What are some examples of misleading statistics?

In 2007, toothpaste company Colgate ran an ad stating that 80% of dentists recommend their product. Based on the promotion, many shoppers assumed Colgate was the best choice for their dental health. But this wasn’t necessarily true. In reality, this is a famous example of misleading statistics.

How can statistics in the media be misleading?

The data can be misleading due to the sampling method used to obtain data. For instance, the size and the type of sample used in any statistics play a significant role — many polls and questionnaires target certain audiences that provide specific answers, resulting in small and biased sample sizes.

How advertisers may use statistics to mislead consumers?

Advertisers can also use statistics to mislead consumers. For example, suppose a poorly conducted study or improper interpretation of data results in a statistic that appears to support a manufacturer’s claims. Using that statistic might make the advertisement more compelling, but it’s unethical.

What is misleading statistics fallacy?

That is, a misuse of statistics occurs when a statistical argument asserts a falsehood. In some cases, the misuse may be accidental. In others, it is purposeful and for the gain of the perpetrator. When the statistical reason involved is false or misapplied, this constitutes a statistical fallacy.

Can statistics be misused explain with two examples?

Answer: Statistics, when used in a misleading fashion, can trick the casual observer into believing something other than what the data shows. The false statistics trap can be quite damaging for the quest for knowledge. For example, in medical science, correcting a falsehood may take decades and cost lives.

How can bar graphs be misleading?

Improper scaling. Using pictograms in bar graphs should not be scaled uniformly, as this creates a perceptually misleading comparison. The area of the pictogram is interpreted instead of only its height or width. This causes the scaling to make the difference appear to be squared.

When can statistics be misleading?

Misleading statistics are created when a fault – deliberate or not – is present in one of the 3 key aspects of research: Collecting: Using small sample sizes that project big numbers but have little statistical significance. Organizing: Omitting findings that contradict the point the researcher is trying to prove.

Why statistics are not reliable?

The studies are often not repeatable and usually not predictive. The reason for this is that people and what they say or do are the bases of t he statistics. It seems axiomatic that people will perversely refuse to say or do the same thing twice running, or let anyone predict what they will do.

How can statistical data be abused?

However, statistics can be abused too. The following lists some ways in which this frequently happens: Quoting statistics based on non-representative samples. Choosing the “average” value for a sample which most lends itself to your position, when a different “average” value would be more appropriate.

Why are averages misleading?

Averages are misleading when used to compare different groups, apply group behavior to an individual scenario, or when there are numerous outliers in the data. The root causes of these problems appear to be over-simplification and rationalizations — what people want to believe.

Can statistics be manipulated?

Manipulating statistics isn’t as difficult as one may think. Although statistics are hard numbers and lying about them isn’t legal, that doesn’t mean they can’t be skewed or framed in a way to make the presenter look better. Keep reading for the top eight ways that statistics are manipulated.

What is an example where the mean can be misleading?

The mean does not show the spread of results

For example, if you want to look at the height of the students in a class, the average height is the same in classes A, B and C below but the heights of the individual students are very different. This can also be the case when looking at treatment effects.

Why is it misleading to report only a measure of center?

A measure of center might fall between the two groups (as does the mean of 22.95 here) where there is no data and would not provide an accurate picture of student performance on the exam. It would not indicate that students tended to score either very well or very poorly on the exam.

Is average percentage accurate?

Therefore, the temptation of averaging percentages can provide inaccurate results. As previously mentioned, there is one exception where the average of percentages agrees with the accurate percentage calculation. This occurs when the sample size in both groups are the same.

How do we use statistics in everyday life?

Individuals use statistics to make decisions in financial planning and budgeting, while organizations are guided by statistics in financial policy decisions. Banks use statistics to lower risk in lending operations, analyze activity in the financial market, and predict the impact of economic crises.

How can statistics be persuasive?

The key to the persuasive use of statistics is extracting meaning and patterns from raw data in a way that is logical and demonstrable to an audience. There are many ways to interpret statistics and data sets, not all of them valid.