It is understandable that people want to present a positive image of themselves to friends, family and colleagues. But why fib to researchers? After all, the man or woman from the Office for National Statistics or Ipsos Mori can’t order you to go on a diet or lay off the wine. It is a question that has been puzzling social scientists for decades. They even have a name for it – The Social Desirability Bias. “People respond to surveys in the way they think they ought to. It is otherwise known as lying,” says Kate Fox. It is a particular problem when it comes to “sins” such as alcohol and … Continue reading Brian Wheeler