Transcript Critical Analysis

LECTURE 9 – CRITICAL ANALYSIS
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
 Critical Analysis:
 Analysing (interpreting) data and information
 Using it to substantiate our claims
 Problems may arise during the process of critical
analysis.
 Bias
 Cherry Picking
common
problems
CRITICAL ANALYSIS – BIAS
Definition
 Having a partial view (leaning towards one side)
 refuse to consider possibility of alternative viewpoints
Example
 A mother is biased towards her child. Even if he may be
wrong, she would still not accept it.
 You would be biased towards your friend, and believe him
or her, rather than believe a total stranger.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS – BIAS
 Types of Bias
 Biased search for information
 focusing only on data that matches our
requirements and ignoring the rest.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS – BIAS
 Types of Bias
 Biased interpretation
 There are two ways of looking at everything
 the unbiased way: getting a 360° view of events
 the biased way: having a pre-set decision,
no
matter how conclusive the alternating evidence may
be.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS – BIAS
 Types of Bias
 Biased memory
 Also known as ‘selective memory retention’,
 Recalling
only
specific
information,
while
conveniently forgetting the other side of the story.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS – OBSERVATIONAL ISSUES
 Observation: a method of research that involves
observing or watching and monitoring people to
understand their behaviour
 Advantages?
 Issues?
CRITICAL ANALYSIS – OBSERVATIONAL ISSUES
Advantages
• Basis of study; form
hypotheses
• True picture of
situation in a natural
setting
• Some situations (i.e.
crowd behaviour) can
only be studied
through observation
Disadvantages
• Little control; more
description than
explanation
• Time-consuming
• Subjective results; not
neutral
• Observer may influence
results
• BIAS!
CRITICAL ANALYSIS – OBSERVATIONAL ISSUES
THE STEETLIGHT EFFECT
CRITICAL ANALYSIS – OBSERVATIONAL ISSUES
THE STEETLIGHT EFFECT
 We tend to look for information where it is easier,
rather than where we can find accurate results.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS – CHERRY PICKING
 “Cherry picking” is based on harvesting fruit
 The picker only selects the ripest, healthiest fruits.
 The owner only looks at this picker’s basket
 believes the fruits this year are of good quality.
 But realistically, the picker ignored the bad ones
and selected only the good ones.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS – CHERRY PICKING
Definition
 A form of suppressing evidence
 Also known as: fallacy of incomplete evidence
 Pointing to or highlighting particular data
 ignoring a significant portion of related data,
which may influence the decision maker
CRITICAL ANALYSIS – CHERRY PICKING
 The presentation of a part of the data or
information.
 The decision maker may believe this is the
complete data
 Decisions may then be made based on the
‘incomplete’ data
CRITICAL ANALYSIS – CHERRY PICKING
 People who ‘cherry pick’ are known to have
Confirmation Bias.
 Confirmation Bias involves favouring or supporting
information that confirms their belief.
 This form of bias is usually done for self benefit.
EXAMPLES OF CHERRY PICKING
 The coach of Manchester United feels that since
Wayne Rooney did not perform well in 2012, he
should be fired.
 Even though Rooney did perform from 2005-2011,
the coaches did not mention that. They only
presented a ‘part’ of the information.
 If we only look at the ‘cherry picked’ data,
Rooney has not performed, and should be fired.
EXAMPLES OF CHERRY PICKING
 A new anti-depressant drug proves that 50 people
have significantly recovered.
 Actually, the pharmaceutical company conducted
500 tests, out of which only 50 were successful.
 Based on the ‘cherry picked’ information we
received, we may believe the drug is effective.
But the drug failed 450 times!