Reference table
9 research biases and how to counter them
A one-page summary of the nine biases that most often distort user research: confirmation, anchoring and framing on the researcher side, social desirability, acquiescence, recall and demand characteristics on the participant side, and selection and survivorship in the study design. Each row gives one practical counter. Use it to review a discussion guide or a recruitment plan before a study starts.
Where this appears
What's in this reference table
| Bias | Where it lives | One way to counter it |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmation bias | Researcher | Write questions that could disprove your hypothesis |
| Anchoring bias | Researcher | Analyze each interview before rereading earlier notes |
| Framing bias | Researcher | Ask about the experience, not about the problem |
| Social desirability bias | Participant | Ask about past behavior, not future intentions |
| Acquiescence bias | Participant | Follow every yes with a request for detail |
| Recall bias | Participant | Ask about specific, recent instances |
| Demand characteristics | Participant | Keep observers out of the session room |
| Selection bias | Study design | Recruit through several channels, including people who struggled |
| Survivorship bias | Study design | Interview churned users alongside active ones |
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<a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/nine-research-biases-and-counters-table"><img src="https://www.koji.so/visuals/nine-research-biases-and-counters-table/nine-research-biases-and-counters-table.png" alt="Table of nine research biases, grouped by researcher, participant and study design, with one way to counter each in user research." width="1200" height="1036" /></a>
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/nine-research-biases-and-counters-table">9 research biases and how to counter them</a>, Koji</p>
