What is Group Bias?
- Content Type:
- Glossary
Group Bias Definition
A situation in which group participants do not speak their true opinions in order to go along with a majority view of the rest of the group.
Group bias occurs when participants of a particular group do not speak their true opinions in order to go along with a majority view of the rest of the group. In marketing research, these opinions, preferences or opinions can disproportionately influence the overall results of research. This bias is possible when the responses of specific demographic, cultural or social groups are not representative of the larger population. That can lead to skewed or inaccurate insights. Because unbiased, representative data is key to research, acknowledging and mitigating group bias is vital in gathering insights that better reflect the entire target audience.
Who relies on group bias?
Marketing professionals, researchers and organizations conducting market research can incur group bias when they limit their preliminary target audience without considering broader demographic diversity. Conducting research with a single group potentially can lead to inaccurate findings that do not reflect the preferences and behaviors of the entire target audience.
Why should I care about group bias?
Group bias can lead to faulty conclusions, misinformed strategies and ineffective marketing campaigns. Not considering diverse perspectives when undertaking research can hinder the understanding of a consumer market. Addressing group bias leads to more accurate insights and better-informed decisions.