According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, bias is “an inclination of temperament or outlook; especially : a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment.” Other definitions and synonyms for bias include:
- A particular tendency, trend, inclination, feeling, or opinion, especially one that is preconceived or unreasoned (dictionary.com)
- An unfair personal opinion that influences your judgment (Cambridge Dictionary)
Who can be Affected by Bias?
In short: everybody and everything.
Long Answer: There are many different types of bias, and just about every single person is biased in some way. The important thing is to be able to recognize your own biases as well as the biases of others so that you can analyze information more completely and make informed decisions.
Personal Bias
Personal bias refers to the feelings that individual people carry around with them, and which affect the way that they interact with the world. Personal bias can strongly affect decision-making, beliefs, and behavior.
Organizational Bias
Organizational bias refers to
Many people carry an underlying belief that news reporting [and other types of information resources] should be unbiased and objective However, it is also generally agreed that true objectivity is impossible to achieve. [why? quote something, say something more about this. – or not, you’re awfully wordy already.] This is why it is so important to be able to think critically and recognize bias where it exists in others and in ourselves when making decisions.