What is Anecdotal Evidence?
We frequently use the phrase “anecdotal evidence” to describe various press releases and advertisements we see and also comments posted here. Essentially, any statement presented as proof of something that features no scientific support is considered anecdotal evidence. It’s called anecdotal because it often involves some kind of story or anecdote. In the beauty / cosmetic world, you find examples everywhere. • When your hairdresser says, “I can always tell when someone uses Pantene because there is a layer of wax on their hair,” this is anecdotal evidence. • When a friend says, “my best friend had severe allergies and medicine didn’t work. When she tried acupuncture she got better,” this is anecdotal evidence. • When you read a beauty product review that states whether a product worked or not, this is anecdotal evidence. • Testimonials from celebrities, your mother-in-law, or even your best friend are all forms of anecdotal evidence. The one thing that is true about all these examples
Anecdotal evidence has several definitions, which usually relate 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 commercials. A person tells us how their breath feels fresher after using a certain brand of toothpaste, or people testify to the clearing of their acne as a result of special products. Anecdotal evidence is often used in place of clinical or scientific evidence, and may completely ignore research or harder evidence that points to an opposite conclusion. Types of anecdotal evidence include claiming non-factual information based on the experiences of a few people, stories that would seem to contradict factual information, and word of mouth recommendations. This type of information isn’t always poorly intended or untrue, and we base a lot of decisions on anecdotes. For instance, you might want to find the best dry cleaner in town and ask a few friends to recommend someone. You usually don