Key Idea: Bias is a systematic error that tilts results in one direction. Spotting it — and reducing it — is the heart of thinking like a psychologist.
Topic 1.1 at a glance
- Types of bias — Systematic slants in sampling, procedure or interpretation.
- Cultural bias — Judging one culture by another's standards (ethnocentrism).
- Gender bias — Findings from one gender wrongly generalised to all.
- Reducing bias — Standardise, use diverse samples, blind procedures, replicate.
Types · Cultural · Gender · Reduce
IB-style questionExplain[4 marks]
A study on a new health app tests only volunteers who love fitness, and reports it 'boosts wellbeing'. Explain one bias and how it limits the findings.
🔒 Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
What is bias? A systematic error that pushes results in one direction.
Cultural vs gender bias? Cultural = judging by another culture's norms; gender = over-generalising from one gender.
One way to reduce bias? Use representative samples, standardised procedures and replication.
When you evaluate a study, name the specific bias (sampling, cultural, gender) and say who gets misrepresented — not just 'it's biased'.