Question

please, the answer must be in computer form because I cannot read handwriting clearly. and if you can provide the link of the answer I will be so grateful to you

What is the Ecological fallacy and provide one example?

Answer 1

Ecological fallacy:

- The assumption that average characteristics of the population are applicable to individuals within the population.

("Ecological" is an academic term that refers to groups. As used here, it is not related to plants, streams, ecosystems, etc.).

Sources of ecologic fallacies:

1. Information bias within groups
2. Between group confounding
3. Effect modification by group
4. Others (i.e. immigration)

Example of Ecological fallacy:

- Researchers found that death rates from breast cancer were significantly increased in countries where fat consumption was high when compared with countries where fat consumption was low.

- This is an association for aggregate data in which the unit of observation is country.

- Thus, in countries with more fat in the diet and higher rates of breast cancer, women who eat fatty foods are not necessarily more likely to get breast cancer.

- So, One cannot be certain that the breast cancer cases had high fat intakes.