Week 3 - Descriptive statistics and statistical models Flashcards
It is critical in psychological research to operationalise key terms because…
a. Most variables are not latent.
b. DVs and IVs are typically correlated.
c. The reader may conflate the aim and hypothesis.
d. The reader needs to know what is actually being studied.
d. The reader needs to know what is actually being studied.
A normal distribution as a…
a. Bell shape
b. Positive skew
c. A mean that is far from the mode
d. Platykurtic distribution
a. Bell shape
“It was predicted that individuals who completed more years of education would have lower cardiovascular disease burden”. What is the correct characterisation of this statement?
a. It is a statement of fact.
b. It is a directional aim.
c. It is a non-directional research question.
d. It is a directional hypothesis.
d. It is a directional hypothesis.
We use the terms independent variable and dependent variable for….
a. Cross-sectional but not longitudinal designs
b. Experimental and quasi-experiential designs
c. Longitudinal but not cross-sectional designs
d. Observational research
b. Experimental and quasi-experiential designs
We use the terms predictor variable and outcome variable in…
a. When doing ANOVAs
b. Experimental research
c. Quasi-experimental research
d. Observational research
d. Observational research
We are running a study manipulating bedroom light levels to investigate effects on sleep efficacy. What is the (1) IV and what is the (2) DV?
a. (1) sleep efficacy, (2) bedroom environment as an umbrella term
b. (1) sleep efficacy, (2) bedroom light
c. (1) bedroom light, (2) sleep efficacy
d. (1) sleep as an umbrella term, (2) bedroom light
c. (1) bedroom light, (2) sleep efficacy
We are running a study investigating the association between depression symptoms at age 50 and blood pressure variability at age 80. Our (1) predictor and (2) outcome variables are…?
a. Neither, they are IVs and DVs
b. (1) depression and (2) blood pressure variability
c. (1) blood pressure (regardless of variability) and (2) depression
d. (1) blood pressure variability and (2) depression
b. (1) depression and (2) blood pressure variability
What is not a property of a distribution?
a. Central tendency
b. Information across a dataset
c. Variability
d. Symmetry
b. Information across a dataset
What is not a measure of central tendency?
a. Skew
b. Mode
c. Mean
d. Median
a. Skew
Leptokurtic means…
a. Positive kurtosis
b. Positive skew
c. Negative skew
d. Negative kurtosis
a. Positive kurtosis
Weight data has been collected from newborn babies, how the data differs is referred to as…
a. Unknown error
b. Empirical factors
c. Variance
d. Inferential information
c. Variance
In relation to the hypothesis, ‘Intellectually disabled adolescents given different types of skills training programs (Group 1=Social Skills, Group 2=Daily Living Skills, Group 3=Both Social Skills and Daily Living Skills) will differ in their level of Assertiveness (measured on the Goldberg Assertiveness Scale).’
What are the assumptions for this statistical test?
a. Normality
b. Normality and equality/homogeneity of variances
c. Normality and linearity
d. Adequate cell size
b. Normality and equality/homogeneity of variances
A cognitive psychologist finds that the number of things a group of 1-year-old children can name are: 2,3,3,4,4,5,5,5,6,6,6,6,7,7,7,8,8,9,9,23. Upon examination of these data, the psychologist would probably decide that the most appropriate measure of central tendency would be
a. the mean
b. the median
c. the mode
d. standard error of the mean
b. the median
Error in statistical models…
a. Purely reflects measurement error
b. Is important to measure, report and interpret
c. Is only apparent on rare occasions
d. Is important to measure statistical significance
b. Is important to measure, report and interpret
The Shapiro-Wilk W statistic = 0.99. What does this mean?
a. The data are very likely skewed
b. The data are very likely non-normal
c. The data are very likely kurtotic
d. The data are near normal
The data are near normal
