This article explains and synthesizes two theoretical perspectives on the use of counterintuitive examples in statistics courses, using Simpson's Paradox as an example. While more research is encouraged, there is some reason to believe that selective use of such examples supports the constructivist pedagogy being called for in educational reform. A survey of college students beginning an introductory (non-calculus based) statistics course showed a highly significant positive correlation (r = .666, n = 97, p < .001) between interest in and surprise from a 5-point Likert scale survey of twenty true statistical statements in lay language, a result which suggests that such scenarios may motivate more than they demoralize, and an empirical extension of the model from the author's developmental dissertation research. [this paper was subsequently selected by the editors for inclusion in Getting the Best from Teaching Statistics, a collection of the best articles from volumes 15-21].
The CAUSE Research Group is supported in part by a member initiative grant from the American Statistical Association’s Section on Statistics and Data Science Education