No. #96
Social Desirability Bias
- Favoring Socially Acceptable Responses
Social desirability bias is the tendency of respondents to answer questions in a manner that will be viewed favorably by others. This can significantly affect user feedback and survey responses, potentially skewing product research and user testing results.
Read more on WikipediaProduct example
Users may overreport positive behaviors, such as exercising or healthy eating, in a wellness app's feedback form, leading to inaccurate data on app usage.
Empathy tips
1
Anonymous Feedback
Encourage anonymous feedback to reduce social pressure.
2
Direct Observation
Where possible, complement surveys with direct observation of user behavior.
3
Clarify No Right or Wrong Answers
Emphasize in surveys that there are no right or wrong answers, encouraging honesty.
4
Diverse Data Collection Methods
Use a variety of data collection methods to mitigate the impact of social desirability bias.
Need an empathic partner?
Anna Lundqvist
UX & AI ethics expert driving better products and smarter teams.
Eddy Salzmann
Design lead crafting seamless products and mentoring design teams.
Ola Möller
Facilitator helping organisations see the big picture and take action.