Distorted evidence can occur through several mechanisms:
- Selection Bias: This occurs when the participants included in a study are not representative of the general population. - Confounding: When an extraneous variable influences both the dependent and independent variables, leading to a false association. - Publication Bias: Positive or significant results are more likely to be published than negative or null results. - Misclassification: Errors in categorizing participants, exposures, or outcomes can lead to inaccurate results. - Data Manipulation: Deliberate alteration of data to achieve desired outcomes.
