Oversampling is generally employed more frequently than undersampling, especially when the detailed data has yet to be collected by survey, interview or otherwise. Undersampling is employed much less frequently. Imagine you want to study the prevalence of depression amongst undergraduate students at your university. You send out an email to the undergraduate student body asking for volunteers to participate in your study. Bias arises because people with specific characteristics might be more likely to agree to participate in a study than others, making the participants a non-representative sample. In other words, only “surviving” subjects are selected. For example, in finance, failed companies tend to be excluded from performance studies because they no longer exist. Sampling bias also tends to arise when researchers adopt sampling strategies based on judgment or convenience. This type of bias can occur in both proba...See full list on simplypsychology.orgSee full list on simplypsychology.orgHamill, R., Wilson, T. Insensitivity to sample bias: Generalizing from atypical cases. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39(4), 578. Nielsen, M., Haun, D., Kärtner, J., & Legare, C. The persistent sampling bias in developmental psychology: A call to action. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology...See full list on simplypsychology.orgApr 3, 2025 · In the context of oversampling, sampling error can be particularly problematic, as oversampling can increase the risk of non-response bias, which can lead to inaccurate results. Sampling bias can affect various fields of study, leading to skewed results and potentially flawed conclusions.
