PSYC FPX 4700 Assessment 1 Basics of Research and Statistics Frequency Distributions Percentiles and Graphical Representations
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Capella University
PSYC FPX 4700 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences
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Date
PSYC FPX 4700 Assessment 1 Basics of Research and Statistics Frequency Distributions Percentiles and Graphical Representations
Research and statistics provide the foundation for understanding how data are collected, organized, analyzed, and interpreted. This assessment focuses on essential statistical concepts, including independent and dependent variables, samples and populations, frequency distributions, percentages, percentiles, and graphical representations. It also introduces JASP, a statistical software program that can be used to organize data and create frequency tables and graphs.
Complete all problems in the provided Word document. Do not submit additional files unless specifically instructed. For questions that involve calculations, show your work so that the calculation process is easy to follow. Make sure each final answer is clearly visible. You may highlight your answers or use a different font color to distinguish them from the questions.
Problem Set 1.1: Identifying Variables
Criterion: Identify dependent and independent variables.
Researchers use variables to examine relationships between different factors. An independent variable is the factor that is manipulated or used to predict changes, while a dependent variable is the outcome being measured. A quasi-independent variable is a naturally occurring characteristic or group difference that cannot be directly manipulated by the researcher.
For each scenario below, identify the independent variable, quasi-independent variable when applicable, and dependent variable.
Scenario 1: Cocaine Use and Impulsive Behavior
A researcher investigates whether cocaine use increases impulsive behavior by comparing cocaine-dependent mice with mice that have no previous experience with cocaine.
Independent Variable: __________
Quasi-Independent Variable: __________
Dependent Variable: __________
Scenario 2: Test Format and Student Performance
A professor examines whether students perform differently when completing a multiple-choice test compared with a fill-in-the-blank test.
Independent Variable: __________
Quasi-Independent Variable: __________
Dependent Variable: __________
Scenario 3: Parental Smoking and Children’s Attitudes
A researcher examines whether parents’ smoking behavior influences their children’s attitudes toward smoking.
Independent Variable: __________
Quasi-Independent Variable: __________
Dependent Variable: __________
Scenario 4: Political Affiliation and Moral Attitudes
A social scientist investigates whether attitudes toward morality differ according to political affiliation, such as Democrat or Republican.
Independent Variable: __________
Quasi-Independent Variable: __________
Dependent Variable: __________
Scenario 5: Culture and Beliefs About Dreams
A cultural researcher examines whether people from different cultural backgrounds differ in their beliefs about whether dreams have meaning.
Independent Variable: __________
Quasi-Independent Variable: __________
Dependent Variable: __________
Problem Set 1.2: Understanding Samples and Populations
Criterion: Describe the relationship between a population and a sample.
A population refers to the entire group that a researcher wants to understand, whereas a sample is a smaller group selected from that population. Researchers commonly use samples because studying an entire population may be impractical, expensive, or impossible.
Height and Educational Attainment
Szklarska et al. (2007) proposed that taller young men may be more likely to achieve higher levels of educational attainment than shorter individuals from similar social backgrounds. The researchers recruited 91,373 nineteen-year-old men to participate in the study.
Question: Do these participants most likely represent a sample or a population? Explain your answer.
Response: ______________________________________________________
Problem Set 1.3: Creating a Dataset for JASP
Criterion: Enter and display data for use in JASP.
JASP can be used to organize and analyze quantitative data. Before importing data into JASP, the dataset can be created in Microsoft Excel and saved as a CSV file.
Five social media users spent the following number of minutes viewing Twitter:
15.21, 46.18, 12.45, 65.486, 26.852
Follow these steps to prepare the dataset:
- Open Microsoft Excel.
- Enter Minutes in cell A1.
- Treat the Minutes variable as a continuous variable.
- Enter the five values in cells A2 through A6.
- Save the spreadsheet as a .csv file.
- Open JASP.
- Select the menu option and navigate to Open, then select Computer.
- Locate the CSV file and open it in JASP.
- Confirm that the Minutes variable and all five observations are displayed correctly.
- Take a screenshot of the dataset in JASP and paste the screenshot into the Word document.
Problem Set 1.4a: Grouped and Ungrouped Data
Criterion: Explain how different types of data are identified.
Grouped data organize observations into categories, intervals, or other meaningful groups. Ungrouped data present individual observations without combining them into categories.
Complete the table by identifying whether each example represents grouped or ungrouped data and explain your reasoning.
| Example | Grouped or Ungrouped | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| The time, measured in seconds, that 100 children take to complete a cognitive skills game. | __________ | __________ |
| The number of single mothers who have 1, 2, 3, or 4 children. | __________ | __________ |
| The number of teenagers who have experimented with smoking, reported as yes or no. | __________ | __________ |
| The ages, in years, of freshman students at a local college. | __________ | __________ |
Problem Set 1.4b: Descriptive and Inferential Statistics
Criterion: Explain the identification of types of data.
Descriptive statistics summarize and organize information collected from a sample or population. Inferential statistics use sample data to make estimates, predictions, or conclusions about a larger population.
Gun Ownership in the United States
Gallup polling data collected over several decades provide information about reported gun ownership in the United States. The following table shows the percentage of Americans who reported owning guns during five different years.
| Year | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 1972 | 43% |
| 1982 | 42% |
| 1992 | 48% |
| 2002 | 40% |
| 2012 | 43% |
Source: Gallup, Guns.
Question 1: Are the percentages reported in this table examples of descriptive statistics or inferential statistics?
Answer: __________
Question 2: Based on the percentages shown, how has reported gun ownership in the United States changed over the 40-year period?
Answer: ______________________________________________________
Problem Set 1.5: Reading a Chart
Criterion: Locate and interpret data presented in a chart.
Charts and tables allow researchers to compare numerical information quickly. Carefully examine the participant characteristics below and answer the questions.
Participant Characteristics
| Profession | Type Count | Token Count |
|---|---|---|
| College Professor | 24,541 | 878,261 |
| Clinical Psychologist | 23,617 | 751,188 |
| Unknown | 479 | 927 |
| Total | 1,630,376 |
Question 1: Do college professors or clinical psychologists in this sample speak more words overall, based on Token Count?
Answer: __________
Question 2: Do college professors or clinical psychologists in this sample use more different words, based on Type Count?
Answer: __________
Problem Set 1.6: Frequencies and Percentages
Criterion: Identify the most appropriate frequency or percentage measure.
Frequency distributions help researchers describe how often values or categories occur. Depending on the question, researchers may use frequency, relative frequency, relative percentage, cumulative frequency, cumulative relative frequency, or cumulative percentage.
For each situation below, identify the most appropriate measure. If a cumulative distribution is appropriate, specify whether it should be calculated from the top down or bottom up.
Situation 1
The frequency of businesses with at least 20 employees.
Answer: __________
Situation 2
The frequency of college students with a GPA below 3.0.
Answer: __________
Situation 3
The percentage of women who complete 1, 2, 3, or 4 tasks simultaneously.
Answer: __________
Situation 4
The proportion of pregnancies delivered in public or private hospitals.
Answer: __________
Situation 5
The percentage of people with alcohol-use problems who have more than two years of substance abuse.
Answer: __________
Problem Set 1.7: Understanding Percentages
Criterion: Identify a distribution type and calculate the corresponding number of participants.
Percentages make it easier to understand how responses are distributed across categories. Researchers can also use percentages to calculate the approximate number of people represented by a particular response.
Perceptions of Same-Sex Marriage
In June 2016, a CBS News poll asked adults whether same-sex couples should have the legal right to marry. The reported responses were:
- 58%: Legal
- 33%: Not legal
- 9%: Unsure or no answer
Assume that 1,280 adults were included in the national sample.
Question 1: What type of distribution is represented by these percentages?
Answer: __________
Question 2: Based on the 58% response, approximately how many of the 1,280 adults said same-sex couples should be legally allowed to marry?
Work: ______________________________________________________
Answer: __________
Problem Set 1.8: Creating an Ascending Frequency Table in JASP
Criterion: Create an ascending frequency table using JASP.
Use the clicks.jasp dataset for this activity. The dataset contains the number of clicks per hour recorded for 40 different tweets.
Complete the following steps:
- Download the clicks.jasp dataset.
- Double-click the file to open it in JASP.
- Select Descriptives from the toolbar.
- Select Clicks and use the arrow to move the variable into the Variables box.
- Select Tables.
- Check the option for Frequency Tables.
- Review the resulting frequency table.
- Copy and paste the ascending frequency table into the Word document.
Keep this dataset available because it will also be used for the following activities.
Problem Set 1.9: Creating a Bar Graph in JASP
Criterion: Construct a bar graph using JASP.
Continue using the clicks.jasp dataset, which contains the number of clicks recorded per hour for 40 different tweets.
Follow these steps to create a graphical representation of the data:
- Open the clicks.jasp dataset in JASP.
- Select Descriptives from the toolbar.
- Select Clicks and move it into the Variables box.
- Select Basic Plots.
- Choose Distribution Plots.
- Review the resulting graph.
- Copy and paste the graph into the Word document.
Optional: Describe the overall shape of the distribution.
Response: ______________________________________________________
Problem Set 1.10: Creating a Pie Chart in JASP
Criterion: Construct a pie chart using JASP.
Use the same clicks.jasp dataset to create a pie chart showing the distribution of the data.
Follow these steps:
- Open clicks.jasp in JASP.
- Select Descriptives from the toolbar.
- Move Clicks into the Variables box.
- Select Basic Plots.
- Choose Pie Charts.
- Review the generated pie chart.
- Copy and paste the completed pie chart into the Word document.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an independent and dependent variable?
An independent variable is the factor that a researcher manipulates or uses to compare groups, while the dependent variable is the outcome that is measured. For example, in a study examining whether a particular test format affects student performance, test format is the independent variable and test performance is the dependent variable.
What is a quasi-independent variable?
A quasi-independent variable is a naturally occurring characteristic or preexisting group difference. Unlike a traditional independent variable, it cannot normally be assigned or directly manipulated by the researcher. Examples can include political affiliation, cultural background, or previous experience.
What is the difference between a population and a sample?
A population includes the entire group a researcher is interested in studying. A sample is a smaller group selected from that population. Researchers commonly use samples to collect data and then determine whether the findings may apply to the larger population.
What are descriptive statistics?
Descriptive statistics summarize and present the characteristics of collected data. Common examples include frequencies, percentages, means, medians, standard deviations, tables, and graphs.
What are inferential statistics?
Inferential statistics allow researchers to use sample data to make conclusions, estimates, or predictions about a larger population. Inferential methods include hypothesis tests, confidence intervals, correlation, and regression.
What is a frequency distribution?
A frequency distribution organizes data according to how often each value or category occurs. Frequency tables are useful for identifying patterns and summarizing large amounts of data.
What is JASP used for?
JASP is a statistical analysis program designed to help users organize, analyze, and visualize data. It can generate descriptive statistics, frequency tables, graphs, and several types of statistical analyses through a user-friendly interface.
What is the difference between a bar graph and a pie chart?
A bar graph uses separate bars to compare frequencies or values across categories. A pie chart represents categories as portions of a complete circle and is particularly useful when showing how categories contribute to a whole.
Why are graphs useful in statistical analysis?
Graphs provide a visual way to identify patterns, differences, frequencies, and distributions. They can make large or complex datasets easier to understand and communicate.
References
Gallup. (n.d.). Guns. https://news.gallup.com/poll/1645/guns.aspx
JASP Team. (n.d.). JASP: A fresh way to do statistics. https://jasp-stats.org/
PSYC FPX 4700 Assessment 1 Basics of Research and Statistics Frequency Distributions Percentiles and Graphical Representations
OpenStax. (2020). Introductory statistics 2e. Rice University. https://openstax.org/details/books/introductory-statistics-2e
Szklarska, A., Koziel, S., Bielicki, T., & Malina, R. M. (2007). Influence of height on educational attainment in young Polish men. Annals of Human Biology, 34(3), 311–321. https://doi.org/10.1080/03014460701300750