Graphs in psychology

Question 1

What data does a scatter gram show?

Answer 1

• Correlational data.

Question 2

What data does a histogram show?

Answer 2

• Continuous data.

Question 3

What data does a bar chart show?

Answer 3

• Non-continuous data.

Question 4

What data does a line graph show?

Answer 4

• More than one set of data.

Question 5

What data does a pie chart show?

Answer 5

• To show part-to-whole.

Question 6

Histogram- more info

Answer 6

• Continuous data (e.g. height, temp, time).
• No space between the bars.
• Each column on a histogram represents a ‘class interval’ that runs continuously into the other e.g. 0-10 yrs, 11-20 yrs….

Question 7

Bar chart- more info

Answer 7

• Non-continuous data.
• Normally presented in separate categories.
  e.g. men, women + pet owners, non-pet owners etc.
• The columns in bar charts do not touch each other (represents separation).

Question 8

Line graph- more info

Answer 8

• More than one set of data.
• Data is continuous.
• The IV is plotted along the x-axis and the DV is plotted on the y-axis.
• The data points are plotted + then joined up with straight lines.

Question 9

Pie chart- more info

Answer 9

• To show part-to-whole comparisons.
• May be asked to make estimates from pie charts.