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bias

BY-us /ˈbaɪəs/

nounverbB2SATGRETOEFLIELTS

NeutralFormal

A prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.

Bias implies a leaning or inclination that can prevent fair judgment. It can be conscious or unconscious.

The story behind the word. The word 'bias' comes to English from Old French 'biais,' meaning 'slant' or 'slope.' It originally referred to a diagonal line, like the cut of cloth. Over time, this physical 'slant' evolved metaphorically to mean a mental inclination or leaning, suggesting a deviation from a straight, fair path. By the 16th century, it was used to describe a tendency or prejudice, particularly in the game of bowls where a weighted ball would curve.

Word relationships

prejudice: Prejudice often implies a preconceived opinion not based on reason or actual experience, usually negative towards a group.
partiality: Partiality is a preference for one person or thing over another, often implying favoritism, less strong than bias.
slant: Slant suggests presenting information from a particular viewpoint, often subtly, to influence opinion.

impartiality: The state of being fair and unbiased.
objectivity: The quality of being objective; freedom from bias.
fairness: Impartial and just treatment or behavior without favoritism or discrimination.

Commonly confused with

prejudice: Bias is a tendency or inclination, while prejudice is a preconceived opinion, often negative, formed without sufficient knowledge.

Word family

biased (adjective): Having or showing an unfair tendency to believe that some people, ideas, etc., are better than others.
unbiased (adjective): Showing no prejudice for or against something; impartial.

Collocations

political bias
unconscious bias
media bias
inherent bias
show bias
reduce bias

Example sentences

"The newspaper was accused of displaying a clear political bias in its reporting, favoring one candidate over the other." Discussing media coverage of an election.
"To ensure the integrity of the results, researchers must take steps to avoid confirmation bias, where they only seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs." In a scientific study, researchers must mitigate potential biases.

Memory hook

Imagine a 'BIAS' as a 'BY-ASSUMPTION' that makes you lean one way, preventing fair judgment. By-assumption lean

When not to use

Avoid using 'bias' as a neutral synonym for 'preference'; it almost always carries a negative connotation of unfairness.

Fun facts

In the game of lawn bowls, the 'bias' refers to the weight distribution of the bowl itself, which causes it to curve as it rolls.
The term 'confirmation bias' is a well-known cognitive bias where people tend to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one's preexisting beliefs.