The Use of Statistics in Psychology - Essay Example

Importance and Uses of Statistics Grade The Uses of Statistics in Psychology Introduction Statistics is a mathematical branch that involves the collection, analysis and interpretation of numerical data, with a purpose of drawing conclusions for a selected or target population from the selected sample (Coolidge, 2013). Statistics help in data presentation and making inferences from the analyzed data. The original purpose of statistics is cataloguing, which can be informative or practical. According to Krishnan (2006), the coupling of statistics with the probability theory enhances the ability to draw conclusions on a population from a sample of the same population, in addition to measuring the differences and relationships amongst the population data (Krishnan, 2006). The use of the probability theory also helps in the reliable measurement of population distribution. In statistics, the target population is the total population the research targets, whereas a sample is a portion of the target population selected by a researcher (Coolidge, 2013). This paper seeks to define statistics, its components and examples, as well as its use and importance in the field of psychology. The paper will also focus on the uses of statistics and the different methods of data collection and analysis techniques. It will also explore the differences between quantitative and qualitative studies, and the data analysis techniques used in each of the studies. Additionally, data analysis techniques will be explored and discussed, including ANOVA tests, correlations and T-tests. The interaction and relation of variables will also be explored, in addition to the significance of statistics. Importance and Uses of Statistics The basic use and importance of statistics is to get information through effective data analysis (Coolidge, 2013). In statistics, data refers to numerical facts that have been collected for inference, whereas information refers to the knowledge communicated or inferences made with regard to the analyzed data. As a matter of fact, statistics acts as an effective tool for understanding numerical data (Coolidge, 2013). There are two types of statistics, namely; descriptive statistics, which involves organization and analysis of information from data, and inferential statistics, which involves the use of information from a sample to draw conclusions about the target population. Statistics use the mean (average), median and mode as the basic measures of central tendency (Steinberg & Price, 2008). Statistics help psychologists to present data in a simpler way for easier comprehension through the use of graphs, charts, frequency distribution tables, histograms or pie charts. They also help in making accurate descriptions and presenting field data. Inferential statistics help in making easier and reliable inferences about a population from the sample data (Bendat & Piersol, 2010). The use of statistics in a study makes it easier to describe relations and interactions among individuals and variables in a research study. In this case, individuals refer to the characters involved in the study whereas, a variable is the measurable characteristic of individuals (Sigali, 2013). Variables can be quantitative or qualitative, and are defined as being either independent or dependent. An independent variable is that which can be manipulated by the researcher, such as the type of information, whereas a dependent variable is the measurable characteristic of the independent variable, such as the amount of information (Sigali, 2013). Additionally, a quantitative variable consists of a numerical value for which computation can be applied, whereas a qualitative variable is a description of an individual through grouping. P values in statistics refer to the probability of achieving similar results, or greater results, if the null hypothesis (H0) is true. P values are used to minimize the level of uncertainty in probability and samples, with the statistically significant P value being (p Read More