parsimony
/ˈpɑːrsɪmoʊni/
Definition
The principle of selecting the simplest scientific model that adequately explains the observed data, often by minimizing the number of unnecessary parameters.
Etymology
The word originates from the Latin 'parsimonia,' meaning frugality or sparingness, derived from the verb 'parcere,' to spare. It entered English in the 16th century, retaining the core sense of being economical or thrifty.
In the news
In the context of evaluating cognitive models, the article highlights the need for researchers to balance a model's goodness of fit with parsimony. This ensures that models are not overly complex and remain efficient in their explanatory power.
New Content From Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science
Read the full article ↗Association for Psychological Science – APS