From the course: Everyday Statistics, with Eddie Davila

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Statistical bias

Statistical bias

- [Narrator] Our families, our friends, our education, as well as our personal experiences, they create prejudice in how we see things, and also, in how we interpret things. This doesn't mean humans are evil, it simply means that our brains are trying to simplify the complex world around us. So in one way or another, all humans fall prey to bias. Believe it or not, not even the most truth-seeking researchers and statisticians are immune to bias. In fact, bias in statistics is more prevalent than many would think. And it can result in poor data and faulty reporting among other things. There are many types of bias in statistics. Here are a few thing to consider. Let's begin with our sample. In many cases the most common sampling problems are a result of bias. Selection bias for example, is when our random sample is not so random. Imagine if you only surveyed the people in your class, or maybe just your close friends.…

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