Clustering Illusion
If you flip a coin a hundred times, you will likely see heads come up several times a row at some point. Likewise, if you set a music playlist to play songs randomly, you might hear two songs by the same artist in a row. Clusters are a natural part of randomness.
However, our brains are wired to look for patterns. This can sometimes lead us to seeing these clusters as non-random. The clustering illusion is the tendency to give meaning to clusters in data even if they can be explained by chance.
In data analysis, falling for the clustering illusion can cause analysts to identify trends or patterns that aren't actually significant. This can lead to wasted resources investigating something that's not meaningful. To avoid this, it's important to use statistical tests to determine whether observed patterns are meaningful or if they're likely to have occurred randomly.
Courses
Fallacy Detectors Part 1
Develop the skills to tackle logical fallacies through a series of 10 science-fiction videos with activities. Recommended for ages 8 and up.
A Statistical Odyssey
Learn about common mistakes in data analysis with an interactive space adventure. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
Symbolic Logic for Teens Part 1
Learn how to make sense of complicated arguments with 14 video lessons and activities. Recommended for ages 13 and up.
Emotional Intelligence
Learn to recognize, understand, and manage your emotions. Designed by child psychologist Ronald Crouch, Ph.D. Recommended for ages 5 and up.
Worksheets
Symbolic Logic Worksheets
Worksheets covering the basics of symbolic logic for children ages 12 and up.
Elementary School Worksheets and Lesson Plans
These lesson plans and worksheets teach students in grades 2-5 about superstitions, different perspectives, facts and opinions, the false dilemma fallacy, and probability.
Middle School Worksheets and Lesson Plans
These lesson plans and worksheets teach students in grades 5-8 about false memories, confirmation bias, Occam's razor, the strawman fallacy, and pareidolia.
High School Worksheets and Lesson Plans
These lesson plans and worksheets teach students in grades 8-12 about critical thinking, the appeal to nature fallacy, correlation versus causation, the placebo effect, and weasel words.
Statistical Shenanigans Worksheets and Lesson Plans
These lesson plans and worksheets teach students in grades 9 and up the statistical principles they need to analyze data rationally.