PSYC 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Statistical Significance, Normal Distribution, Standard Deviation

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 1000
• Professor: Paula Barata

Document Summary

Second variable measured (y: success in graduate school. Determines if x and y are related statistically. Goal is to determine if variables are associated with eachother. Why: finding an association may help us better understand how each is developed (intelligence associated with creativity) Correlations are mathematically described by a correlation coefficient: ranges from -1. 0 to +1. 0, sing indicates direction (+ or -, absolute value indicates strength, 0 = no correlation, same direction = positive, different direction = negative. Advantages: show the strength of relationship present, can be used to make predictions about variables, identifies real world associations, useful where experiments are unethical. Effects of alcohol on fetus among pregnant women. Disadvantages: can"t assume cause and effect relationship exists, relationships may be due to a third unmeasured variable, correlation can show an association but not a cause. Mean: numerical value that represents the center of the distribution, average.