Please explain how the unit of analysis plays a part in ecological inference and ecological fallacy.

What will be an ideal response?

Sometimes researchers conduct what is called a cross-level analysis. In this type of analysis, researchers use data collected for one unit of analysis to make inferences about another unit of analysis. A frequent goal of cross-level analysis is making ecological inference, the use of aggregate data to study the behavior of individuals. Yet, if a relationship is found between group indicators or characteristics, it does not necessarily mean that a relationship exists between the characteristics for individuals in the group. Using information that shows a relationship for groups to infer that the same relationship exists for individuals when in fact there is no such relationship at the individual level is called an ecological fallacy.