Measurement and Descriptive Statistics

Question 1

What factors should you control in a performance test?

Answer 1

• Familiarization
  -Verbal Encouragement
• Music
  -Feedback
  -Physiological measurements

Familiarization with Test:
If participants aren’t familiar with the test or how it works, their initial performance might not reflect their true abilities. They could struggle with understanding the instructions, the format, or the tasks involved. Familiarization allows participants to practice and get used to the test, reducing the chances of confusion during the actual assessment. This way, the results are more likely to accurately represent their skills.

Verbal Encouragement:
Verbal encouragement can significantly boost participants’ motivation and confidence. When they feel cheered on, they might put in more effort and feel less nervous, leading to improved performance. However, if encouragement is inconsistent or not given to all participants, it could create unequal conditions that affect the fairness of the results. So, while encouragement can enhance performance, researchers need to ensure it’s applied consistently to all participants.

Impact of Music:
Music can influence a person’s mood, concentration, and energy level. If the chosen music is motivating and aligns with the task, it might enhance performance for some individuals. However, for others, music might be distracting or interfere with their focus. The type of music, volume, and personal preferences can all impact how participants perform. Researchers need to consider if music should be allowed and if it might affect participants differently.

Performance Feedback:
Providing feedback on performance can alter how participants approach the test. Positive feedback might boost their confidence and encourage them to maintain their efforts, potentially improving their results. Negative feedback could demotivate them or cause them to change their strategy. However, feedback might not be realistic in all scenarios (such as real-life situations where feedback isn’t immediate), so researchers must weigh the benefits of feedback against its potential to influence outcomes.

Physiological Measures:
Physiological measures offer insights into how a participant’s body responds during the test. Stress, excitement, or anxiety can influence physiological responses like heart rate and sweating. If the test aims to measure performance under pressure, these physiological changes might be relevant. However, physiological responses can be influenced by factors unrelated to the task itself, such as general anxiety or health conditions. Researchers need to carefully interpret these measures to avoid misattributing changes solely to the task’s demands.

Question 2

Pearsons r

Answer 2

(relatedness) Statistical measure that quantifies the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two continuous variables. In other words, it tells you how closely two sets of data points move together on a straight line. The coefficient ranges from -1 to 1:

Question 3

Interclass correlation coefficient (ICC)

Answer 3

-Determines how similar groups are.
-High ICC (Close to 1) indicates very similar
-Low ICC (Close to 0) indicates dissimilar
-Middle ICC (Between 0 and 1) indicates a balance between what makes them different and similar

Question 4

Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Answer 4

-helps you determine how much variation is in your data.
-Very important when comparing data sets which might have different units or scales.
-High CV means the data is very spread out and lots of variation
-Low CV little variation
-expressed as a % and helps you quickly understand how consistent or variable a set of data is in relation to the mean

Question 5

Limits of Agreement (LOA)

Answer 5

-Used to understand the agreement or disagreement between two different measurements or methods that are meant to measure the same thing (think traditional scale vs digital scale)

Question 6

Measurement

Answer 6

The assignment of numerals to the properties of objects according to rules

Question 7

What are some of the forms of measurement?

Answer 7

1. Tests (fitness, cognitive, mobility, lab)
   2.Questionnaires
2. Electronic diaries
3. Interviews
4. Observations
5. Physical assessments (BMI, steps, sleep)
6. Body Camera
7. Eye-tracking

Question 8

What statistical methods are used to measure central tendency?

Answer 8

1. Mean: average
2. Median: middle score
3. Mode: most frequent score

Question 9

What statistical methods are used to measure variability?

Answer 9

1. Standard deviation
2. Range
3. Variance
4. Inter-quartile range (IQR)
5. Mean average deviation (MAD)
6. Coefficient of variation (standard deviation/mean)

Question 10

What statistical methods are used to measure distribution?

Answer 10

1. Normal distribution
2. Skewness: symmetric vs. skewed distribution
3. Kurtosis: flat vs. peaked

Question 11

Can variance be a negative number?

Answer 11

No, variance cannot be a negative number. Variance is a statistical measure that quantifies how much the values in a dataset vary or spread out from the mean (average). It’s always a non-negative value, which means it’s equal to or greater than zero.