Citation

Milcarek BI, Link BG. Eval. Program Plann. 1981; 4(1): 23-28.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1981, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0149-7189(81)90050-1

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The issue of ecological fallacy is highlighted in the use of social area analysis as a method of program planning and evaluation. Data on psychiatric admissions from one catchment area in New York City show misleading cross level generalization to be a real and ever present danger that planners and evaluators should not ignore. A simple method of assessing the degree and major sources of difference between higher (geographic) and lower (sociological) level relationships is illustrated. Suggestions are made regarding ways of clarifying cross level generalizations.