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Voluntary Response Bias

Definition

Voluntary response bias refers to a type of bias that arises when individuals self-select themselves into participating in surveys or studies.

Analogy

Imagine you're at school and there's a suggestion box where students can write down their ideas for improving campus life. However, only students who feel strongly about something will take the time and effort to write down their suggestions. The suggestions collected would be biased towards those passionate enough to participate, leaving out more neutral opinions.

Related terms

Nonresponse Bias: Nonresponse bias occurs when individuals selected for participation do not respond or complete the survey/study fully. The missing responses can introduce biases if nonrespondents differ from respondents on key variables.

Social Desirability Bias: Social desirability bias is when respondents tend to answer questions in ways they believe are socially acceptable rather than providing honest answers.

Self-selection Bias: Self-selection bias occurs when individuals choose to participate in a study or survey based on their own characteristics, leading to biased results.