What is Leading question

What Are Leading Questions?

Leading questions are inquiries designed to subtly guide the respondent toward a particular answer. These questions often include hints, assumptions, or bias within their phrasing. For instance, instead of asking, "What do you think about the weather today?" a leading question might ask, "Isn’t it a beautiful day today? There are different types of leading questions you might see. For example:

• Direct implication questions imply the answer is clear or expected.
• Coercive leading questions pressure you to agree or say yes.
• Assumption-based leading questions include unstated ideas that may not be true but expect you to accept them.
• Scale-based leading questions influence your choice by using biased rating scales.

What Is an Example of a Leading Question?

Examples in Everyday Conversations

Imagine a friend asking, "You don’t want to go out tonight, do you?" The assumption here is that you don’t feel like going out, nudging you to agree.

Examples in Legal Scenarios

In courtrooms, a lawyer might ask a witness, "You saw the defendant leave the scene, didn’t you?" This implies the defendant’s guilt before the witness has a chance to provide their version.

Examples in Sales and Marketing

Marketers often use phrases like, "Wouldn’t you agree that this is the best deal you’ve seen today?" to encourage customers to make a purchase.