An omission bias would be most likely to occur when deciding whether to
A) include your ethnicity when filling out a job application.
B) send a belated happy birthday card to your favorite aunt whose birthday you forgot last month.
C) allow your pre-teen nephew to attend an unsupervised pool party.
D) tell your boyfriend that there is a football game on TV at the same time he agreed to watch a romantic comedy with you.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Omission bias refers to the tendency to judge harmful actions more harshly than equally harmful omissions or inactions. In this scenario, the decision to allow a pre-teen nephew to attend an unsupervised pool party involves a potential harmful action (an action that may result in an accident or a drowning of the child) as well as a harmful omission (not taking appropriate precautions to ensure the child's safety). Omission bias may lead a person to prioritize avoiding a harmful action (e.g., not allowing the child to attend the party) over avoiding a harmful omission (e.g., making sure the child is supervised or has appropriate safety gear).

An Omission Bias Would Be Most Likely to Occur When