The misuse of statistics may arise because of several reasons.
1. If statistical conclusions are based on incomplete information, one may arrive at fallacious conclusions.
For example, the argument that drinking beer is harmful for life because 99 percent of people who drink it die before they reach the age of 100 is statistically flawed, because we do not know what percentage of people who do not drink beer die before they reach that age.
2. Statistical results might lead to fallacious conclusions by deliberate manipulation of figures and unscientific handling.
This is due to the fact that statistical results are given by figures, which can be manipulated. In addition, putting data in the hands of an expert may lead to incorrect results. The figures may be stated without context or applied to a fact other than the one to which they truly refer.
An interesting example is a survey made some years ago which reported that 33% of all the girl students at John Hopkins University had married University teachers. Whereas, at that time, the University had only three female students, one of whom was married to a teacher.
3. Comparing things (for example; compare oranges and apples) that are not comparable or using unfair or impractical criteria of comparison.
4. Misleading labels on a graph. Statistics, like clay, can be moulded in any way to arrive at correct or incorrect conclusions.
In this context, W.I. King stated: “one of the shortcomings of statistics is that they do not bear on their face the label of their quality.”
To draw meaningful conclusions from data, you need expertise and skill; otherwise, there’s a high possibility you will make a wrong interpretation. The possibility of mass popularity of such a useful science is limited by the fact that it may lead to false conclusions in the hands of untrained people. Hence, statistical methods can lead to false conclusions, if it is misused by incompetent, unskilled and inexperienced persons.
Furthermore, statistics cannot be fully utilised unless the subject to which they are applied is thoroughly understood.
(Source – Various books from the college library)
Tags: misuse of statistics examples in real life
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