Notational bias

Notational bias is a form of cultural bias that is incurred when the available notation to describe something introduces a bias in the human ability to approach it.
An example is the standard notation used for sheet music in the West, which may provide a limited ability to describe the melodies of the musical systems used in other cultures.
Computer programming languages provide another example. Each programming language provides a notation which can introduce a bias in how problem solving is approached. For example, if a programming language makes it easy to notate a hash table then hash tables are more likely to feature in the programmer's articulation of the algorithm used to solve a problem.
Notational Bias in Surveys
Notational bias can occur in scientific surveys when data is grouped into categories that do not include all possible options. The options that are not included may be placed in the closest category available, hiding the results from the survey. A survey of whether the people keep their cars are in garages or left uncovered has a notational bias. Other means of covering cars, by tarp for example, may erroneously be included under one of the two options.
Demographic data may place into a certain race that fails to include important differences within the categories. For example, a study on whether a specific drug works better on people of different ethnic backgrounds might have an entry for "black" and consequently fail to distinguish between people of African and South American origins.

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