The Process of Statistical Analysis in Psychology
Study Questions
Short Answer
1. What is the main difference between probability sampling and convenience sampling?
Ans: Probability sampling means that everyone in the population has a specific, predetermined likelihood of being selected for the sample, whereas convenience sampling means that researchers select who are easily available and convenient to study.
Learning Objective: 3-2: What are the different ways we can sample from a population?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Sampling Techniques
2. Explain how you could create a distribution of sample means by taking a large number of samples of 10 individuals each.
Ans: You would select a random sample of 10 individuals from the population and calculate its mean. Then, you put the 10 individuals back in the population and select another random sample of 10 individuals and calculate its mean. You repeat this process a very large number of times (ideally infinite), and make a frequency distribution of the sample means.
Learning Objective: 3-3: What is the distribution of sample means?
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: The Distribution of Sample Means