Which term describes the tendency to present oneself in a positive light in survey responses?

• A. Quantitative Research
• B. Social Desirability Bias
• C. Qualitative Research
• D. Survey Design

Answer: (B)

When people answer surveys, they often want to come across as favorable or socially acceptable. This tendency is called Social Desirability Bias. It leads respondents to overreport good behaviors and underreport bad ones to fit what they think others will view as desirable, which can skew results. For example, someone might claim they exercise daily or always recycle, even if they don’t, simply to look better.

Quantitative Research is about collecting and analyzing numerical data. Qualitative Research focuses on non-numerical insights and depth. Survey Design is about how a survey is built and questions are written. While design choices can influence responses, none of these terms describe the specific tendency to portray oneself positively like Social Desirability Bias does.