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Cognitive bias

Cognitive Bias Contents Contents 2 Bias 3 Cognitive bias 3 Impact of cognitive bias on research 3 Impact of cognitive bias on respondents 3 Impact of cognitive bias on researchers 4 Reducing Cognitive Bias 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 Bias Bias can be defined as a proclivity of mindset outlook to the present. It my clutch a partial viewpoint on the expense of various alternate options with reference to other people, objects or groups. Biasness is one sided in general and lacks neutral view point. Bias may be present in many forms. It is often treated as the synonyms to bigotry or prejudice. (Kothari, 2007, p. 131) Cognitive bias When am interviewer asks a question to the respondent, the later is supposed to give an honest answer. This should be as simple as simple as it gets. However, the answer is actually built in the logical part of the brain that is vulnerable to cognitive bias. Cognitive bias can be defined as the error in thought process that happens during the tome of information processing through some of the slanted filters of human attitudes, experiences and beliefs. Thus cognitive thinking skews interpretation of the reality. Such distortions in the thought process are very rarely intentional and hence it is hard to avoid. But cognitive bias tends to have significant impact on behavioural research, especially when it comes to the measuring of human experience, perception and memory (Carlstedt, 2010, p. 145). Impact of cognitive bias on research Impact of cognitive bias on respondents Ability to recognize cognitive bias is of utmost importance in order to conduct any qualitative behavioural research. Cognitive bias can reduce or even spoil the findings of a research having a solid research design structure. While conducting cognitive bias it is important for the researchers to be aware of cognitive bias on both sides. The real course of concern is that the quantification of emotion using cognitive interpretation is likely to be flawed. Contemporary measurement methods like focus group, questionnaire surveys are used to ask questions to the respondents. But when a respondent is asked a written or verbal question, the chances of being exposed to cognitive bias is very high. Groupthink also known as herd behaviour or bandwagon effect occurs when the group members reduce the personal beliefs to maintain cohesiveness among the group. In a group a certain individual may feel out of the comfort zone if the personal point of views does not match that of the others. Therefore the group’s member may go with the accord of the others. Another kind of cognitive bias is termed as the availability bias. When the participants are asked certain questions, the respondents are most likely recalling the recent experiences of such instances that come to mind very quickly. The problem with such behaviour is that the recall of the respondents is based on a process that focuses on memorable level leading to distortion (Goswami, 2010, p. 225). Impact of cognitive bias on researchers Cognitive bias not only influences the respondents it leaves the marks on the interviewers also. One of such bias is the confirmation bias. It refers to the tendency to look for new information that confirms the perception of the people and avoiding information that does not match the beliefs. Interviewers tend to follow information that matches the perceptions and beliefs. This may be lead interviewer to ask biased questions leading to a counter affect of cognitive bias (Bhattacharya, 2009, p. 201). Reducing Cognitive Bias In case of qualitative emotional research it is extremely important to develop awareness and insights to avoid the cognitive biasness. Some proposed ways to avoid cognitive baseness is discussed in this section. The research design should focus on the individual as the main subject. The researches should work with the respondents on one to one basis and implement non-suggestive, impartial and in depth interviewing techniques to discover valuable emotional content and insights in encouraging and relaxed manner. The process should focus on the interactions among the conscious and unconscious mind. Methods like visualization bypass and guided imagery could be used to allow the researcher to get access to rich emotional content. Researchers should make sure that both probing as well as the initial questions during the interview session should be conducted in a neutral manner so that the data is retired in an unbiased fashion. The researcher must be aware of the threat posed by the cognitive bias. This helps the researchers to avoid behaviours that may affect the results of the interview. The researchers should make an attempt to avoid the clouding of participants for outcomes (Caverni, Fabre and Gonzalez, 1990, p. 108). References Goswami, R. 2010. Organizational Behavior. Matrix Educare: India. Bhattacharya, D. 2009. Human Resource Management. Excel Books: India. Kothari. C. 2007. Research Methodology. New International: India. Caverni, J., Fabre, J. and Gonzalez, M. 1990. Cognitive Biases. Elsevier: Netherlands. Carlstedt, R. 2010. Handbook of Integrative Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Medicine: Perspectives, Practices, and Research. Springer Publishing Company: US. Bibliography Bachrach, A. 1972. Psychological research: an introduction Random House studies in psychology. Random House: US. Haworth, J. 2002. Psychological Research: Innovative Methods and Strategies. Rutledge: US. Giles, D. 2002. Advanced Research Methods in Psychology. Rutledge: US. Nargundkar, R. 2010. Marketing Research, Tata McGraw Hills Private Limited : India.

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