MENTAL MODEL · M6402

Courtesy Bias

CultureHigh supportSociology

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Updated 2026-08-08

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INTRODUCTION

English translation pending.

CORE DEFINITION

Courtesy bias is the tendency of respondents to soften or withhold negative opinions in order to avoid offending the interviewer or to appear agreeable. It is a form of social desirability bias and is especially pronounced in Asian cultures, where face and indirect communication are highly valued. The result is that reported satisfaction overstates actual satisfaction, and mild phrases such as it was fine may conceal strong dissatisfaction.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

- Dig into detail: ask which specific part caused difficulty rather than whether the respondent liked it. - Reduce the stakes: use anonymous or indirect methods so criticism carries no social cost. - Watch behavior: treat continued use or quiet abandonment as the honest signal.

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Anchor fast decisions

Expressing criticism carries a social cost, since it risks embarrassing the questioner or damaging the relationship. A mild answer avoids that cost while still satisfying the request for feedback, so it is the safer response. Because the cost is invisible to the analyst, the softened answer gets recorded as genuine satisfaction.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Practice this model in one real situation:

When feedback is vague and positive, ask for specifics. 2. Ask what was confusing rather than whether it worked. 3. Collect responses anonymously or through a third party. 4. Compare stated satisfaction against the retention you observe. 5. Treat a mild answer as an open question rather than a verdict.

Check to track your progress (stored locally)

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Source support: Explicit

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en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Response_biasZH · Explicit
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