{"id":775,"date":"2024-04-12T09:50:22","date_gmt":"2024-04-12T07:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/?page_id=775"},"modified":"2024-04-12T10:11:28","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T08:11:28","slug":"erreur-ecologique","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/cours-de-methodologie\/erreur-ecologique\/","title":{"rendered":"How to avoid an ecological mistake 101"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"775\" class=\"elementor elementor-775\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8366bb7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8366bb7\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element 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elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-da5cc41\" data-id=\"da5cc41\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-037b5cc elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"037b5cc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/complex-systems-ai.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Data Science<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-54029e8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"54029e8\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-45d65a0\" data-id=\"45d65a0\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-880ac07 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"880ac07\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Page contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Contents\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseprofile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/cours-de-methodologie\/erreur-ecologique\/#Erreur_ecologique_ou_biais_ecologique\" >Ecological error or ecological bias<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/cours-de-methodologie\/erreur-ecologique\/#Cause\" >Cause<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/cours-de-methodologie\/erreur-ecologique\/#Comment_eviter_les_erreurs_ecologiques\" >How to avoid ecological mistakes?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Erreur_ecologique_ou_biais_ecologique\"><\/span>Ecological error or ecological bias<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5a2a075 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5a2a075\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-dd34ddf\" data-id=\"dd34ddf\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-14d66e3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"14d66e3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>An ecological error is an error in reasoning, moving from the general to the specific. The word ecological is used to refer to a group or system, something that is larger than an individual. Ecological fallacies arise when we try to draw conclusions about individuals based on data collected at the group level. Stereotypical thinking like this assumes that groups are homogeneous, when in reality individuals do not necessarily share the characteristics of the group to which they belong.<\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-49 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/logo_sc-150x150.png\" alt=\"erreur \u00e9cologique\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/logo_sc-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/logo_sc-70x70.png 70w, https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/logo_sc-125x125.png 125w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-83b7603 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"83b7603\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-240c7cb\" data-id=\"240c7cb\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1adbdb3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1adbdb3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cause\"><\/span>Cause<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-328f981 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"328f981\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0275ac2\" data-id=\"0275ac2\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cb50b83 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cb50b83\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The root cause of ecological errors is the misinterpretation of statistical information. Researchers collect statistical data with the aim of generalizing from sample to population, that is, from individual to population, not vice versa. When we collect data at the group level, it is a process similar to writing a <a href=\"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/cours-de-methodologie\/lire-et-resume-un-papier-scientifique\/\">summary<\/a> : some information details will be lost or hidden.<\/p><p>For example, in a study on prostate cancer, researchers found that there is a correlation between high sugar intake, meat consumption, and prostate cancer mortality. Does this mean we conclude that excessive sugar and steak consumption leads to death from prostate cancer? Can we use the <a href=\"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/cours-de-methodologie\/parfaire-la-section-resultats\/\">results<\/a> as dietary recommendations? The answer is no. Although the study provides insight into prostate cancer risk factors, it does not establish causality. The data in this study are aggregated: what may apply to a population does not necessarily apply to an individual basis.<\/p><p>Overall, a correlation tends to be greater when an association is assessed at the group level than when it is assessed at the individual level. As a result, when studies like these are analyzed at the individual level, the relationship often disappears.<\/p><p>In other words, while it is true that countries with higher levels of sugar consumption have higher rates of prostate cancer deaths, this does not mean that people who eat high diets in sugar are more likely to die from prostate cancer.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-78ccc9a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"78ccc9a\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-616f7ac\" data-id=\"616f7ac\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-97a29c8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"97a29c8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Comment_eviter_les_erreurs_ecologiques\"><\/span>How to avoid ecological mistakes?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-aa703b5 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"aa703b5\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-453522f\" data-id=\"453522f\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-69264ae elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"69264ae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>We can avoid ecological mistakes in our own conceptions of <a href=\"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/cours-de-methodologie\/\">research<\/a> or in interpreting other people&#039;s research results by following the steps below:<\/p><p>Clearly define the unit of analysis. Before collecting your data, think about who or what it will be used for. Are they individuals, groups, photos or social interactions? For example, if you compare students in two classes on test scores, the individual student constitutes the unit. On the other hand, if you want to compare the average performance of a class, the unit of analysis is the group, because the data you are analyzing refers to the group, not the individual.<\/p><p>Be aware of logical leaps. When drawing conclusions from your own research, reading research articles, or viewing news articles based on data, take a minute to think: Is the claim on the same level as the data? Or does the statement concern individuals, while the data refer to a population? If so, this is a case of ecological fallacy.<\/p><p>Keep in mind that results from group-level data cannot be applied to individuals. If you want to investigate individuals or subpopulations within a larger population, be sure to obtain data on those individuals or subpopulations. This means that you must follow a <a href=\"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/cours-de-methodologie\/parfaire-la-methodologie\/\">method<\/a> appropriate sampling method, such as stratified sampling, if you are interested in, for example, specific subpopulations.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home Data Science Ecological error or ecological bias An ecological error is an error in reasoning, going from general to\u2026 <\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":47,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-775","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=775"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/775\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":788,"href":"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/775\/revisions\/788"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/47"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/guillaume-guerard.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}