Colleen was asked about her political attitudes on a survey in her sociology class. She did not want to seem politically overzealous so she indicated moderate levels throughout the rating scale. This is referred to as:
A) an error of central tendency.
B) observer bias.
C) regression to the mean.
D) face validity.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Colleen's behavior is an example of an error of central tendency, which occurs when respondents avoid extreme positions on a scale and instead choose middle or moderate options, regardless of their actual opinions. This can distort the accuracy of the survey results.

Colleen Was Asked About Her Political Attitudes on a Survey