nonbias

Nonbias refers to the absence or reduction of bias in perception, judgment, and decision-making. It is an ideal or aim rather than a guaranteed state, since complete objectivity is difficult to achieve due to cognitive biases, social pressures, and structural factors. The term is often used alongside impartiality, neutrality, and fairness, and it emphasizes actively reducing bias rather than passively abstaining from judgment.

In research, nonbias is pursued through preregistration, standardized protocols, randomization, blind assessment, and replication. In journalism, nonbiased reporting strives to present verifiable facts with minimal framing and transparent disclosure of conflicts of interest. In technology and data systems, debiasing and fairness-aware design aim to reduce discriminatory outcomes, using diverse data sets, auditing, and fairness metrics.

Limitations include the fact that biases can be implicit and systemic, debiasing can create trade-offs with accuracy or other values, and no process guarantees complete impartiality. Achieving nonbias is often an ongoing practice that relies on awareness, accountability, and external review.

See also: bias; impartiality; neutrality; fairness; debiasing.