Limitations of statistical methods

• Statistical laws are not exact laws like mathematical or chemical laws. They are derived by taking a majority of cases and are not true for every individual. Thus the statistical inferences are uncertain
• Statistical methods deal with the population of an aggregate of the individual.  When we say that the average height of an Indian is 1 meter and 80 centimeters, it shows the height of not of individuals but as found by the study if an aggregate of individuals.
• The statistical technique applies only to data which are reducible to quantitative forms. Consequently, the characteristics which cannit be measured in figures, cannot be studied satisfactorily. Such characteristics are beauty, goodness, health, intelligence, honesty, etc.
• Statistical results might lead to fallacious conclusions if they are quoted short of their context. The argument that "in a country, 15,000vaccinated persons died of small-pox, therefore vaccination is useless" is statistically defective, since we are not told what percentage of the persons who were not vaccinated and died.
• The statistical technique is the same for the social as for the physical sciences, while both are different in nature.
• The only one who has expert knowledge of statistical methods can handle the statistical data properly. the data placed in the hands of an inexpert may lead to fallacious results.