bias
BY-us
/ˈbaɪ.əs/
A strong inclination or prejudice for or against one person, group, or idea, especially in a way considered unfair.
Can be conscious or unconscious; in media, it manifests as selective coverage, slanted language, or framing.
The story behind the word. Originally a technical term in the game of lawn bowling. A 'bias' referred to a asymmetric weight built into one side of a bowling ball, causing it to curve diagonally across the grass field rather than rolling in a straight line.
Word relationships
- prejudice: Preconceived opinion not based on reason or actual experience, often directed at groups.
- partiality: Favorable inclination toward one side in a dispute.
- impartiality: Equal treated fairness without pre-judgment.
- neutrality: Refusing to take a side or favor one party.
Commonly confused with
- prejudice: Bias can apply broadly to opinions or statistics; prejudice specifically involves pre-judging individuals or social groups unfairly.
Word family
- biased (adjective): Unfairly showing favor toward one side.
- unbiased (adjective): Free from bias; neutral and objective.
Collocations
- implicit bias
- media bias
- confirmation bias
- political bias
Idioms & expressions
- slanted view
- colored vision
Example sentences
- "Reporters must declare any financial conflict of interest to prevent perceived media bias in their political reporting." Journalistic Ethics
- "Confirmation bias leads people to remember evidence that supports their preconceptions while ignoring disproof." Cognitive Psychology
Memory hook
A BIAS tilts your judgment diagonally instead of keeping it straight. An unfair slant or weight toward one side.
When not to use
Do not confuse with objective evidence-based preference (e.g. preferring medicine over poison is not an unfair bias).
Fun facts
- In modern data science, 'algorithmic bias' occurs when computer AI systems learn human prejudices directly from historical training data.
Related words
Explore more words
slant, unbiased, In-group bias, impartial, predisposition, partisan
Also appears in
- Conflict → Prejudices & Biases
- Conflict → Fairness & Impartiality
- Technology → Artificial Intelligence & ML
- Technology → Scientific Method & Inquiry
- Technology → Ethics in Science & Tech
- Economic Theory & Analysis → Behavioral Economics
- Education & Pedagogy → Single-Sex vs Coeducation
- Media, Journalism & Publishing → Media Bias & Objective Reporting
- Media, Journalism & Publishing → Algorithms & Echo Chambers
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