7.4: Levels of measurement

Question 1

What is meant by a Type I error? (2 marks)

Answer 1

A Type I error occurs when a researcher claims support for the research hypothesis with a significant result when the results were caused by random variables

Question 2

What is meant by a Type II error? (2 marks)

Answer 2

A Type II error occurs when the effect the researcher was attempting to demonstrate does exist, but the researcher claims there was no significance in the results/erroneously accepts the null hypothesis

Question 3

In a study of antisocial activity and social background, researchers interviewed 100 children aged 14 years. They then classified each child according to their level of antisocial activity. They concluded that 26 were ‘very antisocial’, 40 were ‘mildly antisocial’ and 34 were ‘not antisocial’. The researchers found that the majority of
the ‘very antisocial’ children attended Crayford secondary school, whereas most of the other two groups of children attended another local school.

What level of measurement is being used in this study? (1 mark)

Answer 3

Nominal/categorical level

Question 4

In a study of antisocial activity and social background, researchers interviewed 100 children aged 14 years. They then classified each child according to their level of antisocial activity. They concluded that 26 were ‘very antisocial’, 40 were ‘mildly antisocial’ and 34 were ‘not antisocial’. The researchers found that the majority of
the ‘very antisocial’ children attended Crayford secondary school, whereas most of the other two groups of children attended another local school.

Explain one limitation of the level of measurement you have identified in your answer previously (2 marks)

Answer 4

Categorical data is crude/unsophisticated/does not enable very sensitive analysis, because it does not yield a numerical result for each participant