Notational bias: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Notational bias is a form of cultural bias in which a notation induces the appearance of a nonexistent natural law.

For example, consider a scientific experiment that seeks to measure whether most people keep their cars inside or outside garages. How does such a notation cope with cloth car covers, or carports which consist of a roof with open sides? This is a source of error caused by the available categories. It is a form of notational error.

See also: Cultural bias, and Cognitive bias