Question 1 • Probability and Statistics with Applications Honors Sem-1-FL-1210300 (2024-2025)
Many large cities have considered or passed proposals that ban the use of plastic grocery bags in stores. A concerned student would like to measure if residents of her hometown would consider a similar ban on plastic bags. Standing in a busy shopping area, the student approaches adults and asks, "Items made of plastics are a dangerous, growing source of pollution to our world’s oceans and threaten many animal species. Given this, would you support a ban on plastic shopping bags in our city stores?” Which type of bias is most likely to be present in the survey results?
Answer
A
This is question wording bias because the survey question attempts to influence subjects’ responses.
B
This is response bias because some adults may not provide truthful answers to the plastic bag question.
C
This is nonresponse bias because many adults chosen may decline to answer questions about the environment.
D
This is voluntary response bias because many adults may be eager to share their opinions about plastic grocery bags.
Explanation
The question uses emotionally charged language, describing plastic pollution as dangerous and saying it threatens animal species before asking for support. That wording may push respondents toward supporting a ban, so the most likely bias is question wording bias. The other choices describe different problems, such as dishonest answers or people choosing not to respond.
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