STATISTICS AND ITS ROLE IN PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH

STATISTICS a. Ordinal
- set of mathematical procedures for b. Nominal
organizing, summarizing, and
Parameter vs. Statistic
interpreting information.
Parameter – whole population
- used to organize and summarize the
Statistic – sample of the population
information so that the researchers
can see what happened in the study Descriptive vs. Inferential
and can communicate the results. Descriptive Statistics – describes,
- helps the researchers to answer the organizes, and summarizes
questions by determining exactly what information about an entire pop.
general conclusions are justified based e.g. 90% satisfaction of all customers
on the specific results that were Inferential Statistics – generalizes
obtained. about a population based on a sample
of data
Common Reasons for Using Samples
e.g. 90% satisfaction of a sample of 50
in Research
customers -> 90% satisfaction of all
 Impractical to survey every customers
member of a population
Descriptive Inferential
 Allows inferences about the
Describes the Make inferences
characteristics of a
target population from the sample
population
and generalize
 Samples can be helpful them to the
representations of the population
population in question Organize, Compares, test,
analyze, and and predicts
Variable and Data
present the data future outcomes
Variable – characteristic or condition in a meaningful
that changes or has a different values manner
for different individuals Final results are Final result is the
in charts, tables, probability scores
Data – measurements or observations and graphs
commonly called scores or raw scores Describes the Tries to make
data which is conclusions about
Classification of Variables already known the population
Variable (Data) that is beyond the
data available
1. Numerical Tools – Measures Tools – hypothesis
a. Discrete of Central tests, Analysis of
b. Continuous tendency, Spread Variance, etc.
2. Categorical
 STATISTICS AND ITS ROLE IN PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH
of Data (range, 1. Qualitative Research
standard a. Content Analysis
deviation, etc.) b. Historical
c. Ethnographic
Research Steps: Statistical Analysis 2. Quantitative Research
* Descriptive stats merely describe a. Experimental
data b. Single-Subject
- frequency c. Correlational
- central tendency d. Causal-Comparative
- variability e. Survey
3. Research by Practitioners
* Inferential stats used to test a. Action
hypotheses
- T-test Correlational Research
- ANOVA - Acc. To Creswell, it is used by
- Correlation investigators to describe and measure
- Regression the degree of relationship between
- Non-parametrics two or more variable or sets of scores
- A procedure in which subject’s
Sampling Error scores on two variables are simply
- the differences between the sample measured, without manipulation of
and the population that exist only any variables, to determine whether
because of the observations that there is a relationship
happened to be selected for the - Examines the relationship between
sample two or more non manipulated
variables
Increasing the sample size will reduce
this type of error Degrees of Correlation
Three categories: High, moderate, or
Potential Sources of Error in low degree
Estimating a Population Distribution
Using a Sample
Sampling error – because the sample
is not a whole population
Non-sampling error – poor sampling
method, questionnaire or
measurement error, behavioral effects

Types of Research Methodologies