Cherry picking
Cherry Picking
Cherry picking (pronunciation: /ˈtʃɛri pɪkɪŋ/) is a term often used in various fields, including medicine, statistics, and research. It refers to the act of selectively choosing (or "picking") only those data or information that support a particular viewpoint or hypothesis, while ignoring or dismissing those that contradict it.
Etymology
The term "cherry picking" is believed to have originated from the literal action of picking cherries, where one would only select the ripest and best cherries, while ignoring the less desirable ones. It has been used metaphorically in various fields to describe a similar process of selective consideration.
In Medicine
In medicine, cherry picking can refer to the practice of selectively choosing patient data or research findings to support a particular diagnosis, treatment approach, or medical hypothesis. This can lead to biased results and potentially harmful medical practices. It is therefore considered unethical and is discouraged in the medical community.
Related Terms
- Confirmation bias: This is a cognitive bias that leads people to favor information that confirms their existing beliefs or hypotheses. It is closely related to cherry picking, as both involve the selective consideration of information.
- Data dredging: Also known as "p-hacking", this is the misuse of data analysis to find patterns in data that can be presented as statistically significant, thus leading to potentially false conclusions. This is a more specific form of cherry picking in the field of statistics and research.
- Publication bias: This refers to the tendency for researchers and editors to preferentially publish research findings that show a significant finding, while ignoring those that do not. This can lead to a skewed representation of evidence in the literature, similar to the effect of cherry picking.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Cherry picking
- Wikipedia's article - Cherry picking
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