Statistics By Jim

Making statistics intuitive

Basics

Anchoring Bias: Definition & Examples

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What is Anchoring Bias?

Anchoring bias is a cognitive bias that causes people to rely too heavily on the first piece of information they receive when making a decision. That information is their “anchor,” and it affects how they make decisions. Even when presented with additional information, people tend to give too much weight to the original anchor, leading to distortions in judgment and decision-making. Inaccurate adjustments from an anchor value can cause people to make erroneous final decisions and estimates. [Read more…] about Anchoring Bias: Definition & Examples

Probability Sampling Overview

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What is Probability Sampling?

Probability sampling is the process of selecting a sample using random sampling. When you use this method, each individual or unit in a population has a known, non-zero chance of being randomly selected for the sample. Statisticians consider this method the most reliable because it tends to minimize sampling bias and produce samples that accurately represent the entire population. A representative sample allows you to use the sample to make inferences about the population. [Read more…] about Probability Sampling Overview

Self Serving Bias: Definition & Examples

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What is Self Serving Bias?

Self serving bias is a cognitive bias that refers to the tendency for individuals to take credit for their successes while blaming their failures on external factors. In other words, people tend to see themselves positively by attributing their accomplishments to their internal abilities and failures to things outside their control. [Read more…] about Self Serving Bias: Definition & Examples

Hindsight Bias: Definition & Examples

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What is Hindsight Bias?

Hindsight bias is a cognitive bias that creates the tendency to perceive past events as being more predictable than they actually were. It is that sneaky feeling that you “knew it all along,” even when that’s not true. This tendency is rooted in our desire to believe that we are intelligent and capable decision-makers, and it can cause various distortions in our thinking. [Read more…] about Hindsight Bias: Definition & Examples

Halo Effect: Definition & Examples

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What is the Halo Effect?

The halo effect is a cognitive bias relating to our tendency to transfer a positive impression of one characteristic of a person or object to their other features. A classic example is that when you perceive someone as attractive, you are likely to assume they have other positive attributes, such as intelligence, kindness, and trustworthiness. [Read more…] about Halo Effect: Definition & Examples

Dunning Kruger Effect: Definition & Examples

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What is the Dunning Kruger Effect?

The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias that causes people with low abilities or knowledge to overestimate themselves compared to others. Conversely, people with high skills tend to underestimate themselves. In short, it is a psychological phenomenon that distorts our self-evaluation. [Read more…] about Dunning Kruger Effect: Definition & Examples

Confirmation Bias Definition and Examples

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What is Confirmation Bias?

Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek information confirming preexisting beliefs while ignoring information contradicting them. This bias can be particularly problematic when making important decisions, leading to flawed reasoning and inaccurate conclusions. It is a type of cognitive bias. [Read more…] about Confirmation Bias Definition and Examples

Sampling Frame: Definition & Examples

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What is a Sampling Frame?

A sampling frame lists all members of the population you’re studying. Your target population is the general concept of the group you’re assessing, while a sampling frame specifically lists all population members and how to contact them. It might also include demographic information for each person because some methods, such as stratified sampling, require it. [Read more…] about Sampling Frame: Definition & Examples

Using Scientific Notation

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What is Scientific Notation?

Scientific notation is a compact way of writing numbers that are too large or too small to be conveniently written in decimal form. It is a shorthand letting us write numbers using powers of 10. Scientific fields such as astronomy, physics, chemistry, and statistics frequently use scientific notation.

Below is an example of shorthand notation:

  • 3.2 X 108
  • 3.2 X 10^8
  • 3.2E8

All three forms of scientific notation are equivalent. In the last format, the E stands for exponent.

In this blog post, you’ll learn how to interpret scientific notation, convert numbers to this format, and how to use it for multiplication and division. [Read more…] about Using Scientific Notation

Selection Bias: Definition & Examples

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What is Selection Bias?

Selection bias occurs when researchers make decisions that cause a sample to be systematically different from the population of interest.

Selection bias can arise from various decisions, such as:

  • Using an improper sampling method.
  • Making particular methodology and data choices.
  • Choosing a study design that affects the continued participation of subjects.

[Read more…] about Selection Bias: Definition & Examples

Undercoverage Bias: Definition & Examples

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What is Undercoverage Bias?

Undercoverage bias occurs when the population list from which the researchers select their sample (aka the sampling frame) does not include all population members. When that happens, the sample cannot contain the unlisted individuals, potentially producing a biased sample that doesn’t fully represent the population. [Read more…] about Undercoverage Bias: Definition & Examples

Matched Pairs Design: Uses & Examples

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What is a Matched Pairs Design?

A matched pairs design is an experimental design where researchers match pairs of participants by relevant characteristics. Then the researchers randomly assign one person from each pair to the treatment group and the other to the control group. This type of experiment is also known as a matching pairs design. [Read more…] about Matched Pairs Design: Uses & Examples

Nonresponse Bias: Definition & Reducing

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What is Nonresponse Bias?

Nonresponse bias occurs when people who do not participate in a survey or study have different characteristics or opinions than those who do participate. In this situation, the sample data overrepresent the subpopulations who tend to respond instead of reflecting the whole population. [Read more…] about Nonresponse Bias: Definition & Reducing