What Is Courtesy Bias?

Courtesy Bias “is the tendency that some individuals have of not fully stating their unhappiness with a service or product because of a desire not to offend the person or organization that they are responding to. It is a tendency for a person to respond in a socially acceptable, polite, or positive way regardless of what they actually feel. Whether this strategy works depends on the nature of the problem and the attitude and presentation of the parties involved.”¹

An example would be telling the restaurant manager your meal was ‘delicious’ when she stops by your table when, in fact, there was a hair in your potatoes and your steak was overdone.

Another example: A child care provider tells two-year-old James’ Mom that he had a ‘great day’ even though he bit three kids, escaped from the playground, and dumped fried rice in the fish tank.

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1. https://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Courtesy+Bias