The fallacy of small numbers statistics, similar to observational selection or hasty generalization, draws incorrect conclusions from insufficient or unrepresentative samples. Examples include wrongly assuming everyone is Chinese because you only know a few who aren't, or believing you can't lose at dice after a few lucky rolls.
La falacia de las estadísticas de números pequeños, similar a la selección observacional o generalización apresurada, se basa en conclusiones erróneas sacadas de muestras insuficientes o no representativas, como creer que todos son chinos porque solo conoces a unos pocos que no lo son o pensar que se puede ganar en los dados porque se han obtenido varias tiradas con siete.
| Fallacy | statistics of small numbers |
|---|---|
| Definition and Examples | a close relative of observational selection/hasty generalization (e.g., “They say 1 out of every 5 people is Chinese. How is this possible? I know hundreds of people, and none of them is Chinese. Yours truly.” Or: “I’ve thrown three sevens in a row. Tonight I can’t lose.”) |
Tags: fallacies
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