STATISTICS AND MORE*

Danielle Jespersen Heather CrumeJessica Geiss Christina Mudrick

* Learn how to avoid inaccurate and misguiding statistics & figures

ADVERTISING**results not typical

Shows how someone can lose 40 lbs. in a year

“Results not typical”

Before & After Trick (smaller picture of the ‘before’)

FALSE ADVERTISIN

G

Claims to “fight acne and reduce blemishes in under 8 hours”

Before & After Trick (the after picture is smiling)

“Dramatization of typical results”

Not proportionate

pie charts:-makes the prediction for carbon emissions in 2025 seem much higher because of its enlarged size compared to 1995

Boasts of 7x less breakage

*Fructis Strength & Repair Shampoo vs. market-leading shampoos.**in a brushing test comparing the Fructis Strength & Repair System to a non-conditioning shampoo.***The Garnier Fructis Strength & Repair System of Shampoo, Conditioner and Deep Conditioner

“Up to 7x more moisture”

*System of Vive Pro Hydra Gloss Shampoo and

Conditioner versus non-conditioning shampoo

STUDY: WOMEN LESS

ABLE TO SUPPRESS

HUNGER THAN MEN

A study was done by Jack Wang and colleagues at Brookhaven National Laboratory to determine why some overeat and gain weight while others do not.

A group of men and women were asked to fast overnight. The next day they were presented with their favorite foods, while using a technique they had been taught called cognitive inhibition to suppress thoughts of hunger and eating. Both men and women said the technique decreased their hunger; however the brain scans that were being used showed that the men’s brain activity actually decreased while the women’s brain activity continued to respond to the food.

  The conclusion: “Faced with their favorite foods,

women are less able than men to suppress their hunger, a discovery that may help explain the higher obesity rate for females”

Reasons given as to why women reacted this way: Different nutritional needs for men and women since the

traditional role of the female is to provide nutrition to her child

Estrogen related hormones

Additional Studies Used: “Weller was a co-author of a recent paper in the journal

Neurolmage that studied women’s brains when participants were shown pictures of food. They found that obese women had a much stronger reaction than normal-weight women in brain regions related to reward.” 

“Wang noted that behavioral studies have shown that women have a higher tendency than men to overeat when presented with tasty food or under emotional stress.

THE REAL PICTURE…

Sample: 13 women & 10 men (Good representation of the world population or even the United

States?)  Does not say exactly how many men’s brain activity decreased

and how many women’s remained active.(Why would you generalize and not state the exact statistics?)  35.3% of American women obese

33.3% of American men obese(According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

(Big enough difference to need to explain the higher obesity rate for females?)

All of the reasons given are speculative and do not have any tests to back them up

(But they sure sound convincing!)   How many participants were in Weller’s studies? How many and which behavioral studies is Wang quoting? How reliable are they?

Various Inconsistencies: Wang believes obesity is increasing because of

changes in society-food is more temping than in earlier generations and more is available-sounds all right…

(But is food only available and appetizing to women?)

Study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and by the General Clinical Research Center of Stony Brook University.

(Why are the first two interested in a study unrelated to themselves?)

MONTY HALL PROBLEM

Let’s Make a Deal

? ? ?

GOAL: PICK THE DOOR THAT HIDES THE CAR

1/3 1/3 1/3

ONE DOOR WITH A GOAT IS OPENED....DO YOU SWITCH THE DOOR YOU CHOSE??

THE MISCONCEPTION…50/50 CHANCE Don’t switch:

1/3 chance you chose the car2/3 chance you chose a goat

Switch:2/3 chance of choosing a goat; since the

door opened is always a goat, if you had chosen the goat and switch, you will automatically get the car

1/3 chance that you had originally selected the car, and in this case, switching would result in winning a goat

THEREFORE….It is not a 50/50 chance once one door is opened

Statistics show you should switch:67% chance you’ll switch to the

car33% chance you’ll switch to a

goat

MANIPULATION**still mathematically correct

TRIANGLE OPTICAL ILLUSION

IS THE PRIUS HYBRID THAT “MPG” EFFICIENT, ECONOMICAL AND RELIABLE?

THE EVER POPULAR TOYOTA PRIUS HYBRID…IS SHE REALLY THAT “MPG” EFFICIENT, ECONOMICAL AND RELIABLE? The Prius Hybrid has been deemed the most

fuel efficient car in America, topping the charts at 48 mpg highway in 2007.

Its clean burning hybrid engine which combines the power of a battery and gasoline, is sweeping car buyers off their feet.

The 2009 Prius gets 60 mpg highway according to EPA estimates!

Sounds Great right? prius commercial

THE “NON-GUZZLER” TURNS FOR THE WORST

There seems to be a bit of a problem with the eco, budget friendly Prius according to recent consumer reports.

One owner complained that her Prius Hybrid started out with 45mpg highway then over time it went down to 29 mpg!

One owner’s fuel light went on, his owner’s manual said he had roughly 80 miles or so left before he had to pull into a station. WRONG the car broke down after 20 miles driving with the fuel light on!

What happened to the hybrid’s astounding gas mileage?

HOW COULD RESEARCHERS DO THIS?IS IT CAR TROUBLE OR THE ESTIMATES?

Although the EPA and government ratings are at 60mpg for the 2009 Prius Hybrid, these amazing numbers are only estimates. That is the problem.

Consumers are expecting to get a concrete number, however that is apparently not the case.

Should researchers estimate mpg? It seems to make consumers unhappy.

With the recent problems consumers are experiencing, it is easy to blame the EPA with false advertising, but who is to be taken into account for the loss in mpg?

THE END