Match each flawed argument scenario on the left with the abstract description of its specific sampling or survey flaw on the right.
- A news anchor concludes that the city overwhelmingly opposes a new tax based on emails sent by viewers during a broadcast.Drawing a conclusion about a broader population based on a sample composed only of individuals who actively opted to express their opinions.
- An author asserts that a specific business strategy ensures long-term wealth by analyzing the habits of fifty currently successful billionaires.Generalizing about the likelihood of success based exclusively on a sample of entities that have already survived a selection process.
- A researcher determines that a national candidate is unpopular with youth after surveying students at a single, politically homogeneous private college.Forming a judgment about a vast, diverse population based on a sample taken from a remarkably narrow and unrepresentative demographic subset.
- A consumer claims a new vehicle model has defective brakes because three recent buyers reported brake failures within a week of purchase.Making a sweeping generalization about a product's overall reliability based on an inadequately small number of isolated anecdotes.
Answer
The viewer emails scenario maps to individuals who actively opted to express opinions. The billionaire scenario maps to entities that have already survived a selection process. The private college scenario maps to a remarkably narrow and unrepresentative demographic subset. The brake failure scenario maps to an inadequately small number of isolated anecdotes.
Each flawed argument neatly maps to a distinct sampling error. The email survey fails due to self-selection (voluntary response bias). The billionaire study is flawed because it ignores those who failed (survivorship bias). The college poll surveys an insular group to make a broad claim (unrepresentative demographic subset). The brake failure claim relies on too few data points (small sample size).
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Identifying the specific mechanism by which a sample fails to accurately represent the target population in inductive reasoning.
Estimated Time:1m 30s