Psychology2016

A-14 APPENDIX A

A.4 Identify the types of statistics used to examine

variations in data.

• Measures of variability provide information about the differ-
  ences within a set of numbers and include the range and the
  standard deviation.

Inferential Statistics

A.5 Describe how inferential statistics can be used

to determine if differences in sets of data are large

enough to be due to something other than chance

variation.

• Inferential statistics involves statistical analysis of two or more sets
  of numerical data to reduce the possibility of error in measurement
  and determine statistical significance of the results of research.
  A.6 Explain how statistics are used to predict one score
  from another.


• The correlation coefficient is a number that represents the strength
  and direction of a relationship existing between two variables.

Test Yourself

Pick the best answer.

1. Polygons and histograms are examples of
   a. frequency distributions.
   b. correlations.
   c. inferential statistics.
   d. mode.


2. If a chart shows that more than 80 percent of the students received
   either an A or B in the class, one would describe the chart as
   a. normal distribution.
   b. positively skewed.
   c. negatively skewed.
   d. bell shaped.


3. Your psychology instructor posts the results of the midterm on a
   histogram chart. On the chart, you see a high frequency of Bs and
   a high frequency of Ds. How else might you describe the results?
   a. This is a normal curve.
   b. This chart is skewed and bimodal.
   c. This chart is a typical bell-shaped chart.
   d. This chart is incapable of expressing an accurate picture of the
   results.


4. The mean, median, and mode are all measures of
   a. correlations.
   b. inferential statistics.
   c. variability.
   d. central tendency.


5. Imagine that the following is a set of grades from your class’s first
   psychology exam: 71, 71, 71, 73, 75, 76, 81, 86, 97. What is the
   median score?
   a. 71
   b. 75
   c. 9
   d. 700


6. Imagine that the following is a set of grades from your first psychology
   exam: 71, 71, 71, 73, 75, 76, 81, 86, 97. What is the mode?
   a. 71
   b. 75
   c. 9
   d. 700


7. In the normal curve,
   a. the mean, median, and mode are all on the highest point of the
   curve.
   b. the mean is on the highest point, while the median and mode
   are on either side of the mean.
   c. the median is on the highest point, while the mean and mode
   are on either side of the median.
   d. the standard deviation is located at the highest point of the
   curve.


8. is a way of organizing numbers and summarizing
   them so that they can be understood, whereas
   allows researchers to draw conclusions about the results
   of research.
   a. Descriptive statistics; inferential statistics
   b. Inferential statistics; descriptive statistics
   c. Correlational research; mean statistics
   d. Inferential statistics; mean, medium, and mode


9. Dr. White finds that the results of his t-test are significant at
   p < 0.05. That means that he can be
   a. reasonably assured that the results are not due
   to chance.
   b. reasonably assured that the results are due to chance.
   c. 5 percent certain that the results are not due to chance.
   d. 95 percent certain that the results are not due
   to chance.


10. Your best friend tells you he got a correlational score of 14.6
    from the research he conducted. What can you infer from his
    finding?
    a. Your friend’s research shows only a small correlation since 14.6
    is close to zero.
    b. Your friend’s research shows a positive score in 14.6, and
    therefore a positive relationship exists.
    c. Your friend’s research is inconclusive. You need more than a
    correlational score of 14.6 to know if there is any statistical sig-
    nificance.
    d. Your friend’s analysis is flawed. Correlational scores only range
    from −1.00 to +1.00.

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