PHIL 183 - Chapter 5 Questions and
Answers.
Attrition Bias - Answer A selection effect (similar to survivor bias) in which some patients
drop out of a research study, or data is lost in some other way that can result in unreliable
evidence
Echo Chambers - Answer A metaphor used for the situation when our sources of information
and opinion have all been selected to support our opinions and preferences; this includes our
own selection of media and friends with similar viewpoints, but also results from the fact that
social media tailors what we see using an algorithm designed to engage us
Evidence for H - Answer When a fact is more probable given H than given ~H, it constitutes
at least some evidence for H; by the first rule of evidence, this means we should increase our
degree of confidence in H at least a tiny bit
Evidence test, the - Answer If we are wondering whether a new fact or observation is
evidence for a hypothesis H, we can ask whether that fact or observation is more likely given H
or given ~H. If the former, it's at least some evidence for H. If the latter, it's at least some
evidence for ~H. If neither, it's independent of H.
File-Drawer Effect - Answer This is a selection effect caused by researchers themselves, who
may not even bother to write up and send in a study that is unlikely to be published, but instead
might leave it in their file drawers
Hypothesis - Answer This is any claim under investigation, often denoted with the
placeholder letter "H"
Media Bias - Answer Although this term is generally used to refer only to political biases on
the part of media, we use it to cover the general bias towards engaging content, though this
may manifest in content of special interest to viewers with a certain political orientation or even
outrightly slanted content; the general category also includes the highly tailored algorithms of
social media
Publication Bias - Answer The tendency for academic books and journals to publish research
that is surprising in some way. A piece of research can do this by providing evidence against
conventional wisdom, or providing evidence for a surprising alternative. Meanwhile studies that
support the conventional wisdom, or fail to provide support for alternatives, can be passed over.
Selection Effect - Answer A factor that systematically selects which things we can observe;
this can make our evidence unreliable if we are unaware that it's happening
Answers.
Attrition Bias - Answer A selection effect (similar to survivor bias) in which some patients
drop out of a research study, or data is lost in some other way that can result in unreliable
evidence
Echo Chambers - Answer A metaphor used for the situation when our sources of information
and opinion have all been selected to support our opinions and preferences; this includes our
own selection of media and friends with similar viewpoints, but also results from the fact that
social media tailors what we see using an algorithm designed to engage us
Evidence for H - Answer When a fact is more probable given H than given ~H, it constitutes
at least some evidence for H; by the first rule of evidence, this means we should increase our
degree of confidence in H at least a tiny bit
Evidence test, the - Answer If we are wondering whether a new fact or observation is
evidence for a hypothesis H, we can ask whether that fact or observation is more likely given H
or given ~H. If the former, it's at least some evidence for H. If the latter, it's at least some
evidence for ~H. If neither, it's independent of H.
File-Drawer Effect - Answer This is a selection effect caused by researchers themselves, who
may not even bother to write up and send in a study that is unlikely to be published, but instead
might leave it in their file drawers
Hypothesis - Answer This is any claim under investigation, often denoted with the
placeholder letter "H"
Media Bias - Answer Although this term is generally used to refer only to political biases on
the part of media, we use it to cover the general bias towards engaging content, though this
may manifest in content of special interest to viewers with a certain political orientation or even
outrightly slanted content; the general category also includes the highly tailored algorithms of
social media
Publication Bias - Answer The tendency for academic books and journals to publish research
that is surprising in some way. A piece of research can do this by providing evidence against
conventional wisdom, or providing evidence for a surprising alternative. Meanwhile studies that
support the conventional wisdom, or fail to provide support for alternatives, can be passed over.
Selection Effect - Answer A factor that systematically selects which things we can observe;
this can make our evidence unreliable if we are unaware that it's happening
