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Psyc 200

The blog for Dr. Lindgren’s Fall 2009 Psychology Methods and Analysis Course at the University of Richmond

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Significance of Statistical Tests

Posted by Alexandra on November 4, 2009 in statistics

   When I originally found out that the Psych 200 class: Methods and Statistics, was actually a statistics class, I was genuinely confused. I had no idea why in order to major or minor in Psych I would have to be taking what seemed to be a math class. I thought all Psychology classes would simply focus on the mind and behaviors of people and animals.  One thing that has helped me understand how much statistics: experiments, control groups, z-scores, z-tests, single sample t-tests, independent groups t-tests, correlated groups t-tests etc…, has to do with psychology is the group project that our psych class is doing regarding the data on Heartland Alliance and UNICEF’s work on Iraq’s educational system.  All the psychological work being done in Iraq has been made possible because of statistics.  Statistics allows for all of Heartland Alliance and UNICEF’s work to be evaluated, in order to see how useful their work has been thus far.  Without statistics, experiments would have no way of being assessed. There would be no way to truly know which medicine’s could help which diseases, which chewing gums last longer, if cold weather changes people’s moods and so on so forth.  With the statistical tests mentioned above, all these things are able to be tested.  Because of statistical tests, this psych class can see how much UNICEF’s and Heartland Alliance’s intervention has helped the psychosocial disorders of the children and teachers in Iraq.

If the results of the tests show that the training has helped, then the same treatment can be continued and pursued in other countries with people that are suffering from psychosocial disorders, as well.  If the results from the statistical tests show that there has not been much of a change in the stability of the students and teachers in Iraq after the training then there should be a change in the program and training.  This is how statistical tests can be used to benefit many other programs around the world along with all experiments for the next cancer medication or even more simply the high school chem lab experiment.