Bias

What is Bias?

Bias is an inclination towards (or away from) a particular group, perspective, outlook or way of thinking.

Bias can be based on, among other things, upbringing, race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, social standing, education, gender, politics, and tastes. It can be innate or learned.

An example of bias can be seen in the OJ Simpson murder trial in the US in the 1990s. Even before the trial had begun many people had already made up their mind about his guilt (or lack of), a great many based on race, and others on their view of the police, and many stayed that way even years after the verdict was given.

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Is all bias bad?

Bias in a historical source does not limit its value. Instead, we must understand what kind of bias a source may have, and its usefulness, by asking ourselves deeper questions. Who is it biased against? Who is it biased to? What is the context of the document, and of the author? What is it not saying? Can the statements presented be verified?

However, as inquirers it is your responsibility to ethically use your resources to be as objective as possible in your own research, and not let personal biases, or prejudice, get in the way.

Common biases to avoid include:

• Confirmation Bias: when the inquirer wants to prove a predetermined idea by twisting the available information until this idea can be proven by the data.
• Selection Bias: when the inquirer selects information subjectively that does not reflect all the available information.
• Correlation: when the inquirer sees two different information variables react in a similar way and assume that they are directly connected. Remember, correlation does not imply direct cause and effect.
• Outlying Information: sometimes abnormal information is excluded from an investigative work because it does not fit in with the "average" information despite it being important. For example, building a drainage system based on average rainfall over a five year period instead of historical record rainfall.

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How can I avoid all bias?

It is important to note that there is no such thing as complete impartiality. Everything and everyone has bias, as everyone has a subjective point of view, and everything comes from a certain context that is not 100% objective. However, as inquirers we will strive to be as objective and balanced as we can.

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