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tendency

vr.tr.tendency · thing-q55919789

Let an agent explain tendencies as propensities of entities, describe the conditions and evidence supporting a claimed tendency, and distinguish propensity from observed trends, statistical bias, probability, causation and correlation.

Thing Registry Cross-cutting context XCT.QLT
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Understand What tendency means.

Definition

Definition.

Definition

Definition.

  1. What is a tendency, and how does it differ from probability, causation, correlation, prejudice and central tendency? definition
  2. Is the question about statistics, economics, psychology or everyday usage? boundary

Aliases

Named aliases.

Aliases

Aliases.

  1. What are stickiness, bias, statistical trends and measurement, survey and aggregation bias? definition
  2. Which entry fits the specific concept? action
Statistics Trends and bias.

Trends

Trend detection.

Trends

Trends.

  1. How are statistical trends detected and tested? measurement
  2. Which references are standard? provenance

Bias

Bias types.

Bias

Bias.

  1. How do measurement, survey and aggregation bias arise and get corrected? provenance
  2. Which sources are cited? provenance
Economics Stickiness.

Prices

Sticky prices.

Prices

Prices.

  1. What evidence exists for sticky prices and wages, with findings attributed? provenance
  2. Which entry fits nominal rigidity? action

Users

User stickiness.

Users

Users.

  1. How is stickiness measured for products and platforms? measurement
  2. Which entry fits customer retention? action
Context Reasoning.

Fallacy

Ecological fallacy.

Fallacy

Fallacy.

  1. What is the ecological fallacy, and how does it relate to aggregation bias? provenance
  2. Which entry fits ecological fallacy? action

Cognitive bias

Cognitive bias.

Cognitive bias

Cognitive bias.

  1. How do cognitive biases differ from statistical bias? provenance
  2. Is the presentation neutral? boundary

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Cross-cutting context
Entry kind
thing
Plane
XCT
Domain
XCT.QLT
Other names and narrower kinds
stickiness, bias, statistical trend, measurement bias, survey bias, aggregation bias, historical bias, societal bias

What it is Filled

A characteristic of an entity that makes a particular outcome or event more likely than it would otherwise be under relevant conditions; a tendency is a propensity, not a guarantee, and is distinct from a statistical trend or bias.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent explain tendencies as propensities of entities, describe the conditions and evidence supporting a claimed tendency, and distinguish propensity from observed trends, statistical bias, probability, causation and correlation.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • A tendency is attributed to an entity as a characteristic.
  • It makes a particular outcome more likely under relevant conditions.
  • A tendency does not guarantee that the outcome will occur.
  • An observed statistical pattern may provide evidence of a tendency but is not itself the propensity.

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Present a trend or correlation as proof of cause.
  • Apply group-level tendencies to an individual as if they were facts about that person.
  • Hide known bias in data or measurements used for decisions.
  • Conflate an entity's propensity with statistical trends or biases.
  • Present a tendency as a guaranteed outcome.

Only with a human decision

  • Using a claimed tendency to make a consequential decision about a specific person requires human judgment.

May

  • Describe an entity's claimed propensity with the supporting evidence, relevant conditions and uncertainty.
  • Distinguish evidence of a tendency from observed trends and possible biases in the evidence.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Group tendencies applied to individuals produce stereotyping and unfair treatment.
  • Unsupported claims about a person's propensities can harm their autonomy, reputation and opportunities.

Who is affected

  • People judged by attributed tendencies may face consequential decisions.
  • Groups subject to stereotypes may face unfair treatment.
  • Decision makers depend on accurate accounts of evidence and uncertainty.

Owners Filled

Steward

Nobody owns the concept; whoever attributes a tendency to an entity is responsible for the evidence and qualifications supporting that claim.

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q1207505 - registry parent class
  • Q18603648 - registry parent class
  • Q21170479 - registry parent class

related

  • quality - in registry terms
  • bias (statistics)
  • ecological fallacy - related to aggregation bias
  • central tendency

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.tendency
  • Wikidata: Q55919789 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55919789)

Direct properties not applicable Not applicable

  • registry parents: quality, contributing factor, possibility note
  • ecological fallacy named: 1950 year - Robinson s study, attributed
  • price stickiness: key idea in New Keynesian economics note

Plane XCT: no invented physical properties.

Recognition optional Filled

  • A tendency is a propensity toward an outcome and has no necessary visible form.
  • Repeated outcomes under relevant conditions may provide evidence of a tendency without conclusively establishing it.
  • A trend is a pattern of change in observations, while statistical bias is a systematic deviation in measurement or estimation.
  • Probability quantifies likelihood, correlation describes association, and central tendency summarises the centre of a distribution.
  • Not a physical object; seen in data patterns and behaviour.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • explain senses of tendency
  • relay bias types and corrections
  • describe named aliases
  • distinguish related concepts

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Treating a tendency as a guarantee can produce false predictions.
  • Inferring an entity's propensity from a trend or correlation alone can overstate the evidence.
  • Applying group-level tendencies to individuals can produce unsupported judgments.
  • Confusing a propensity with statistical bias can misrepresent both concepts.

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • Survey methodology standards such as AAPOR codes
  • Measurement uncertainty guides such as the GUM

Context of use required Filled

  • Describing inclinations and systematic deviations.
  • trends
  • statistical biases
  • cognitive biases
  • stickiness in economics
  • dispositions

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q55919789: tendency - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Tendency - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should bias be split into a separate entry from tendency?
  • How should statistics references be linked?
  • Should stickiness be moved to economics entries?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q55919789/spec.json