Lecture 12

Question 1

Categorical Variable

Answer 1

Nominal–categories the sample distinctly falls into

Question 2

Continuous Variable

Answer 2

Interval–a variable that can be measured to any level of precision

Question 3

Dependent Variable

Answer 3

Outcome Variable

A Variable whose measure is based on the manipulation of the predictor (IV) variable

Question 4

Independent Variable

Answer 4

Predictor Variable

A variable that is manipulated in order to make changes on the outcome (DV) variable

Question 5

MATCHED SAMPLES

Answer 5

Looking at two samples, in a group or in two points in time.

Question 6

Standard Error of difference between means

Answer 6

LOOKIT UP

Question 7

When would you conduct a one-sample t-test?

Answer 7

*Used to compare the sample mean of a variable (DV) with a “test value”

Example: Determine if depression is more/less apparent in teenage boys who play sports, using a standardized test called the KUDI.
You test 30 subjects, and compare their outcome sample mean to the standardized score set for teenage boys.

Question 8

When would you conduct a paired-samples t-test?

Answer 8

• Used to compare means of a single sample in a longitudinal design with only two time points (e.g., pre and post test).
• Can be used to compare the means of two variables (e.g. depression and quality of life).

Question 9

When would you conduct an independent-samples t-test?

Answer 9

*Used to compare the means of two independent samples (a subject cannot be in both groups) on a given variable

Question 10

Requirements of IV and DV in an independent-sample t-test

Answer 10

• One categorical/nominal IV, with two levels or groups

* One continuous/interval/ratio DV

Question 11

What is the null hypothesis for all the types of sampled t-tests?

Answer 11

The mean difference between the two comparison groups = 0

Question 12

What is the null hyp for Levene’s test of the equality (of error) variances?

Answer 12

It evaluates the variance between the groups to ensure the assumption of homogeneity of variances.

Ho = Xa = Xb

Question 13

What if the outcome of the null hyp for Levene’s test is not significant?

Answer 13

If it is not significant, then we assume that we have equal variances.

**If p > .05, accept the null

Question 14

What if the outcome of the null hyp for Levene’s test IS significant?

Answer 14

If it is significant, we MAY NOT assume that we have equal variances.

**If p

Question 15

If given a 95% confidence interval around two group means for an independent-samples t test, be able to
test the null hypothesis that the mean difference between two group means is zero (or that the two group means are equal).

Answer 15

1. Examine Levene’s test for equality of variances
   * *SPSS finds it for you, along with the F-value.
   * * Find the p- value (also 1 - F)
   * *Compare p-value with .05…is is significant or not?
2. Depending on if it is significant or not, use the corresponding data in the SPSS output chart.
3. Looking at the CI values, determine if 0 would fall in that range.
   * *If 0 is present, you fail to reject the null, because the difference between the two means is not significantly different from 0

Question 16

Comparing the observed t to the critical t

Answer 16

observed t > critical = significant/reject null

Question 17

What does the t value comparison tell us

Answer 17

It determines if the difference in means is statistically different from zero