Re: Was: MIT Sexism & statistical bunk

[Paul R Swank]

The most reasonable statement I've seen to date about this topic. I would like to suggest that for statistics to really play a role in the question, one must look outside of a particular university to consider trends across universities. It might be much easier to sample data and estimate, for example, to what extent does productivity effect salaries at major institutions and how does this vary across departments or colleges.

At 10:55 AM 3/15/01 -0500, dennis roberts wrote:
>
>
>many moons ago ... there was a post that referred to a case at MIT ...
>where women biology faculty charged sex discrimination in that they thought
>their salaries were much lower than they should be ... due to the fact that
>they were women
>
>then, there was post after post ... arguing this point or that ... in fact
>there was so much heated debate ... the SUBJECT line even changed ... from
>what is above to inappropriate hypothesis testing
>
>now, after all these posts ... i am asking myself: what good has come from
>all of this?
>
>at the moment, i can see none ... nothing that jumps right out at me anyway
>
>seeing that a major purpose of this list is to provide help to people who
>are in the business of TEACHING statistics ... and communicating to
>students beneficial uses of statistics (while hopefully cautioning them
>about (to use a phrase) "inappropriate" ones) ... i would like to reiterate
>that the original setting ... and the issue at hand there ... is important.
>so, the question is: how can statistics (if at all) be used in the context
>of a discrimination case ... in this context, over the issue of salary?
>
>i pose the following general scenario
>
>let's assume that at an institution, a group of people (women, hispanics,
>clerical workers, associate professors, ... you name the group) files a
>suit against the university charging ____ discrimination
>
>again ... let's assume that the target variable is salary ... and this
>"group" claims that they have been hugely UNfairly treated
>
>what can we as those charged with teaching people about statistical
>analysis ... share with them as to how statistical analysis can be useful
>in this context? NOT in the sense of "proving" that discrimination DID
>occur ... or did NOT occur ... but rather, to show them methods that would
>yield data that might be useful in helping resolve a case like this?
>
>Suggestion 1
>Suggestion 2
>Suggestion 3
>
>and so on
>
>can we bring some closure to this PARTICULAR MIT discussion with some
>general "findings" as to what students could take away from all this prattle?
>
>thanks
>
>ps ... a conclusion that lots of people don't agree with one another will
>not be too helpful
>
>
>
>
>
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------------------------------------
Paul R. Swank, PhD.
Professor & Advanced Quantitative Methodologist
UT-Houston School of Nursing
Center for Nursing Research
Phone (713)500-2031
Fax (713) 500-2033

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