PSY 250 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Statistical Inference, Descriptive Statistics, Central Tendency
Document Summary
Descriptive statistics allow us to summarize datasets. Tell us in general what dataset looks like. Inferential statistics procedures that use descriptive statistics from sample to test hypotheses about populations. Set of data or scores (summarized with descriptive statistics) Skewness matters because it determines how we"re going to conduct our inferential statistics. Bimodal two main points where heavy data collects. Central tendency how participants scored overall; a typical score in a distribution. Mean (m) add all the scores and divided by the number of scores (average) Indicates central tendency with interval or ratio scales. Median (mdn) the middlemost score, or score that divides the group in half (with 50% scoring below and 50% scoring above the median) Indicates central tendency with ordinal, interval, and ratio scales. Indicates central tendency with all scales including nominal scales. Variability how widely the distribution of scores is spread. Range difference between highest and lowest score.