Chapter 1 (second half) Module (Ethics and Statistical Reasoning)

Question 1

Research Ethics Code

Answer 1

1) Obtain Informed Consent

2) Protect participants from greater-than-usual harm and discomfort

3) Keep information about participants confidential

4) Fully debrief participants afterwards, including temporary deception

Question 2

Informed Consent

Answer 2

Giving potential participants enough information about a study to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate.

Question 3

Debrief

Answer 3

The postexperimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants.

Question 4

Institutional Review Boards

Answer 4

Screen research proposals and safeguard the rights, welfare and well-being of human research participants.

Question 5

Descriptive Statistics

Answer 5

Help to generally describe data quickly.

Ex. A graph

Question 6

Measure of Central Tendency

Answer 6

A single number communicating the “centre” of data.

Mean
Mode
Median

Question 7

Mode

Answer 7

The most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution.

Question 8

Mean

Answer 8

The arithmetic average of a distribution obtained by adding the scores and then dividing by the number of scores.

A few atypical scores may distort it.

Question 9

Median

Answer 9

The middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and half are below it.

Question 10

Range

Answer 10

The gap between the lowest and highest score.

Crude estimate of variation.

Question 11

Standard Deviation

Answer 11

Determining if scores are packed together or dispersed.

A computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score.

Smaller standard deviation is better because it is more clustered around the mean.

Question 12

Normal Curve

Answer 12

When data collection naturally forms a symmetrical bell-shaped distribution - with more at the means and less at the extremeties.

Question 13

Inferential Statistics

Answer 13

Help us determine if results can be generalized to a larger population (all those in a group being studied).

Question 14

When is an observed difference reliable (safe to generalize)?

Answer 14

1) Representative samples are better than biased (unrepresentative) samples.

2) Less-variable observations are more reliable than those that are more variable.

3) More cases are btter than fewer.

Question 15

Null Hypothesis

Answer 15

The assumption that no differences exist between groups.

Question 16

Statistically Significant

Answer 16

A statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance if the null hypothesis were true.

Large sample with big difference between participants = higher chance of statistical significance.

Less than 5% chance that the results are just chance (probability of the null hypothesis).

Not the same as practical significance.

Question 17

Alternative Hypothesis

Answer 17

A difference does exist between the groups being studied.

Question 18

Effect Size

Answer 18

The size difference between groups.