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Definition of bias

 (Entry 1 of 4)

Definition of bias  (Entry 2 of 4)

transitive verb

Definition of bias  (Entry 3 of 4)

Definition of bias  (Entry 4 of 4)

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Bias vs. Biased

In recent years, we have seen more evidence of the adjectival bias in constructions like “a bias news program” instead of the more usual “a biased news program.” The reason is likely because of aural confusion: the - ed of biased may be filtered out by hearers, which means that bias and biased can sound similar in the context of normal speech. They are not interchangeable, however. The adjective that means “exhibited or characterized by an unreasoned judgment” is biased (“a biased news story”). There is an adjective bias , but it means “diagonal” and is used only of fabrics (“a bias cut across the fabric”).

• nonobjectivity
• one-sidedness
• partisanship
• tendentiousness
• kitty-corner
• catty-corner
• catercorner
• kitty-cornered
• catty-cornered
• catercornered
• transversely

predilection , prepossession , prejudice , bias mean an attitude of mind that predisposes one to favor something.

predilection implies a strong liking deriving from one's temperament or experience.

prepossession suggests a fixed conception likely to preclude objective judgment of anything counter to it.

prejudice usually implies an unfavorable prepossession and connotes a feeling rooted in suspicion, fear, or intolerance.

bias implies an unreasoned and unfair distortion of judgment in favor of or against a person or thing.

incline , bias , dispose , predispose mean to influence one to have or take an attitude toward something.

incline implies a tendency to favor one of two or more actions or conclusions.

bias suggests a settled and predictable leaning in one direction and connotes unfair prejudice.

dispose suggests an affecting of one's mood or temper so as to incline one toward something.

predispose implies the operation of a disposing influence well in advance of the opportunity to manifest itself.

Examples of bias in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bias.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Noun, Verb, Adjective, and Adverb

Middle French biais

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 2

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

1551, in the meaning defined above

circa 1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bias

• bias - belted tire
• bias - ply tire
• implicit bias
• on the bias
• self - selection bias

Dictionary Entries Near bias

biarticulate

bias-belted tire

Cite this Entry

“Bias.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bias. Accessed 14 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of bias.

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Kids Definition of bias  (Entry 2 of 2)

Legal Definition

Legal definition of bias, more from merriam-webster on bias.

Nglish: Translation of bias for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of bias for Arabic Speakers

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Bias refers to a tendency to favor one perspective over others, often leading to a distortion of facts or an unfair representation of information. In public speaking, being aware of bias is crucial for maintaining integrity and credibility, as it influences how messages are conveyed and perceived by the audience. Bias can manifest in various forms, such as personal, cultural, or media bias, which can affect both the speaker's delivery and the audience's understanding.

congrats on reading the definition of Bias . now let's actually learn it.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

• Bias can significantly undermine a speaker's credibility if not managed properly, as audiences tend to trust information that appears objective and balanced.
• Recognizing one's own biases is the first step toward delivering more fair and accurate messages, which enhances overall communication effectiveness.
• In public speaking, acknowledging and addressing potential biases can help build trust with the audience and promote open dialogue.
• Different audiences may interpret bias differently based on their own experiences and beliefs, which can impact the reception of the speaker's message.
• Employing evidence-based arguments and considering multiple viewpoints can help mitigate bias and create a more persuasive and ethical presentation.

Review Questions

• Bias can cloud a speaker's judgment and lead to an imbalanced representation of information. When speakers allow their biases to influence their messages, they risk alienating parts of their audience who may disagree with their perspective. This diminishes the overall effectiveness of communication because it can create distrust and hinder the speaker's credibility.
• Recognizing personal bias is essential for speakers as it allows them to present information more fairly and accurately. When speakers are aware of their biases, they can take steps to mitigate their effects on their message. This awareness helps them consider alternative viewpoints and enhances audience perception by fostering an environment where listeners feel respected and valued, leading to more constructive dialogue.
• Addressing bias in public speaking is vital for promoting ethical communication practices because it demonstrates respect for diverse perspectives and fosters transparency. When speakers actively work to acknowledge and mitigate their biases, they create a more inclusive environment that encourages audience engagement. This approach not only builds trust but also invites richer discussions, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of the topic at hand.

Related terms

Prejudice : An unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason, often leading to discriminatory behavior.

Subjectivity : The quality of being based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions rather than external facts.

Credibility : The quality of being trusted and believed in; it is essential for a speaker to establish credibility to effectively communicate their message.

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Biased Language Definition and Examples

Prejudiced, Offensive, and Hurtful Words and Phrases

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

The term "biased language" refers to  words  and phrases that are considered prejudiced, offensive, and hurtful. Biased language includes expressions that demean or exclude people because of age, sex, race, ethnicity, social class, or physical or mental traits. 

Bias in language refers to language that is uneven or unbalanced or not a fair representation, says the University of Massachusetts Lowell, adding that you should strive to avoid bias in writing and speaking because such language may contain “hidden messages” about the superiority or inferiority of various groups or types of people.

Examples of Biased Language

Bias is prejudice toward or unfair characterization of the members of a particular group, says Stacie Heaps writing on  WriteExpress :

"Bias is so common in speech and writing that we often are not even aware of it. But it is the responsibility of everyone to become conscious of and write without bias."

Heaps gives several examples of bias together with alternative (and unbiased) phrasing:

Be sensitive to the feelings of the opposite sex, minorities, and special interest groups says  Cengage : Don't emphasize differences by separating society into "we" and "they" by singling out minorities , particular genders, or groups of people such as those with disabilities and senior citizens.

How to Avoid Bias in Your Writing

Purdue OWL  provides some examples of biased language with alternatives you could use to avoid gender bias:

You have to be on guard against bias because it can so easily creep into your writing or speaking, but Cengage says it's easy to avoid, as in this example:

• Before a surgeon can operate,  he  must know every relevant detail or the patient's history.

Remove the bias with just a simple adjustment:

• Before operating,  a surgeon  must know every relevant detail of the patient's history.

You can just as easily avoid bias in race . Don't say: "Attending the meetings were three doctors and an Asian computer programmer." In the example, Asian is preferred to Oriental, but why even single out this person's ethnicity? The sentence did not specify the ethnicity of the doctors, who were presumably Caucasian.

Examples and Observations

Be on guard for these types of bias in writing and speaking:

• Age:  Avoid derogatory or condescending terms associated with age. "Little old lady" can be rephrased as "a woman in her 80s," while an "immature adolescent" is better described as a "teenager" or "teen."
• Politics:  In any election campaign, words referring to politics are full of connotations. Consider, for instance, how the word "liberal" has been used with positive or negative connotations in various election campaigns. Take care with words and phrases like "radical," "left-wing," and "right-wing." Consider how your readers are expected to interpret these biased words.
• Religion:  Some older encyclopedia editions referred to "devout Catholics" and "fanatical Muslims." Newer editions refer to both Catholics and Muslims as "devout," thus eliminating biased language. 
• Health and abilities:  Avoid phrases like "confined to a wheelchair" and "victim" (of a disease), so as not to focus on differences and disability. Instead, write or say "someone who uses a wheelchair" and "a person with (a disease)."

Biased language can defeat your purpose by damaging your credibility, say Gerald J. Alred, Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu in their "Handbook of Technical Writing." They add:

"The easiest way to avoid bias is simply not to mention differences among people unless the differences are relevant to the discussion. Keep current with accepted usage and, if you are unsure of the appropriateness of the expression or the tone of a passage, have several colleagues review the material and give you their assessments."

As you write and speak, remember that "biased language insults the person or group to which it is applied," say Robert DiYanni and Pat C. Hoy II in their book, "The Scribner Handbook for Writers." When you use biased language—even inadvertently—you denigrate others, creating division and separation, they say. So, strive to use unbiased language, and you will show that as a speaker or writer, you are including all potential members of your audience without segregating and referring pejoratively to a select few.

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Cognitive Biases: A Guide for Public Speakers

You may think that you are a sensible, rational thinker. You likely believe that you’re open-minded, objective, and someone who sees the world as it is.

Unfortunately, your brain is playing mind games with you.

In reality, while you are incredibly intelligent, you’re susceptible to a swarm of cognitive biases which constantly pull you toward irrational thoughts and judgments.

This article is the first of the Cognitive Bias series — a collection of articles which examine cognitive biases, describe how they impact you and your audience, and explore practical strategies you can use in response.

Cognitive Biases: Definitions, Causes, and Examples

What is a cognitive bias.

A cognitive bias is a systematic pattern of flawed judgment.

Under normal circumstances, most people tend to be pretty rational, and they make judgments in sensible ways. Indeed, our society and its institutions depend on rational behaviour. We expect jurors to behave rationally when deliberating on the guilt or innocence of the accused. We expect teachers and students, doctors and nurses, pedestrians and drivers, and everyone else to behave rationally.

However, in certain circumstances, people deviate from rational behaviour in remarkably predictable ways. Dozens of distinct cognitive biases have been identified, studied, and confirmed through decades of research. Here’s just a few examples of cognitive biases that are relevant to public speaking:

• Spotlight Effect The tendency to overestimate how much people notice how you look and act.
• Illusion of Transparency The tendency to overestimate the degree to which others can know your mental state.
• Curse of Knowledge The tendency to presume that when you know something, everyone else must know it too.
• Halo Effect The tendency to judge people broadly based on a small number of positive qualities.

Who is affected by cognitive biases?

We are all susceptible to cognitive biases. I am. You are. Everyone in your audience is. Everyone you work with is. All of your friends and family members are. Women are. Men are. Adults and children are.

However, we aren’t equally susceptible to every cognitive bias, and we aren’t all impacted in identical ways. For one cognitive bias, I may be more susceptible than you are; for a different cognitive bias, I may be more immune.

What causes cognitive biases?

There’s no easy answer here. There are many theories and much ongoing debate. Some of the proposed causes include:

• Processing heuristics — Our brains have process limitations, so we use heuristics (shortcuts) to cope.
• Imperfect memory — We are limited in our ability to store and retrieve memories accurately.
• Emotional influences
• Social influences

Why are cognitive biases relevant for speakers?

Cognitive biases impact you and everyone around you in all facets of life, including public speaking. Consider a presentation where a speaker attempts to deliver a persuasive speech to an audience. In an ideal world, the speaker’s brain would be operating rationally, and a perfect message would be delivered to audience members, who would hear, interpret, and digest that message rationally. But we do not live in an ideal world. Both the speaker and the audience members are susceptible to a range of cognitive biases.

How can cognitive biases affect speakers?

Because there are so many different cognitive biases, there are many ways that these biases can impact speakers before, during, and after a presentation. These include:

• Biases may lead to poor choices in presentation content and structure.
• Biases may lead to amplified nervousness and distorted perceptions while delivering a presentation.
• Biases may lead a speaker to skewed judgments as to the success (or failure) of the presentation.
• Biases may lead to a closed mind when it comes to seeking and listening to feedback.
• Biases may lead novice speakers to overestimate their effectiveness as speakers.

How can cognitive biases affect audience members?

You may assume that your audience is thinking rationally, without bias. However, audience members are susceptible to cognitive biases too, and these present additional challenges for you as the speaker, including:

• Biases may lead audience members to irrational conclusions about you before, during, and after your speech.
• Biases may lead audience members to be irrationally resistant to persuasion.
• Biases may lead audience members to interpret your message in ways that are very different than what you intended.
• Biases may prevent audience members from fully participating or being “open” to learning.
• Biases may even prevent some audience members from attending your presentation.

What can speakers do to mitigate or overcome cognitive biases?

Since each cognitive bias affects our thoughts and judgments in different ways, the strategies for mitigating them are unique. The first step is to be aware that the cognitive bias exists, and to understand its impact. You must be able to recognize it and describe it. This is why we are launching this important Six Minutes series!

Each article in this series will focus on one cognitive bias (or, in some cases, a set of tightly-related biases). We’ll define the cognitive bias, and provide examples to aid understanding. From there, we’ll discover how the cognitive bias affects you as a speaker and how it affects members of your audience. Finally, we’ll explore strategies and practical actions you can take to overcome, mitigate, or exploit the cognitive bias to become a more confident and more effective speaker.

• Introduction
• Spotlight Effect
• Illusion of Transparency
• Curse of Knowledge (coming next)

Next in the Cognitive Bias series…

In the next article of this series, we examine the Spotlight Effect and learn how this cognitive bias presents challenges and opportunities for you as a speaker.

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• Research bias
• What Is Explicit Bias? | Definition & Examples

What Is Explicit Bias? | Definition & Examples

Published on January 20, 2023 by Kassiani Nikolopoulou . Revised on December 18, 2023.

Explicit bias is a demonstration of conscious preference or aversion towards a person or group. With explicit bias, we are aware of the attitudes and beliefs we have towards others. These beliefs can be either positive or negative and can cause us to treat others unfairly.

Table of contents

What is explicit bias, what is the difference between explicit and implicit bias, explicit bias example, other types of research bias, frequently asked questions.

Explicit bias occurs when our perception is distorted due to preferences and beliefs that we consciously hold about others. Negative behavior (such as overtly racist acts or prejudiced comments) can be a result of explicit bias. However, a teacher who openly praises students from a specific ethnic or socioeconomic group is also expressing explicit bias. In other words, even when our assumptions about a group are positive, we are still biased. Whether positive or negative, explicit bias prevents us from being fair in our judgments.

Explicit bias occurs as a result of deliberate thoughts, which we can both identify and communicate with others. Any aspect of an individual’s identity can become the target of explicit bias, including:

• Sexual orientation
• Socioeconomic status

Often these biases (and their outward expression) arise as a result of a perceived threat. When people feel threatened, they are more likely to seek to separate themselves from “others” because this gives them a false sense of security. For example, when a country experiences an economic downturn and unemployment is on the rise, people are more likely to become hostile towards foreign workers.

The difference between explicit and implicit bias is conscious awareness. Although both involve favorable or unfavorable evaluations of groups of people, they operate differently.

Explicit bias refers to biased attitudes we are aware of, while implicit bias operates outside our awareness and control. Explicit bias is usually easier to identify, as it’s more obvious. Conversely, implicit bias is more subtle and can be in direct contradiction to a person’s openly held beliefs.

Explicit bias in the form of racism continues to maintain a foothold in research today. It often manifests in the form of false beliefs regarding the influence of biology on intelligence.

One such persisting idea is that differences on IQ tests have a racial component. Since the beginning of IQ testing, scientists have observed differences between the average scores of different population groups, and there have been debates over whether this is due to environmental and cultural factors or due to some underlying genetic factor.

However, the concept of race is not grounded in genetics, but rather in sociology. Today, the scientific consensus is that genetics do not explain differences in IQ test performance between racial groups. While genetic variation may help to explain why one person is more intelligent than another, there are unlikely to be stable and systematic genetic differences that make one population more intelligent than the next.

Cognitive bias

• Confirmation bias
• Baader–Meinhof phenomenon
• Availability heuristic
• Halo effect
• Framing effect
• Affect heuristic
• Representativeness heuristic
• Anchoring heuristic
• Primacy bias
• Optimism bias

Selection bias

• Sampling bias
• Ascertainment bias
• Attrition bias
• Self-selection bias
• Survivorship bias
• Nonresponse bias
• Undercoverage bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Observer bias
• Implicit bias
• Omitted variable bias
• Publication bias
• Pygmalion effect
• Recall bias
• Social desirability bias
• Placebo effect
• Actor-observer bias
• Ceiling effect
• Ecological fallacy
• Affinity bias

The opposite of explicit bias is implicit bias (or unconscious bias). This refers to all the subconscious evaluations we have formed about a certain group. Implicit bias can influence our interactions with members of this group without us realizing.

Bias can be either positive or negative. However, all forms of bias (whether favorable or unfavorable) prevent us from judging others fairly.

For example, because of explicit bias , a teacher might openly claim that students from a certain ethnic background are exceptionally good in math. Even though this sounds positive, it means that other students are automatically treated as second-rate. For this reason, bias is linked to unfairness and thus has a negative connotation.

There are two main types of bias:

Implicit bias is the positive or negative attitudes, feelings, and stereotypes we maintain about members of a certain group without us being consciously aware of them.

Explicit bias is the positive or negative attitudes, feelings, and stereotypes we maintain about others while being consciously aware of them.

Bias is a systematic error in the design, administration, or analysis of a study. Because of bias, study results deviate from their true value and researchers draw erroneous conclusions.

There are several types of bias, and different research designs or fields are susceptible to different types of research bias. For example, in health research, bias arises from two main sources:

• The approach adopted for selecting study participants
• The approach adopted for collecting or measuring data

These are, respectively, selection bias and information bias .

Sources in this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.

Nikolopoulou, K. (2023, December 18). What Is Explicit Bias? | Definition & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-bias/explicit-bias/

Daumeyer, Natalie & Onyeador, Ivuoma & Brown, Xanni & Richeson, Jennifer. (2019). Consequences of Attributing Discrimination to Implicit vs. Explicit Bias. 10.31234/osf.io/42j7v.

Mitchell, K. (2018, May 2). Why genetic IQ differences between “races” are unlikely . The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2018/may/02/why-genetic-iq-differences-between-races-are-unlikely

Skibba, R. (2019, May 20). The Disturbing Resilience of Scientific Racism . Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/disturbing-resilience-scientific-racism-180972243/

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Kassiani Nikolopoulou

Other students also liked, what is affinity bias | definition & examples, attrition bias | examples, explanation, prevention, what is cognitive bias | definition, types, & examples.

Look up a word, learn it forever.

Other forms: biased; biassed; biases; biasing; biassing; biasedly

Use the noun bias to mean a preference for one thing over another, especially an unfair one.

Some biases are completely innocent: "I have a bias toward French wines." But most often, bias is used to describe unfair prejudices: "The authorities investigated a case involving bias against Latinos." It is also a verb meaning "to show prejudice for or against," as in "They claimed the tests were biased against women." (In British English, it takes an extra S in the forms biassed and biassing .) The word goes back at least to Old Provençal, a former language of southern France, in association with the sport of lawn bowling, where it referred to the tendency of a ball to roll in one direction or the other.

• noun a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation synonyms: preconception , prejudice see more see less types: show 9 types... hide 9 types... taboo , tabu a prejudice (especially in Polynesia and other South Pacific islands) that prohibits the use or mention of something because of its sacred nature irrational hostility extreme prejudice experimenter bias (psychology) bias introduced by an experimenter whose expectations about the outcome of the experiment can be subtly communicated to the participants in the experiment homophobia prejudice against (fear or dislike of) homosexual people and homosexuality Islamophobia prejudice against Muslims racism the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races tendentiousness an intentional and controversial bias anti-Semitism , antisemitism the intense dislike for and prejudice against Jewish people white supremacy the prejudice that members of the white race are superior to members of other races type of: partiality , partisanship an inclination to favor one group or view or opinion over alternatives
• verb influence in an unfair way “you are biasing my choice by telling me yours” see more see less types: handicap attempt to forecast the winner (especially in a horse race) and assign odds for or against a contestant type of: prejudice , prepossess influence (somebody's) opinion in advance
• verb cause to be biased synonyms: predetermine see more see less types: angle , skew , slant , weight present with a bias type of: prejudice , prepossess influence (somebody's) opinion in advance
• noun a line or cut across a fabric that is not at right angles to a side of the fabric synonyms: diagonal see more see less type of: straight line a line traced by a point traveling in a constant direction; a line of zero curvature
• adjective slanting diagonally across the grain of a fabric “a bias fold” synonyms: oblique slanting or inclined in direction or course or position--neither parallel nor perpendicular nor right-angled

Vocabulary lists containing bias

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