Many factors can lead to biased study results. These may be roughly classified as selection mechanisms, measurement errors, confounding factors, and methodical errors. Due to the design of observational studies (for example, the lack of randomization), specific types of bias are more common in observational studies.

Observer bias can be reduced or eliminated by:

1. Ensuring that observers are well trained.
2. Screening observers for potential biases.
3. Having clear rules and procedures in place for the experiment.
4. Making sure behaviors are clearly defined.

Additionally, personal preferences, cultural attitudes towards a subject matter, or minor changes which can affect an experiment all contribute to biasing a scientist’s observations.

Selection bias is a distortion in a measure of association (such as a risk ratio) due to a sample selection that does not accurately reflect the target population. This biases the study when the association between a risk factor and a health outcome differs in dropouts compared with study participants.

(Entry 1 of 4) 1a : an inclination of temperament or outlook especially : a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment : prejudice. b : an instance of such prejudice. c : bent, tendency.

A person who is influenced by a bias is biased. The expression is not “they’re bias,” but “they’re biased.” Also, many people say someone is “biased toward” something or someone when they mean biased against. To have a bias toward something is to be biased in its favor.

Prejudice is an affective feeling towards a person or group member based solely on their group membership. Bias is prejudice in favour of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair. Biases can be learned implicitly within cultural contexts.

An important skill of critical reading is the ability to detect an author’s bias and prejudice. The reason you need to be able to do this, of course, is that bias and prejudice may invalidate an author’s claim.

Some of the most well-known types of prejudice include:

• Racism.
• Sexism.
• Ageism.
• Classism.
• Homophobia.
• Nationalism.
• Religious prejudice.
• Xenophobia.

Bias means that a person prefers an idea and possibly does not give equal chance to a different idea. Facts or opinions that do not support the point of view in a biased article would be excluded. For example, an article biased toward riding a motorcycle would show facts about the good gas mileage, fun, and agility.

Benevolent prejudice is a superficially positive prejudice that is expressed in terms of positive beliefs and emotional responses, which are associated with hostile prejudices or result in keeping affected groups in inferior positions in society.

Civil law. Within legal civil procedure, prejudice is a loss or injury, and refers specifically to a formal determination against a claimed legal right or cause of action. Thus, in a civil case, dismissal without prejudice is a dismissal that allows for re-filing of the case in the future.

Prejudice makes the victim feel less than fully human. When people are undervalued by others, their self-esteem suffers and they stop trying to improve themselves. Prejudice can often lead to bullying and other forms of discrimination .

Also, prejudice includes all three components of an attitude (affective, behavioral and cognitive), whereas discrimination just involves behavior.

Cognitive prejudice refers to what people believe is true, stereotypes. These beliefs include expectations, impressions, criticisms, and assumptions. Affective prejudice refers to what people dislike and like. It holds an emotional aspect of prejudice.

Stereotypes are argued to be the cognitive component of prejudice, and defined as beliefs about the characteristics, attributes, and behaviors of members of a particular social group (e.g., Hamilton & Sherman, 1994).

The psychological bases for prejudice These include: people’s key values; the ways they see themselves and others; their sense of social identity, and social norms that define who is included in or excluded from social groups.

In psychology, an attitude refers to a set of emotions, beliefs, and behaviors toward a particular object, person, thing, or event. Attitudes are often the result of experience or upbringing, and they can have a powerful influence over behavior. While attitudes are enduring, they can also change.

Cognition includes basic mental processes such as sensation, attention, and perception. Cognition also includes complex mental operations such as memory, learning, language use, problem solving, decision making, reasoning, and intelligence.