Unrepresentativeness

Unrepresentativeness refers to the quality or state of being unrepresentative, which describes a situation where a sample or group does not accurately reflect the characteristics, behaviors, or experiences of the larger population from which it is drawn. As a concept, it is critical in research, statistics, and social science as it may lead to skewed or misleading conclusions about the whole based on limited or biased observations.

Unrepresentativeness meaning with examples

• The unrepresentativeness of the survey sample raised questions about the validity of the findings, as it exclusively included responses from a specific demographic that did not reflect the broader population’s views.
• In her study on consumer behavior, the author noted the unrepresentativeness of the focus group, given that all participants belonged to the same socioeconomic background, potentially skewing the results.
• The researchers acknowledged the unrepresentativeness of their data, which was primarily gathered from urban areas, thereby failing to account for the experiences of rural populations in their analysis.
• During the debate on public policy, several experts highlighted the unrepresentativeness of polling data that only surveyed a small segment of the electorate, arguing that it resulted in a distorted perception of public opinion.
• The unrepresentativeness of the election data was evident when results from certain regions did not align with statewide trends, prompting a review of the methods used to collect and analyze the data.