As epidemiologists, usually we are told to avoid ecological fallacy, which is making a incorrect inference at lower level (individual) using the information at higher level (group); However, we may think little about the opposite fallacy, atomistic fallacy, which is making a incorrect inference at higher level (group) using the information at lower level (individual). Even worse, some may think the individual level information are only gold standard for policy making.
References
- Ecological fallacy - Wikipedia
- A Glossary for Multilevel Analysis - Epidemiologic Bulletin, PAHO. This article by A V Diez Roux also is on the J Epidemiol Community Health (2002)
- The fallacy of the ecological fallacy: the potential misuse of a concept and the consequences. - S Schwartz (1994)
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