Description
PSY 380 Topic 1 Discussion Question 1
Why is it important to learn statistics in the study of psychology? Give three examples to support your answer. Include in your answer how descriptive and inferential statistics are used in psychology?
You may use your textbook to support your reasoning.
PSY 380 Topic 1 Discussion Question 2
Open MindTap and search the Learn It and Apply It tabs. Begin the Chapter 1 Mastery Training and give three examples of what you found and how it will help you in the course. How are you going to manage time and workload in MindTap throughout the topic?
PSY 380 Topic 2 Discussion Question 1
Identify the three measures of central tendency. How do you know which measure of central tendency is appropriate? How are the measures of central tendency found using SPSS? During an experiment, why is it important for a researcher to find the central tendency of a probability distribution?
PSY 380 Topic 2 Discussion Question 2
Explain what is measured by each of the following: Sum of Squares (SS), Variance, Standard Deviation. Why is it essential to understand the difference between sample statistics and population parameters (e.g., when to use n-1 when calculating variance)?
PSY 380 Topic 3 Discussion Question 1
You and a friend are talking about the probability of getting a heads on a single toss of a fair coin. Your friend insists that you are more likely to get a heads on a single toss of a fair coin than a tails. Is your friend correct, why or why not? If we were to toss the fair coin an infinite number of times, what would we expect?
PSY 380 Topic 3 Discussion Question 2
A population distribution is standardized to produce a new distribution. What is the standardized distribution called? What information is provided by the sign (+/-) of a z-score? What information is provided by the numerical value of the z-score?
PSY 380 Topic 4 Discussion Question 1
Describe the purpose of hypothesis testing. Explain the four steps of hypothesis testing while using an important current event in which you could study.
PSY 380 Topic 4 Discussion Question 2
To Set the Criteria for the Decision (step 2 in hypothesis testing) we must identify the critical value and the rejection region. What information do you need to set the criteria? How do you determine when to use a one-tailed test? When do you use a two-tailed test?
PSY 380 Topic 5 Discussion Question 1
The first problem we confront in analyzing data is determining the appropriate statistical test. Under what circumstances is a t statistic used instead of a z-score in a hypothesis test? Give an example of both a t statistic and z-score.
PSY 380 Topic 5 Discussion Question 2
When hypothesis testing, when might you use one-independent sample t-test versus a two-independent samples t-test? Provide an example of each for a proposed research study.
PSY 380 Topic 6 Discussion Question 1
When is the analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical test necessary instead of a t test? Compare an ANOVA with a t test and provide an example of each.
PSY 380 Topic 6 Discussion Question 2
What is a post-hoc test and why it is necessary when rejecting the null hypothesis with an analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical test? Describe what a post hoc test detects. Explain an experiment in which you as a researcher would run a post hoc test. Why?
PSY 380 Topic 7 Discussion Question 1
A correlation measures and describes the linear relationship between two variables. The relationship is described using a +/- and a numerical value. Define what each indicates about the relationship. Give an example of two variables that seem to be related, and thus have a correlation, but have nothing to do with each other.
PSY 380 Topic 7 Discussion Question 2
Go to correlated.org and find two correlations and evaluate the significance. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of correlational studies you examined. Discuss concepts such as positive and negative correlation, correlation coefficients, and causality specifically with the correlational output evaluated.
PSY 380 Topic 8 Discussion Question 1
Explain the difference between the predictor and the criterion variable in linear regression. Give an example of a predictor and criterion variable and how you would use each variable in a study.
PSY 380 Topic 8 Discussion Questions 2
Explain the difference between a chi-square test for independence and a chi-square goodness of fit test. How would you know which test to use? As a researcher, explain the different variables you would use for each test and why.
