Q

QuestionSocial Work

Social desirability bias is a type of response bias where participants tend to answer questions in a way that will be viewed favorably by others. This means people are likely to give responses they believe will make them look good or be socially acceptable, rather than providing completely honest answers.

Let's examine each option carefully: A. Participants responding in a way the experimenter hopes they will respond - This describes researcher bias, not social desirability bias - The bias comes from the researcher's expectations, not the participants' desire to look good B. Samples acquired from similar participants - This describes sampling method, not a bias in responses - Similar participants do not inherently create biased answers C. Samples acquired from participants who tend to give positive answers to questions - This is close to social desirability bias, but not precisely correct - Simply giving positive answers is not the same as trying to appear socially desirable D. Teenagers surveyed at the mall where their peers can overhear and give similar answers - This is a classic example of social desirability bias - Teenagers are likely to modify their responses to appear cool or acceptable to nearby peers - The public setting creates social pressure to conform and appear socially desirable

The correct answer is D. The mall setting creates a context where teenagers might modify their true opinions to match what they think their peers would approve of, which is the essence of social desirability bias.