Most adults lack statistical knowledge but want to learn, study finds
A PLOS One study finds 62% of respondents had little or no statistical knowledge, but 90% said they would use statistics more if they understood them.
Most people have a weak grasp of statistical concepts but are willing to learn and apply them, according to a study published in the journal PLOS One.
The survey found that 62% of respondents knew little or nothing about ideas such as p-values. Yet an overwhelming 90% said they would use statistics at least sometimes if they understood them better.
Mark Ramos, an assistant research professor of health policy and administration at Penn State and the study's author, said the findings point to a clear opportunity. He noted that most statistical concepts rest on intuition and logic rather than advanced mathematics, so a basic introduction can help people reason better about their own decisions.
Statistics, Ramos said, grew out of efforts to understand games of chance. Over time, the same tools were applied to uncertain everyday questions, such as how to plan a day to avoid being late.
People already rely on statistical information without labelling it as such, he said. Checking a weather forecast that predicts a 60% chance of rain and deciding whether to carry an umbrella is a statistical decision.
The challenge grows when people encounter statistics in research. Ramos gave the hypothetical example of a headline claiming that drinking coffee extends lifespan. Even a non-scientist, he said, would want to judge how sound the underlying argument is.
Developing statistical tests requires heavy mathematics, including matrix algebra and calculus. But understanding what those tests mean and the assumptions behind them depends more on reasoning and logic, he said.
That distinction, according to Ramos, makes statistics accessible to a wider audience. He argued that the findings present an opportunity for education at all levels, not just in STEM or undergraduate courses but also in basic and adult literacy programmes.
With research freely available to read, he said, a basic grasp of statistics can help people decide for themselves how convincing a study's evidence is.