Inductive Reasoning Examples
A brief write-up on inductive reasoning which will put forth some simple examples of the same - thus
making the concept simple and easier for you to understand. Continue reading...
Inducing is 'bringing about', while reasoning is 'arriving at a conclusion'. Therefore, inductive
reasoning is all about arriving at a conclusion on the basis of principle facts which guide you towards
the conclusion. Also known as inductive logic, it is one of the simplest tool of assessment which can
help you determine whether a person has the ability to work in unfamiliar conditions in a flexible
manner in order to solve the problem. While the critics have their own opinion about this concept, its
use in literature and problem solving speaks volumes for it.
What is Inductive Reasoning?
In psychology, inductive reasoning or 'induction' is defined as reasoning based on detailed facts and
general principles, which are eventually used to reach a specific conclusion. Interestingly, it is a type
of reasoning wherein the chances of the conclusion being false are significant even when all the
premises, on which the conclusion is based, are true.
It can be categorized into different types.
Casual inference
False analogy
Generalization
Simple induction
Statistical syllogism
While deductive reasoning goes from general to specific, inductive reasoning goes from specific to
general. In simple words, it is a form of reasoning which begins with a specific argument and arrives
at a general logical conclusion. In many cases, induction is termed as 'strong' and 'weak' on the basis
of the credibility of the argument put forth.
Example of Strong Inductive Reasoning
All the tigers observed in a particular region have yellow black stripes, therefore all the tigers native
to this region have yellow stripes.
Even though all the tigers that were observed sported yellow black stripes, the existence of a tiger
with black and white stripes cannot be ruled out. Taking that into consideration, we can assume that
the conclusion given in this example is not certain. However, the fact that the chances of coming
across a white tiger are rare owing to which we can accept this argument, and thus it qualifies to be a
good example of strong induction. Simply put a strong induction is one wherein the conclusion is
backed by the premises to a significant extent.
Example of Weak Inductive Reasoning
I always jump the red light, therefore everybody jumps the red light.
Unlike in the case of strong induction, the conclusion is not linked to premises when it comes to weak
induction. Concluding that everybody jumps the red light just because one person does so is not at all
an exercise of logical thinking. Simply put, a weak induction has a faulty logic in the backdrop.
More Examples
The relationship between the premises and proposition forms the base of any inductive reasoning
argument. Going through some examples of this form of reasoning will help you understand the
concept better. So let's go through some examples of the same in everyday life.
"Every time you eat shrimp, you get cramps. Therefore you get cramps because you eat shrimp."
"Mikhail hails from Russia and Russians are tall, therefore Mikhail is tall."
"When chimpanzees are exposed to rage, they tend to become violent. Humans are similar to
chimpanzees, and therefore they tend to get violent when exposed to rage."
"The women in the neighboring apartment has a shrill voice. I can hear a shrill voice from outside,
therefore the women in the neighboring apartment is shouting."
Comparing these examples with examples of deductive reasoning examples will give you a better idea
about the difference between the two. We may not realize this, but we do resort to inductive
reasoning for numerous day-to-day activities in our life. That being said, there also exist
circumstances wherein you are left with no other option but to rely on it - even when you think it is
unreliable.
By Abhijit Naik