Which concept describes prejudice that distorts truth when research is influenced by the researcher's values or decisions such as sampling?

• A. Bias
• B. Objectivity
• C. Hypothesis
• D. Survey population

Answer: (A)

Bias is when prejudice or personal values creep into the research process and distort findings. If the researcher’s values shape sampling choices, questions, or how results are interpreted, the sample may not represent the wider population, so the results reflect the researcher’s beliefs rather than objective reality. This undermines validity and generalizability. Objectivity is about avoiding such influence and letting data speak for themselves. A hypothesis is simply a testable statement guiding the investigation, not a distortion. The survey population refers to who is being studied, not the distortion itself. Recognizing bias helps you assess how much confidence to place in conclusions drawn from a study.