Limitations of Statistics
Even though statistics is a powerful and useful tool, it is not perfect. It has some limitations that every user should be aware of.
✅ 1. Deals Only with Quantitative Data
- Statistics cannot deal with qualitative data like emotions, opinions, or feelings — unless they are converted into numbers.
- Example: You can’t directly measure “happiness” with statistics.
✅ 2. Does Not Reveal Individual Information
- Statistics gives general trends or averages, not specific details.
- Example: If the average mark in a class is 70, it doesn’t tell how much an individual student scored.
✅ 3. Can Be Misused Easily
- Anyone can misuse statistics to show false or misleading results.
- Example: Showing only part of the data to prove a wrong point.
✅ 4. Depends on the Quality of Data
- If the collected data is incorrect, biased, or incomplete, then the statistical results will also be wrong or misleading.
- Garbage in = Garbage out!
✅ 5. Can’t Establish Causation
- Statistics can show correlation (relationship) but not causation (cause-effect).
- Example: Ice cream sales and drowning rates may rise together in summer, but ice cream does not cause drowning.
✅ 6. Requires Expertise
- Correct use of statistics requires proper knowledge and understanding.
- A non-expert may interpret data wrongly and draw incorrect conclusions.
✅ 7. Not Always Suitable for Small Samples
- Some statistical methods require large amounts of data to give accurate results.
- Results from small samples can be unreliable.
✅ 8. Can’t Replace Human Judgment
- Statistics helps in decision-making but cannot replace logic, experience, or common sense.
- Example: A software product may have good stats, but user feedback and developer insight are still needed.