Anecdotal evidence is often used in place of scientific evidence, but can be problematic when making decisions that affect health or well-being. It includes non-factual claims based on personal experiences, stories that contradict factual information, and word-of-mouth recommendations. While it can be useful for everyday decisions, it should not be relied on for important decisions. In legal matters, anecdotal evidence is often considered hearsay and may not be admissible in court.
Anecdotal evidence has several definitions, usually referring to how certain types of evidence cannot be used to logically conclude something. We see examples of this type of evidence all the time in advertisements. A person tells us how their breath feels fresher after using a certain brand of toothpaste, or people testify that acne is cured thanks to special products. This type of evidence is often used in place of clinical or scientific evidence and can completely ignore research or harder evidence that points to an opposite conclusion.
Types of anecdotal evidence include claims of non-factual information based on some people’s experiences, stories that would appear to contradict factual information, and word-of-mouth recommendations. This type of information isn’t always ill-advised or false, and we base many decisions on anecdotes. For example, you might want to find the best dry cleaner in town and ask some friends to recommend someone to you. You usually don’t have time to do real scientific testing of this by looking at a set of data.
We always take other recommendations from non-experts. We may base our decisions on which doctors to see, who should babysit our children, which travel agency we should use, or where we should stay on vacation only or at least partially on advice. This advice does not usually come from people qualified to give an expert opinion on the subject.
Where anecdotal evidence becomes very problematic, however, is when people make decisions that can affect their health or well-being based solely on it. For example, there are many herbal medicines and alternative medical theories and treatments that people decide to use based largely on anecdotal evidence. Now, sometimes a preponderance of this evidence can suggest that there is a good reason to try different things, but unfortunately many of these alternative treatments and therapies are not just there for the health and happiness of human beings. Even the people who offer them are profit-motivated.
For example, if you look at most nutritional supplement websites, you’ll probably find tons of testimonials that are really anecdotal evidence. These testimonials seem to lend credence to the idea that any dietary treatment will be tremendously effective. Yet we know they are not. However, when people are desperate to lose weight, they may cling to these testimonials and information presented as “proof” and occasionally risk their health by taking things that are not safe and have not been proven safe. At the very least they waste money on products that just don’t work.
Other definition of anecdotal evidence is strictly relating to legal matters. When someone gives a testimony that cannot be proven by its nature, and is therefore in doubt, we speak of an anecdote or hearsay. Some witnesses may be barred from providing evidence of an anecdotal nature. It does not mean that their testimony is untrue, but it does mean that there is no way to verify this testimony.
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