Anecdotal evidence Evidencefrom individual cases, gathered ...

2006-12-20T04:01:14.699Z

Anecdotal evidence

Evidence from individual cases, gathered in a non-systematic or haphazard way, advanced in support of generalizations, causal claims, and explanations.

Anecdotes are brief accounts or examples which have a bearing on the issue of interest – these are found in case studies in the academic literature, in news stories, and in everyday experience. Anecdotal evidence comprises of examples, cases, or stories which illustrate a point or claim.

Anecdotes are frequently used to introduce general claims proponents wish to argue for because specific instances – anecdotes – tend to lend an air of immediacy and persuasive power that, say, statistical evidence seems to lack for many people.

Personal experiences hold a vividness in our memories, for example, if one has undergone the frustration of once being grossly overcharged by a lawyer, it might be tempting to generalize from the incident that many (or even most) lawyers regularly overcharge their clients, and likewise you might also find yourself persuaded by someone’s very striking personal story of such an experience and rely upon it to think of lawyers in that light, even though you are unaware of what the top-of-the-line statistical evidence has to say on the point.

If one ignores relevant statistical evidence which might yield a reliable generalization, and instead accepts or rejects a generalization on the basis of one or several vivid anecdotes or stories, one is likely to have engaged in fallacious reasoning.

In evaluating anecdotal evidence one should ask: how typical or representative are the anecdotes, and do they represent the exception or the rule? (see: base rate, background information)

Although these stories may be real-world examples relevant to claims, anecdotes have serious limitations as evidence. (see: personal experience)

In scientific inquiry testimonials and anecdotal evidence can have some usefulness in the early stages of a scientific investigation, however, when it is of help it is in the context of discovery (hypothesis-generation), rather than in the context of justification (hypothesis-testing).

Back to: Glossary A-C, Glossary D-H, Glossary I-P, Glossary Q-S, Glossary T-Z

Glossary of selected Judgement & Decision-making, Belief-related, and other Psychology terms A-Z »

» Return to belief, judgement, and clear thinking »