The phrase "inherent bias" refers to the effect of underlying factors or assumptions that skew viewpoints of a subject under discussion. There are multiple formal definitions of "inherent bias" which depend on the particular field of study.

In statistics, the phrase is used in relation to an inability to measure accurately and directly what one would wish to measure, meaning that indirect measurements are used which might be subject to unknown distortions.

References

In opinion polls or statistics: "OECD glossary of statistical terms - Inherent bias", OECD, April 2003, Statistical terms - Inherent bias.
In journalism: "Audeamus — How dare we… • The Press's Inherent Bias" (by Miche), September 2007, The Press's Inherent Bias.

v t e Biases
Cognitive biases	Acquiescence Ambiguity Anchoring Attentional Attribution Actor–observer Correspondence Authority Automation Availability Mean world Belief Blind spot Choice-supportive Commitment Confirmation Compassion fade Congruence Cultural Distinction Dunning–Kruger Egocentric Curse of knowledge Emotional Extrinsic incentives Fading affect Framing Frequency Frog pond effect Halo effect Hindsight Horn effect Hostile attribution Impact Implicit In-group Mean world syndrome Mere-exposure effect Negativity Normalcy Omission Optimism Out-group homogeneity Outcome Overton window Precision Present Pro-innovation Response Restraint Self-serving Social comparison Social influence bias Spotlight Status quo Substitution Time-saving Trait ascription Turkey illusion von Restorff effect Zero-risk In animals
Statistical biases	Estimator Forecast Healthy user Information Psychological Lead time Length time Non-response Observer Omitted-variable Participation Recall Sampling Selection Self-selection Social desirability Spectrum Survivorship Systematic error Systemic Verification Wet
Other biases	Academic Basking in reflected glory Funding FUTON Inductive Infrastructure Inherent In education Media False balance Vietnam War Norway South Asia Sweden United States Arab–Israeli conflict Ukraine Net Political bias Publication Reporting White hat
Bias reduction	Cognitive bias mitigation Debiasing Heuristics in judgment and decision-making
Lists: General Memory

See also

References