Is there a tendency for people to believe that data presented on spreadsheets or in a chart or graph is true,?

Question

Is there a tendency for people to believe that data presented on spreadsheets or in a chart or graph is true, just because it has been created by a computer? If so, how can this be a problem? How can it be counteracte?

Answer 1

Yes, this is frequent.

People are very easily deceived by things that look good. Its the typical statement that statistics don't lie. Yes they do, they can be doctored or forced to make any conclusion a person wants.
The better the information looks (powerpoint, spreadsheets, etc) the more people will believe it.

They did tests back in the 50's to show that most people would obey a person that wears official looking clothing (suit or labcoat) some of the subjects even went on to the point of thinking they killed someone because they were told to.

The way to fight this is only on a personal level. You can't make everyone immune to it, you can only do it with those around you at the time.
Make sure that you verify everything! Don't take anything at face value or because it looks good, check the facts behind it. Insist that you be given the information the conclusions come from.

Answer 2

People are often misled by statistical representations. It's a common advertising trick - I see it a lot with weight loss pills. It's a problem because people aren't aware of how data can be manipulated to show whatever the person making the charts and graphs wants to show, which makes the audience make decisions based on fault representations. I'm not sure how it could be counteracted other than through education on these misleading practices.

Answer 3

since spreadsheets have been around much longer than computers, this is an ancient accounting format, you may need to rethink this. however, your point is at least a little valid... that said, anytime i do a presentation or spreadsheet, anything i presentis easily verifiable and sometimes i even provide footnotes. ie, i did a spreadsheet for the min wage debate in which i preswented the inflation rate for every year since the inception of the min wage, as well as the increases when they occured and what the current minb wage would be if it was adjusted for inflation beginning at any point in time. the oint was to p[rove that not only has min wage exceeded inflation, which many want us to think it hasn't kept pace, it should be about $3.65, it actually accounts for inflation, as in 'is part of the cause'.

Answer 4

yep... good example: An Inconvenient Truth... just because old al gore puts it in a movie with charts and lots of fancy visuals, people think it is gospel
truth is nobody knows for sure!