Nonresponse Bias
Definition
Nonresponse bias refers to the potential distortion of results caused by individuals who choose not to participate or fail to respond in a survey or study. This can lead to biased conclusions if those who do not respond differ systematically from those who do.
Analogy
Imagine you're hosting a party and send out invitations. However, only some people RSVP and show up while others don't respond at all. If those who don't respond have different preferences for parties compared to those who do attend, it could introduce nonresponse bias into your understanding of what makes a successful party.
Related terms
Selection Bias: Selection bias occurs when certain individuals are more likely to be included in a study than others, leading to an unrepresentative sample.
Volunteer Bias: Volunteer bias happens when participants self-select themselves for participation in research studies, potentially introducing biases as volunteers may differ from the general population.
Undercoverage Bias: Undercoverage bias occurs when certain groups or individuals in the population are not represented or are underrepresented in a sample, leading to biased results.
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