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Which of the following questions may be susceptible to social-desirability bias?

Option 1: "What is your favorite charitable cause?"
Option 2: "How often do you engage in illegal activities?"
Option 3: "What is your opinion on climate change?"
Option 4: "Do you support world peace?"

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

Questions about frequency of engaging in illegal activities and support for world peace are most susceptible to social-desirability bias because respondents may answer in a way they believe others will view favorably.

Step-by-step explanation:

Social-desirability bias occurs when individuals respond to survey questions in a way that they believe will be viewed favorably by others, rather than answering truthfully. This can make some questions particularly susceptible to this type of bias. With respect to the provided options, 'How often do you engage in illegal activities?' and 'Do you support world peace?' are the most susceptible to social-desirability bias. People might underreport engaging in illegal activities to avoid judgment or legal repercussions, and most might claim to support world peace because it is a universally positive concept, even if their true opinions or actions differ.

User Dheeraj Sharma
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