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The survey has bias. (a) Determine the type of bias. (b) Suggest a remedy. A magazine is conducting a study on the effects of infidelity in a marriage. The editors randomly select 400 women whose husbands were unfaithful and ask, "Do you believe a marriage can survive when the husband destroys the trust that must exist between husband and wife?"

Short Answer

Expert verified
(a) Response bias and sampling bias. (b) Rephrase the question neutrally and choose a more diverse sample.

Step by step solution

01

- Identify the type of bias

The survey is likely to suffer from response bias. This is because the way the question is phrased ('Do you believe a marriage can survive when the husband destroys the trust that must exist between husband and wife?') is leading and emotionally charged. It suggests an expected answer and may influence the respondents' answers towards a negative response.
02

- Explain why the selected population may introduce bias

The population chosen for the survey is biased since it only includes women whose husbands have been unfaithful. This specific group is more likely to have a negative view on whether a marriage can survive infidelity, leading to results that are not representative of the general population.
03

- Suggest a remedy for the response bias

To mitigate the response bias, the question should be rephrased to be more neutral. For example, asking 'Do you believe a marriage can survive after infidelity?' would be a less biased way to frame the question.
04

- Suggest a remedy for the sampling bias

To remedy the sampling bias, the survey should include a more diverse sample group. Randomly selecting individuals from the general population, regardless of their personal experiences with infidelity, would provide more balanced and representative results.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Response Bias
Response bias occurs when the way survey questions are asked influences the answers given by respondents. In the provided example, the question posed ('Do you believe a marriage can survive when the husband destroys the trust that must exist between husband and wife?') contains emotionally charged language. This type of phrasing can lead participants to answer in a way that aligns with the implied negativity of the question.

To reduce response bias, it's crucial to design survey questions that are neutral and non-leading. For example, rephrasing the question to 'Do you believe a marriage can survive after infidelity?' removes the emotional charge and doesn't hint at a specific answer. Neutral questions help ensure that the responses reflect the participants' true opinions rather than being swayed by the wording of the question.
Sampling Bias
Sampling bias occurs when the sample selected for a survey does not accurately represent the broader population. In the scenario given, selecting only women whose husbands have been unfaithful is a clear example of sampling bias. This group is more likely to have a negative view on whether a marriage can survive infidelity, skewing the results.

To avoid sampling bias, it's important to choose a sample that reflects the diversity of the entire population. For this survey, randomly selecting individuals from various backgrounds and experiences with infidelity, including those without any experience, would yield more balanced and generalizable results. Ensuring that the sample includes a wide range of perspectives helps produce outcomes that are more representative of the overall population.
Survey Design
Good survey design is critical to obtaining reliable and unbiased results. Poorly designed surveys can introduce various biases, including response bias and sampling bias. Let's look at some key elements of effective survey design:

  • Clear and Neutral Wording: The questions should be easy to understand and free of emotionally charged or leading language.
  • Representative Sampling: The sample should represent the broader population to ensure the results can be generalized.
  • Question Order: The sequence of questions can affect responses. Placing less sensitive questions first can help build rapport and make respondents feel more comfortable.
  • Pilot Testing: Conducting a small-scale test of the survey can help identify potential sources of bias and areas for improvement.

By focusing on these elements, researchers can design better surveys that provide accurate and useful insights into the studied topic.

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