Självrapportbias

Självrapportbias, or self-report bias, is a type of response bias that occurs in surveys, questionnaires, or interviews when participants provide inaccurate or misleading information about themselves. This inaccuracy can stem from various psychological and social factors, leading to a distorted perception of reality or the participant's true behaviors, attitudes, or beliefs.

One common form of self-report bias is social desirability bias, where individuals tend to answer questions in a way that they believe will be viewed favorably by others. This can lead to an overreporting of positive behaviors and an underreporting of socially undesirable ones. For example, a participant might claim to exercise more regularly or eat healthier than they actually do to present themselves in a better light.

Another factor contributing to self-report bias is memory recall bias. When asked about past events or behaviors, individuals may not accurately remember details or may reconstruct memories in a way that aligns with their current feelings or beliefs. This can lead to inaccuracies in reporting frequency of behaviors or the intensity of past experiences.

Furthermore, the phrasing of questions can significantly influence responses. Leading questions or questions with implied social norms can subtly steer participants towards particular answers, regardless of their true opinions. Acquiescence bias, the tendency to agree with statements regardless of content, is another related phenomenon. Understanding and mitigating self-report bias is crucial for researchers aiming to gather objective data, often employing methods like behavioral observation or triangulating data from multiple sources.