Bias is a tendency, inclination, or prejudice in favor of or against something or someone, often in an unfair or inaccurate way. It can influence judgment and decision-making by allowing personal opinions or stereotypes to override objective evaluation

. Biases can be conscious (explicit), where a person is aware of their prejudices and acts intentionally, or unconscious (implicit), where biases operate outside of awareness and control, often without malicious intent

. Bias can be based on characteristics such as race, gender, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, and more, and it often leads to prejudgment and discrimination

. In scientific and statistical contexts, bias refers to systematic errors that skew results or conclusions, such as unfair sampling or flawed estimation processes

. In everyday life, bias shapes how people perceive others and make decisions, sometimes positively by simplifying choices but often negatively by causing unfair treatment or distorted views

. In summary, bias is an unfair or prejudiced inclination that affects perception and behavior, and it can be both a natural human tendency and a source of error or discrimination