How to Lie with Statistics - Deepstash
How to Lie with Statistics

How to Lie with Statistics

Darrell Huff

10 ideas

·

14.6K reads

56

2

Hiring the Best in Class

Learn more about problemsolving with this collection

Conducting effective interviews

Identifying the right candidates for the job

Creating a positive candidate experience

Hiring the Best in Class

Discover 47 similar ideas in

It takes just

7 mins to read

The abused statistic

The abused statistic

Averages, relationships, trends and graphs are not what they seem. Statistics can make an important fact look as if it is nothing noteworthy and a trivial fact like there may be more in it.

Writers need statistical methods and statistical terms when reporting data of social and economic trends, but they need to use the words honestly, and readers need an understanding of what they mean. Otherwise, it may result in semantic absurdity.

403

2.86K reads

“The secret language of statistics, so appealing in a fact-minded culture, is employed to sensationalize, inflate, confuse, and oversimplify.”

DARRELL HUFF

400

2.62K reads

The representative sample

The representative sample

For any statistic to be worth it, it should come from a representative sample of the group it is describing. But a representative sample is near impossible because of lack of time, resources, and other practical reasons. As a result, you are more likely to see a subset based on biases from the method of sampling rather than the representative group itself.

When you see the statistic that, for example, represent the entire nation, ask yourself, “Which part of the nation?”

404

1.45K reads

The kind of average

There are three common kinds of average:

  1. Mean. Add up all the values and divide by the quantity of the values.
  2. Median. The value in the middle of the sample.
  3. Mode. The most common value.

When a statistic cites the “average”, it could be the mean, median or mode, which can be drastically different. The unspecified “average” is used to prove a point while leaving out any numbers that might question their predetermined point.

410

1.49K reads

Consider what it really measures

If you want to use a test to measure something or somebody, it is equally important to know the limitations of the test. What can it not measure? 

For example, an intelligence test does not measure leadership, creative imagination, diligence, and emotional balance. The test may still be useful for admission to a university or a job, but you should also understand its limitations.

402

1.27K reads

Statistics are always biased

“As long as the errors remain one-sided, it is not easy to attribute them to bungling or accident.”

Statistics are often used to support a cause or agenda a person believes in, rather than to disprove them. When people err in their use of statistics, it is always in the direction of their beliefs or agenda. So, instead of getting an unbiased view of the world, we get a biased view that other people want us to see. 

404

1.09K reads

The common-sense test

“‘Does it make sense?’ will often cut a statistic down to size when the whole rigmarole is based on an unproved assumption.”

Consider what they are saying and why they are saying it. If a statistic doesn’t seem right, or someone arrives at a conclusion that seems questionable, ask “Does it make sense”. 

396

1.13K reads

The semidetached figure

It describes using one thing as a way to claim proof of something else, even if there exists no correlation between the two.

Meaningless statements:

  • “32% of doctors think Mercedes vehicles are safe."
  • “27 % of a large sample of eminent physicians smoke Throaties— more than any other brand.”

Expressing the data to suit your view. For instance, express exactly the same fact by calling it a one % return on sales, a fifteen % return on investment, a ten-million-dollar profit, or a decrease of sixty % from last year.

394

982 reads

Correlation vs. Causation

If B follows A, then A has caused B.

For example:

  • Assuming that since smoking and low grades go together, smoking causes low grades.
  • If you attend college, you will earn more money than if you decide to use the next four years in another way. The unwarranted assumption is that since college-trained people make more money, they make it because they went to college. However, we don’t know if these people would have made more money had they not gone to college.

400

919 reads

How to avoid blind belief in statistics

How to avoid blind belief in statistics

  1. Who says so? What is the agenda? Who will benefit from presenting the data that way? Does it tell the whole story or only the good or bad part? Does it misuse average? Does any bias come into play?
  2. How do they know? Where did the data come from? Is it representative? Can it be biased? Is the sample big enough?
  3. What’s missing? 
  4. Did someone change the subject between the raw data and the conclusion? Is it a real statistic, or what someone reported?
  5. Does it make sense? Pay attention if it fails the common sense test. Is something complex reduced to a single number?

432

818 reads

CURATED BY

lilhh

I have a passion for architecture. Always eager to learn new things.

CURATOR'S NOTE

This book lays the groundwork for the many ways statistics are used to mislead people. Honest people must learn the tricks of statistics so that they can interpret data intelligently.

More like this

stash-superman-illustration

Explore the World’s

Best Ideas

200,000+ ideas on pretty much any topic. Created by the smartest people around & well-organized so you can explore at will.

An Idea for Everything

Explore the biggest library of insights. And we've infused it with powerful filtering tools so you can easily find what you need.

Knowledge Library

Powerful Saving & Organizational Tools

Save ideas for later reading, for personalized stashes, or for remembering it later.

# Personal Growth

Take Your Ideas

Anywhere

Organize your ideas & listen on the go. And with Pro, there are no limits.

Listen on the go

Just press play and we take care of the words.

Never worry about spotty connections

No Internet access? No problem. Within the mobile app, all your ideas are available, even when offline.

Get Organized with Stashes

Ideas for your next work project? Quotes that inspire you? Put them in the right place so you never lose them.

Join

2 Million Stashers

4.8

5,740 Reviews

App Store

4.7

72,690 Reviews

Google Play

Shankul Varada

Best app ever! You heard it right. This app has helped me get back on my quest to get things done while equipping myself with knowledge everyday.

samz905

Don’t look further if you love learning new things. A refreshing concept that provides quick ideas for busy thought leaders.

Ashley Anthony

This app is LOADED with RELEVANT, HELPFUL, AND EDUCATIONAL material. It is creatively intellectual, yet minimal enough to not overstimulate and create a learning block. I am exceptionally impressed with this app!

Sean Green

Great interesting short snippets of informative articles. Highly recommended to anyone who loves information and lacks patience.

Laetitia Berton

I have only been using it for a few days now, but I have found answers to questions I had never consciously formulated, or to problems I face everyday at work or at home. I wish I had found this earlier, highly recommended!

Giovanna Scalzone

Brilliant. It feels fresh and encouraging. So many interesting pieces of information that are just enough to absorb and apply. So happy I found this.

Jamyson Haug

Great for quick bits of information and interesting ideas around whatever topics you are interested in. Visually, it looks great as well.

Ghazala Begum

Even five minutes a day will improve your thinking. I've come across new ideas and learnt to improve existing ways to become more motivated, confident and happier.

Read & Learn

20x Faster

without
deepstash

with
deepstash

with

deepstash

Access to 200,000+ ideas

Access to the mobile app

Unlimited idea saving & library

Unlimited history

Unlimited listening to ideas

Downloading & offline access

Personalized recommendations

Supercharge your mind with one idea per day

Enter your email and spend 1 minute every day to learn something new.

Email

I agree to receive email updates