What would be a good illustration of social desirability bias in a research study?

The choice concerning participants not disclosing that they stayed out past 10 pm the night of the experiment effectively illustrates social desirability bias. This bias occurs when individuals alter their responses to conform to social norms or expectations, often leading to underreporting behaviors that society may view negatively. In this case, participants may have felt that staying out late is inappropriate or undesirable behavior, prompting them to omit or deny this information in the research study.

This response highlights the influence of perceived social norms on self-reported data, thereby affecting the validity of the research findings. While the other choices represent various methodological issues or participant behaviors, they do not specifically reflect the tendency to adjust responses due to concerns about social approval, which is a hallmark of social desirability bias.