The belief that small samples will be representative of the population from which they are selected is __________.
A)the law of large numbers
B)the central limit theorem
C)the fallacy law of small numbers
D)called sensitivity to sample size

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The belief that small samples will be representative of the population from which they are selected is known as the fallacy law of small numbers. This is a fallacy because small samples are more likely to be affected by chance fluctuations, sampling errors, and biases, and are therefore less reliable and valid than larger samples, which are more likely to approximate the true characteristics of the population. The law of large numbers and the central limit theorem are related to the properties of random variables and probability distributions, and do not address the issue of sample representativeness. Sensitivity to sample size refers to the fact that the results of statistical analyses may depend on the size of the sample used, and that larger samples may lead to more accurate and robust estimates of population parameters and effects.

The Belief That Small Samples Will Be Representative of the Population