Survivorship Bias
/sər-ˈvīv-ər-ˌship ˈbī-əs/
Definitions
- (n.) A cognitive error where legal or empirical conclusions are drawn only from cases that succeeded, ignoring those that failed, leading to biased or misleading results.
The court cautioned against survivorship bias when evaluating precedent that only considers cases with favorable outcomes.
Forms
- survivorship bias
Related terms
See also
Commentary
Survivorship bias is important in legal analysis to avoid faulty conclusions based solely on successful cases or entities, thereby ensuring comprehensive evaluation of all relevant data.
This glossary is for general informational and educational purposes only. Definitions are jurisdiction-agnostic but reflect terminology and concepts primarily drawn from English and American legal traditions. Nothing herein constitutes legal advice or creates a lawyer-client relationship. Users should consult qualified counsel for advice on specific matters or jurisdictions.