What is an example of the threat of response bias during surveys?

The threat of response bias refers to a tendency among survey respondents to answer questions in a manner that does not accurately reflect their true feelings or beliefs. This can often occur when individuals feel social pressure to conform to perceived norms or majority opinions. When participants feel obliged to agree with majority opinions, they may provide responses that do not genuinely represent their own views. This fear of deviating from what is considered acceptable can compromise the integrity of the data collected, leading to skewed results.

In contrast, selecting multiple answers voluntarily is not inherently biased and may reflect a genuine representation of a respondent's views. A broad range of demographics and gathering data from multiple sources are strategies used to enhance the validity and reliability of a study rather than introduce bias. Therefore, the correct answer directly illustrates how response bias can manifest in survey conditions, highlighting how social pressures influence participants' responses.