strength and the greatest weakness of qualitative weakness of qualitative method. method.

Principle 1:Principle 1: Human behavior occurs Human behavior occurs within a within a social or cultural social or cultural context. context. The social situation can impact our The social situation can impact our behavior (i.e. the presence of a behavior (i.e. the presence of a researcher)researcher)

Principle 2:Principle 2: Humans have a Humans have a tendency to tendency to comply or conformcomply or conform to to group norms. group norms. Group interviews can Group interviews can be impacted by the presence of be impacted by the presence of others. People in a position of others. People in a position of “authority” can impact ones “authority” can impact ones response. response.

A trip down memory lane to support our claim: Principles A trip down memory lane to support our claim: Principles that Define the Socio-cultural level of analysisthat Define the Socio-cultural level of analysis

• The researcher collects the The researcher collects the data and has a major impact data and has a major impact on the quality of the data. on the quality of the data.

• During data collection, the During data collection, the researcher’s facial researcher’s facial expressions, body language, expressions, body language, tone, manner of dress, and tone, manner of dress, and style of language may style of language may introduce bias. introduce bias.

• Similarly, the moderator’s Similarly, the moderator’s age, social status, race, and age, social status, race, and gender can produce bias. gender can produce bias.

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• The bias of the researcher The bias of the researcher can create certain can create certain “expectations” for the “expectations” for the participant.participant.

• These expectations can lead These expectations can lead to answers that reflect the to answers that reflect the bias of the researcher as bias of the researcher as opposed to the perspective opposed to the perspective of the participant. of the participant.

• This causes a study to lose its credibility.

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• Sampling bias is consistent error that arises due to the sample selection.

• For example, a survey of high school students to measure teenage use of illegal drugs will be a biased sample because it does not include home schooled students or dropouts.

• A sample is also biased if certain members are underrepresented or overrepresented relative to others in the population.

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• Both underrepresentation and overrepresentation can lead to skewed qualitative data and cause research to lose credibility. • Research that claims to

“represent the voice of a specific group” does not do so if some portion of the group is not represented in the sample. Sa

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• Sampling bias is usually the result of a poor or subjective sampling plan. • The most notable is the bias

of non response when for some reason some units have no chance of appearing in the sample.• This can be briefly

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• Design bias Design bias (leading questions or selective probing in interviews)• Content analysis bias Content analysis bias

(misinterpreting or omitting a response from data analysis)

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• In some cases, an experimenter might give off hints or cues that might make the participant believe that a particular outcome or behavior is expected, this is considered participant bias.

• It is important to note that the participant may or may not be right in their guess.

• Even if the individual is wrong about the experimenter's intentions, it can have a profound influence on how the participant behaves.

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• For example, the subject might take it upon themselves to play the role of the "good participant."

• Instead of behaving as they normally would, these individuals strive to figure out what the experimenter wants and then live up to these expectations.

• This is especially true with case studies, focus groups, and observations.

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• Demand characteristics might also motivate participants to behave in ways that they think are socially desirable (to make themselves look better than they really are)

• Or in ways that are antagonistic to the experimenter (an attempt to throw off the results or mess up the experiment).

• This is also known as the Hawthorn effect.

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Researcher Researcher

Expectations…Expectations…

How can this impact your

How can this impact your

data?data?

Tomorrow…Tomorrow…

Credibility in Qualitative

Credibility in Qualitative

ResearchResearch

ClassworkClasswork•Read and outline pp. 36-44

•Define all terms

•Summarize the following sub-sections

•Experimentation (Skip Obj. 13)•Cause and Effect

•IV/DV

•Statistical Reasoning (Skip Obj. 19&20)•Describing Data