In self-report surveys, leading questions are problematic because they:

Leading questions are problematic in self-report surveys primarily because they bias the responses of participants. A leading question is designed or phrased in such a way that it suggests a particular answer, which can influence how a respondent feels or thinks about the question being posed. This can skew the data collected, as participants may feel compelled to answer in a way that aligns with the suggestion within the question rather than providing their true perspective.

For instance, if a survey asks, "How much do you love our fantastic new product?" the use of the word "fantastic" may lead respondents to rate their feelings more positively than they genuinely would. This introduces bias into the results, making it difficult to accurately gauge genuine opinions and behaviors. A survey that uses unbiased, neutral questions allows for a more accurate and valid assessment of respondents’ true feelings.

Other options do not adequately address the impact of leading questions. For instance, enhancing the accuracy of data contradicts the very nature of leading questions, as they compromise the integrity of the responses. Encouraging varied interpretations does relate to ambiguity but is not directly tied to the issue of bias introduced by leading questions. Lastly, the idea that leading questions reduce the need for clarification is misleading; in fact, they may necessitate more probing