MAT 232 Ashford University Importance of Statistics Responses

https://mediaplayer.pearsoncmg.com/assets/NYAAn56VftwGbMiYYF91JjUmv14SaFRO

The video makes the point that though nobody wants to think that they are a statistic, acting as if you are a statistic can help you make better decisions. That said, statisticians should never forget that the numbers they analyze correspond to real people, who have friends, relatives, and stories to tell.

FIRST PEER; Sally

For this week’s Discussion video, the speaker makes very good points about how people see themselves in regards to statistics, especially when the statistics make them look bad, cliche or gives them a bad outcome in a situation specific to them. People like to think of themselves as unique and above the crowd, we often have the mentality that ‘just because something happens to one person, doesn’t mean it will happen to me’, ‘or just because those people have that opinion, doesn’t mean I will have that opinion.’ I think religion can also play a part in it, when a higher power intervenes, statistics are no longer relevant, like miracles. Doctors don’t often think in those terms, but many miracle believing religious people do. People are individuals with unique characteristics, unique families, genetics, mindsets, and upbringings, so it’s easy when thinking about yourself to think that statistics wouldn’t apply to you because you are unique, but isn’t everyone? Isn’t that the point? It also may be hopeful thinking that statistics do not apply to you because that means your chances might be bad in certain situations, like getting robbed in certain neighborhoods, not graduating or going to college coming from certain backgrounds or class of society, medical situations. We like to think we can rise above the statistics, but can we? Would it be better to have the mindset that statistics are gathered, analyzed and shared to help us out throughout our individual unique lives, helping us make wise decisions or prepare us for what might be to come? END OF SALLY’s POST

SECOND PEER; Ashley

Why do you think statistics often has a bad name?

In my opinion statistics is more of a vote and a lot of the times individuals do not vote honestly because of the fact of what others may think about them or how they may feel towards a certain subject. Therefore in this certain circumstance the poll would not be a true value because of an individual allowing their voting to be persuaded by someone else thoughts and feelings. Statistics is normally collected through polls that normally relates to a scientific industry or social problem. Just as I stated earlier if someone feels strongly about a problem that is going on in your neighborhood and is going to vote one way on this poll and the conversation comes up between the two parties but you as an individual do not feel the same then it will likely cause conflict between the two parties and persuade your mindset to lean more on the side of the other person to choose their side to stay away from the conflict. In my opinion this is why statistics gets a bad name because it starts to be more of a system of numbers in the vote than the person having a voice of their own in the vote because of individuals not wanting to make other individuals in their community or town mad or angry with them.  END OF ASHLEY’S POST..WHICH FYI, I CHOSE THIS QUESTION AS WELL.

PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE THE PEERS RESPONSE IN ANSWER RESPONSES.  AS IT IS CONFUSING. THANKS.

RESOURCE:

Bennett, J., Briggs, W. & Triola, M. (2014).

Statistical reasoning for everyday life

(4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.