In an ecological study, the fallacy of inferring individual-level associations from group-level data is called:

• A Simpson's paradox
• B Ecological fallacy (atomistic fallacy in reverse)
• C Berkson's bias
• D Ecological fallacy ✓

Explanation

The ecological fallacy (also called the ecological bias or Robinson's fallacy) occurs when associations found at the group or population level are incorrectly attributed to individuals within those groups. For example, an ecological positive correlation between fat intake and breast cancer rates across countries does not prove that individual high fat consumers have higher breast cancer risk. Ecological studies are useful for hypothesis generation but not for establishing individual-level causation.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

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