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The T-Test: Inferences About Population Means
The T-Test: Inferences About Population Means
The T-Test: Inferences About Population Means
• Suppose
• Then
• If
The t Distribution
We use t when the population variance is unknown (the
usual case) and sample size is small (N<100, the usual
case). If you use a stat package for testing hypotheses
about means, you will use t.
The t distribution is a short, fat relative of the normal. The shape of t depends on
its df. As N becomes infinitely large, t becomes normal.
Degrees of Freedom
For the t distribution, degrees of freedom are always a
simple function of the sample size, e.g., (N-1).
Interval =
Interval is about 9 to 13 and contains 10, so
n.s.
Review
✓ How are the distributions of z and t related?
✓ Given that
tcrit = t(.05,10)=2.23
Review
✓What is the standard error of the
difference between means? What are
the factors that influence its size?
✓Describe a design (what IV? What
DV?) where it makes sense to use the
independent samples t test.
Dependent t (1)
Observations come in pairs. Brother, sister, repeated measure.
df=N(pairs)-
1
Dependent t (2)
Brother Sister Diff
5 7 2 1
7 8 1 0
3 3 0 1
Assumptions
• The t-test is based on assumptions of
normality and homogeneity of variance.
• You can test for both these (make sure
you learn the SAS methods).
• As long as the samples in each group
are large and nearly equal, the t-test is
robust, that is, still good, even tho
assumptions are not met.
Review
• Describe a design where it makes sense
to use a single-sample t.
• Describe a design where it makes sense
to use a dependent samples t.
Strength of Association (1)
• Scientific purpose is to predict or
explain variation.
• Our variable Y has some variance that
we would like to account for. There are
statistical indexes of how well our IV
accounts for variance in the DV. These
are measures of how strongly or closely
associated our Ivs and DVs are.
• Variance accounted for:
Strength of Association (2)
• How much of variance in Y is
associated with the IV?
Compare the 1st (left-most) curve with the curve in the
middle and the one on the right.
In each case, how
much of the variance
in Y is associated
with the IV, group
membership? More
in the second
comparison. As
mean diff gets big, so
does variance acct.
Association & Significance
• Power increases with association (effect
size) and sample size.
• Effect size:
• Significance = effect size X sample
size.
(independent (single
samples) sample)
2 sample t Power
Calculate sample size
proc power; Two-sample t Test for Mean Difference
twosamplemeans Fixed Scenario Elements
meandiff= .5 Distribution Normal
stddev=1 Method Exact
power=0.8 Mean Difference 0.5
ntotal=.;
Standard Deviation 1
run;
Nominal Power 0.8
Number of Sides 2
Null Difference 0
Alpha 0.05
Group 1 Weight 1
Group 2 Weight 1
Computed N Total
Actual N
Power Total
0.801 128
2 sample t Power The POWER Procedure
Two-Sample t Test for Mean Difference
• proc power; Fixed Scenario Elements
• twosamplemeans Distribution Normal
• meandiff = 5 [assumed Method Exact
Number of Sides 1
difference]
Mean Difference 5
• stddev =10 [assumed SD] Standard Deviation 10
• sides = 1 [1 tail] Total Sample Size 50
• ntotal = 50 [25 per Null Difference 0
Alpha 0.05
group]
Group 1 Weight 1
• power = .; *[tell me!]; Group 2 Weight 1
• run;
Computed Power
Power
0.539
Typical Power in Psych
• Average effect size is about d=.40.
• Consider power for effect sizes between
.3 and .6. What kind of sample size do
we need for power of .8?
proc power; Two-sample t Test for 1
twosamplemeans Computed N Total
meandiff= .3 to .6 by .1 Mean Actual N
stddev=1 Index Diff Power Total
power=.8 1 0.3 0.801 352
ntotal=.; 2 0.4 0.804 200
plot x= power min = .5 max=.95; 3 0.5 0.801 128
run; 4 0.6 0.804 90