Final answer:
The most relevant source of bias in the given survey question about the death penalty is social desirability bias, where respondents answer in a way intended to make them be viewed favorably by others.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most relevant source of bias present in a survey asking the question, “Should the death penalty be permitted if innocent people might die?” is likely to be social desirability bias. This type of bias occurs when respondents to a survey answer questions in a manner intended to cause them to be viewed favorably by others. They might not want to support a position that openly acknowledges a willingness to risk innocent lives, even if they believe in the death penalty, out of fear of social judgment or to align with perceived societal norms.
Other types of bias, such as selection bias, sampling bias, or response bias, are also important considerations in survey design and analysis. Selection bias occurs when the method by which a sample is chosen causes the sample to be unrepresentative of the population being studied, potentially leading to incorrect conclusions. Sampling bias is related but refers to errors that occur because some members of the population are less likely to be included in the sample due to the manner in which the sample is collected. Response bias includes various types of errors in reporting, such as the tendency to answer in a socially desirable way.