PSYB01H3 Lecture : CHAPTER 13 b01.docx
Document Summary
Inferential statistics are used to determine whether we can, in fact, make statements that the results reflect what would happen if we were to conduct the experiment again and again with multiple samples. Equivalence of groups is achieved by experimentally controlling all other variables or by randomization. The assumption is that if the groups are equivalent, any differences in the dependent variable must be due to the effect of the independent variable. It is also true that the difference between any two groups will almost never be zero. Random or chance error will be responsible for some difference in the means even if the independent variable had no effect on the dependent variable. The difference in the sample means reflects any true difference in the population means plus any random error. Inferential statistics give the probability that the difference between means reflects random error rather than a real difference.
