Critique of P-Value Circling and Misuse of Statistical Significance Thresholds
By
speckx
The bagel they save for the regulars. Don't skim, savour.
Summary
The article critiques the misuse of p-values in statistical analysis, specifically addressing the practice of 'p-value circling' where researchers selectively report p-values that meet the arbitrary 0.05 significance threshold. The author argues against giving p-values a role they weren't designed for, discusses Lindley's paradox in Bayesian statistics, and examines how this relates to the p-value circling problem. The content explores statistical methodology, the historical context of Fisher's 0.05 threshold, and the philosophical implications of statistical significance testing in research.
Key quotes
· 4 pulled100 years ago this year Fisher arbitrarily suggested using p < 0.05 as a cut-off for 'significant' and ever since we've just gone along with it.
Being confused is just the first step towards being unconfused, to paraphrase Jake The Dog.
I don't think Lindley's paradox supports p-circling
Don't give p-values a role they're not made for
You might also wanna read
Critique of heritability estimates: How redefining the concept inflates life span heritability figures
This article critically examines the concept of heritability in human life span, arguing that the commonly cited figure of 50% heritability
dynomight.net·19d ago
Understanding Bias in Linear Least Squares Regression with Simple Test Data
This article explains why linear least squares regression can appear biased when applied to simple test data, focusing on the underlying ass
stats.stackexchange.com·4mo ago
The Statistical Reality: Why Everything Is Correlated and Its Implications for Research
This article explores the statistical and psychological observation that all real-world variables exhibit non-zero correlations, challenging
gwern.net·9mo ago
Mathematicians challenge dark energy model, suggesting cosmic acceleration may arise naturally from Einstein's equations
A team of mathematicians challenges the long-standing dark energy model, arguing that the model it was designed to rescue was never mathemat
earth.com·2h ago
Massachusetts invests $25M in MIT's new Quantum Systems Laboratory for quantum computing research
MIT is launching a Quantum Systems Laboratory in Cambridge, backed by a $25 million state investment from Massachusetts. The facility aims t
Viewing Mars as an Exoplanet: Lessons for Detecting Habitability from Afar
This scientific article explores what we could learn about Mars if we viewed it as an exoplanet—a distant world orbiting another star. The a
astrobites.org·4h ago