General

1
SOSC 111 - Science Technology and SocietyToday
Lesson 25Do Statistics Lie? December 2, 1998
Dr. Vincent Duffy - IEEM http//www-ieem.ust.hk/df
aculty/duffy/111 email vduffy_at_ust.hk
1
2
Ex1. Fall Fashion Survey says 90 of college
students say Levis 501 jeans are popular on
campus

• Students on 100 campuses were asked to choose
  which of the following were popular on campus
• Levis 501 jeans
• T-shirts with graphics
• 1960s type clothing
• Licra/spandex clothing
• Overalls (like farmers wear)
• Patriotic themed clothing (like stars stripes)
• Decorated denim
• Printed Pull-on beach pants
• Long sleeved hooded T-shirts

2
3
What is misleading about the claim?

• Levis jeans are the only choice for jeans
  (important because the jeans ad implies
  comparison to other jeans)
• It was a Levis sponsored survey.
• The statement doesnt say 90 wear Levis it only
  says that 90 think they are popular
• and this is compared to other mostly non jeans
  clothing

3
4
ex.2 related to the QOTD

• Q1. 1 How effective do you think the Black Flag
  roach disk is at killing roaches?
• 30 ___, 50 ___, 70___ 90___
• Q1a. 2 A roach disk is a type of product that
  poisons a roach slowly. The dying roach returns
  to the nest and after it dies is eaten by other
  roaches. In turn, these roaches become poisoned
  and die.
• How effective do you think the Black Flag roach
  disk is at killing roaches?
• 30 ___, 50 ___, 70___ 90___
• Q2. The Black Flag example shows what?
• misleading questions

4
5
Remember where does STS data come from?

• Experts and many times surveys
• Who are the experts?
• many times the sales people and manufacturers are
  representatives to the consumer
• they are the experts, but can misuse the trust
  put in them by the customer

5
6
ex3. A US Air advertisement stated US Air had
the best on-time record of any of the seven
largest airlines

• However, the eighth largest airline at the time,
  PanAm had the best on-time record

6
7
ex4. A new formula and taste tests

• New coke, old coke
• Coke in early 1980s developed a new formula to
  adjust for the success of competitor Pepsi
• 190,000 Taste tests, costing millions of showed
  that people liked new coke better
• However, those that voted did not know it would
  replace, not supplement old Coke
• The taste tests were done blind to eliminate
  bias
• however, buyers do not buy that way
• note w/out carmel coloring, people mistake coke
  for sprite
• Old coke was removed at first, and then brought
  back after many complaints

7
8
ex5.Safety

• What car is well known for and associated with
  safety?
• Volvo
• In 1990, at a Monster Truck competition in
  Vermont, USA, a Volvo remained relatively
  undisturbed (not wrecked)
• An advertisement attempted to illustrate the
  safety of the Volvo by recreating the event

8
9
Insert Volvo ad here
9
10
How did they show it?

• However, to recreate the event on film
• The advertising agency/film crew/Volvo
• cut the tops of the surrounding cars so that they
  would collapse more easily
• And.....
• The Volvo was fixed and reinforced with steel
  beams inside.
• As well, a wooden frame was inserted in the
  passenger compartment
• The photo you see is the one from the ad
• The State of Texas sued Volvo, they settled out
  of court

10
11

• Q.3. Do statistics lie? Are the studies for
  advertising lies or just misleading?
• is it done purposely?
• Give an example of deception in advertising of
  technology and science.
• Q.4. Why doesnt the government do something
  about it?
• First - Course evaluations -
• please fill out both.why two?
• course is jointly taught by SOSC and ENGG faculty
• we will continue the discussion
• including Q.3 and Q.4 at 45 min past hour

11
12
Q.4 Why doesnt the government do something about
it?

• Though in some instances the government will try
  to control the advertising claims
• ex. smoking Smoking can kill
• only a small number of ads can be monitored,
  usually of national scope
• because of cost and time for the effort
• focus in the past on those that could mislead
• now usually focus on those likely to mislead
• The government doesnt have the capacity to deal
  with all misleading ads.

12
13
Friday

• Last lecture
• Continue the discussion .do statistics lie?
• data and evidence in the courtroom
• similarities between research for the courtroom
  and advertising
• differences between research for law and research
  for science
• Monday
• review for final and return papers

13