Question

question 10 (5 points)
describe the error in the stated conclusion.
given: each school in a state reports the average sat score of its students. there is a significant linear correlation between the average sat score of a school and the average annual income in the district in which the school is located.
conclusion: there is a significant linear correlation between individual sat scores and family income.

Explanation:

The error is that the conclusion generalizes from average SAT scores of schools and average district incomes (group - level data) to individual SAT scores and family incomes. Correlation at the group level does not necessarily imply correlation at the individual level (ecological fallacy).

Answer:

The conclusion commits the ecological fallacy. Just because there is a correlation between average SAT scores of schools (group - level data) and average district incomes (group - level data) does not mean there is a correlation between individual SAT scores and family incomes (individual - level data).