[IBC] Super Thrive and bias
 

Lots of people are 'believers' (in a variety of things). Belief
doesn't make it a fact.

And, as a token scientist, I have to point out that even with
controlled experiments, what a scientist believes sometimes
determines what s/he sees. When I was at Long Island, I helped my
boss with experiments by rating them without knowing anything about
the experiment. Since I didn't know what the treatments were, I
couldn't unconsciously bias my ratings based on my preconceived
notions.

Still, these biases are still there. When I choose the plants to
photograph for a publication, don't I use the ones that best
illustrate the difference in treatments? It's human nature to make
the best picture, not the most representative. So when you see those
"big tree little tree" pictures on Superthrive packaging, be aware
that scientists do that, too.

Also, be aware that scientists are influenced by the sources of their
funding. When I was studying a biocontrol agent for use against
powdery mildews, the sponsor wanted me to test the agent in its
commercial formulation. I asked for the formulation alone, to use as
a control. They didn't want me to do that. I insisted. And found
out that what really controlled the mildew was the formulation, not
the biocontrol agent.

So don't believe everything you hear, even if a scientist says it.
The key to believable information is repeatability. If lots of
people can duplicate findings, it's probably a true phenomena.

As far as Superthrive is concerned, one would have to set up an
experiment to take into account the additional fertilizer in the
product. If you treated some plants with Superthrive and others with
water, the Superthrive plants would be getting higher levels of
nutrients independent of whatever B-1 was or wasn't doing.
--
Nina Shishkoff

Frederick, MD

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++