Beruflich Dokumente
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Chapter 13
Inferential Statistics
Inferential stats are used to determine whether we
can make statements that the results found in the
present experiment reflect a true difference in the
entire population of interest and not just the sample
used in the experiment.
Therefore inferential statistics allow us to make
predictions about the entire population based on the
findings of sample groups.
Inferential statistics give a probability that the
difference between the two means from the sample
used in the experiment represents a true difference
based on the manipulation of the IV, and not random
error.
Null and Research Hypotheses
Null hypothesis states simply that the
population means (after conducting the
experiment) are equal and that any observed
differences are due to random error.
Alternative hypothesis states that the
population means are not equal and therefore
the treatment or independent variable had an
effect.
Statistical significance indicates that there
is a low probability that the difference between
the obtained sample was due to random error.
Alpha level -pre-determined probability level
used to make a decision about statistical
significance.
Probability and Sampling distributions
Probability likelihood of the occurrence or some
event or outcome.
Statistical Significanceis a matter of probability.
Sampling distribution probability distributions
based on many different samples taken over and over
and shows the frequency of different sample
outcomes from many separate random samples.
Sampling distribution- is based on the assumption
that the null hypothesis is true.
Critical Values are obtained from Sampling
Distributions and they are calculations of probability
based on sample size and degrees of freedom
Sample Size
The sample size also has an effect on
determining statistical significance.
The more samples you collect, the more
likely you are to obtain an accurate
estimate of the true population value
Thus, as your sample size increases, you
can be more confident that your outcome
is actually different from the expectations
of the null hyp
Differential Statistics
T-tests
and F-tests are differential statistics
because they detect differences between
groups.
The sampling distribution of all possible t values
has a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1
It reflects all the possible outcomes we could expect
if we compared the means of two groups and the
null hypothesis is correct
T-test
The calculated t value is a ratio of two aspects of
the data
The difference between the group means
The variability within groups