Theory-Driven Statistics for the Digital Humanities: Presenting Pitfalls and a Practical Guide by the Example of the Reformation
The Digital Humanities face the problem of multiple hypothesis testing: Evermore hypotheses are tested until a desired pattern has been found. This practice is prone to mistaking random patterns for real ones. Instead, we should reduce the number of hypothesis tests to only test meaningful ones. We...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at McGill University
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Cultural Analytics |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.22148/001c.57764 |
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| author | Ramona Roller |
| author_facet | Ramona Roller |
| author_sort | Ramona Roller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Digital Humanities face the problem of multiple hypothesis testing: Evermore hypotheses are tested until a desired pattern has been found. This practice is prone to mistaking random patterns for real ones. Instead, we should reduce the number of hypothesis tests to only test meaningful ones. We address this problem by using theory to generate hypotheses for statistical models. We illustrate our approach with the example of the European Reformation, where we test a theory on the role of opinion leaders for the adoption of Protestantism with a logistic regression model. Given our specific setting, including choice of data and operationalisation of variables, we do not find enough evidence to claim that opinion leaders contributed via personal visits and letters to the adoption of Protestantism. To falsify or to support a theory, it has to be tested in different settings. Our presented approach helps the Digital Humanities bridge the gap between the qualitative and quantitative camp, advance understanding of structures resulting from human activity, and increase scientific credibility. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0b4de87bb74a4ebfbac74754295b4498 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2371-4549 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at McGill University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Cultural Analytics |
| spelling | doaj-art-0b4de87bb74a4ebfbac74754295b44982025-08-20T02:20:06ZengDepartment of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at McGill UniversityJournal of Cultural Analytics2371-45492023-01-017410.22148/001c.57764Theory-Driven Statistics for the Digital Humanities: Presenting Pitfalls and a Practical Guide by the Example of the ReformationRamona RollerThe Digital Humanities face the problem of multiple hypothesis testing: Evermore hypotheses are tested until a desired pattern has been found. This practice is prone to mistaking random patterns for real ones. Instead, we should reduce the number of hypothesis tests to only test meaningful ones. We address this problem by using theory to generate hypotheses for statistical models. We illustrate our approach with the example of the European Reformation, where we test a theory on the role of opinion leaders for the adoption of Protestantism with a logistic regression model. Given our specific setting, including choice of data and operationalisation of variables, we do not find enough evidence to claim that opinion leaders contributed via personal visits and letters to the adoption of Protestantism. To falsify or to support a theory, it has to be tested in different settings. Our presented approach helps the Digital Humanities bridge the gap between the qualitative and quantitative camp, advance understanding of structures resulting from human activity, and increase scientific credibility.https://doi.org/10.22148/001c.57764 |
| spellingShingle | Ramona Roller Theory-Driven Statistics for the Digital Humanities: Presenting Pitfalls and a Practical Guide by the Example of the Reformation Journal of Cultural Analytics |
| title | Theory-Driven Statistics for the Digital Humanities: Presenting Pitfalls and a Practical Guide by the Example of the Reformation |
| title_full | Theory-Driven Statistics for the Digital Humanities: Presenting Pitfalls and a Practical Guide by the Example of the Reformation |
| title_fullStr | Theory-Driven Statistics for the Digital Humanities: Presenting Pitfalls and a Practical Guide by the Example of the Reformation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Theory-Driven Statistics for the Digital Humanities: Presenting Pitfalls and a Practical Guide by the Example of the Reformation |
| title_short | Theory-Driven Statistics for the Digital Humanities: Presenting Pitfalls and a Practical Guide by the Example of the Reformation |
| title_sort | theory driven statistics for the digital humanities presenting pitfalls and a practical guide by the example of the reformation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.22148/001c.57764 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ramonaroller theorydrivenstatisticsforthedigitalhumanitiespresentingpitfallsandapracticalguidebytheexampleofthereformation |