True or False: Inferences based on voluntary response samples are generally not reliable.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand what a voluntary response sample is: it is a sample where participants choose themselves to be part of the study, often leading to bias because those with strong opinions are more likely to respond.
2. Recall that reliable inferences require samples to be representative of the entire population, minimizing bias and ensuring randomness.
3. Recognize that voluntary response samples tend to overrepresent individuals with strong feelings or interests, which can skew the results and reduce reliability.
4. Conclude that because of this bias, inferences drawn from voluntary response samples are generally not reliable for making conclusions about the whole population.
5. Therefore, the statement 'Inferences based on voluntary response samples are generally not reliable' is True.

Key Concepts

Voluntary Response Samples

Voluntary response samples consist of individuals who choose to participate on their own, often leading to biased data because those with strong opinions are more likely to respond. This self-selection can distort the representativeness of the sample.

Sampling Bias

Sampling bias occurs when certain members of a population are systematically more likely to be selected than others, resulting in a sample that does not accurately reflect the population. Voluntary response samples are prone to this bias.

Reliability of Statistical Inferences

Statistical inferences rely on representative samples to generalize findings to a population. When samples are biased, such as in voluntary response samples, the conclusions drawn are often unreliable and may mislead decision-making.