FS_2.03 FREQUENTIST/CLASSICAL STATISTICAL INFERENCE

Question 1

TRUE OR FALSE: In classical (frequentist) inferential statistics, the central statistic in a sample distribution is often position (i.e., identified as to where it is located) along some theoretical (or expected; or ideal or reference) distribution.

Answer 1

TRUE.

Question 2

THINK! How is conditional probability of the true score of a distribution of empirical data estimated under the conditions of a theoretical distribution?

Answer 2

Measuring how far the center of the sample distribution (sample true score) is from the center of the theoretical distribution.

Question 3

TRUE OR FALSE: Measuring how far the center of the sample distribution (sample true score) is from the center of the theoretical distribution also implies the likelihood of the former occurring in the later.

Answer 3

TRUE.

Question 4

THINK! Why is the probability expression of P(central statistic of the empirical sample distribution | central statistic of the theoretical distribution) criticized as something inconsistent with true research endeavor?

Answer 4

It is because this expression positions a theory as if it is the true state of the world, and that the empirical sample is being tested against it. Research, as some would stipulate, is an endeavor where a theory is supposed to be tested against data.

Question 5

THINK! What do frequentist probabilities framing theories as King have to do with their “in the long run” stands?

Answer 5

(This is your own insight)

Because frequentist probabilities believe “in the long run”, they obviously cannot work with data in the future and so they have to look to theories to answer their questions. They describe P(A|B) as the likelihood of observing A under the condition of B (e.g., in the distribution of B) after a very large number of trials.