Skip to main content

Simplifying Bayesian Inference: The General Case

  • Chapter
Model-Based Reasoning in Scientific Discovery

Abstract

We present empirical evidence that human reasoning follows the rules of probability theory, if information is presented in “natural formats”. Human reasoning has often been evaluated in terms of humans’ ability to deal with probabilities. Yet, in nature we do not observe probabilities, we rather count samples and their subsets. Our concept of Markov frequencies generalizes Gigerenzer and Hoffrage’s “natural frequencies”, which are known to foster insight in Bayesian situations with one cue. Markov frequencies allow to visualize Bayesian inference problems even with an arbitrary number of cues.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 299.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 379.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Eddy, D.M., 1982, Probabilistic reasoning in clinical medicine: problems and opportunities, in: Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases, D. Kahneman, P. Slovic, and A. Tversky, eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 249–267).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gigerenzer, G., and Hoffrage, U., 1995, How to improve Bayesian reasoning without instruction: frequency formats, Psychological Review 102:684–704.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hell, W., Fiedler, K., and Gigerenzer, G., eds., 1993, Kognitive Täuschungen, Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Berlin-Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahneman, D, Slovic, P., and Tversky, A., eds., 1982, Judgment under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahneman, D., and Tversky, A., 1972, Subjective probability: a judgement of representativeness, Cognitive Psychology 3:430–454.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahneman, D., and Tversky, A., 1973, On the psychology of prediction, Psychological review 80:237–251.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lauritzen, S.L., and Spiegelhalter, D.J., 1988, Local computations with probabilities on graphical structures and their application to expert systems (with discussion), J. Roy. Statist. Soc. Ser. B 50:157–224.

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, C., and Keren, G., 1999, On the difficulties underlying Bayesian reasoning: comment on Gigerenzer and Hoffrage, Psychological Review, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Macchi, L., 1995, Pragmatic aspects of the base-rate fallacy, The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 48A:188–207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Macchi, L., and Mosconi, G., 1998, Computational features vs frequentist phrasing in the base-rate fallacy, Swiss Journal of Psychology 57:79–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Massaro, D., 1998, Perceiving Talking Faces, MIT Press, Boston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meilers, B.A., and McGraw, A.P., 1999, How to improve Bayesian reasoning without instruction: comment on Gigerenzer and Hoffrage, Psychological Review, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spies, M., 1993, Unsicheres Wissen: Wahrscheinlichkeit, Fuzzy-Logik, neuronale Netze und menschliches Denken, Heidelberg, Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Berlin-Oxford.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1999 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Krauß, S., Martignon, L., Hoffrage, U. (1999). Simplifying Bayesian Inference: The General Case. In: Magnani, L., Nersessian, N.J., Thagard, P. (eds) Model-Based Reasoning in Scientific Discovery. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4813-3_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4813-3_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7181-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-4813-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics