define Sampling Error in statistics

Sampling error in statistics refers to the discrepancy or variation that exists between a sample statistic and the true population parameter. This error occurs because a sample, or a subset of the population, is used to estimate the population parameter. Since the sample does not perfectly represent the entire population, there is always some degree of error involved. The size of the sampling error is influenced by the sample size and the variability in the population. Larger sample sizes and less variability in the population lead to smaller sampling errors.