Assessment 1
Part 1: Introduction to Statistics in Psychology
A) Introduction to Research Methods
In this part of the assessment, we will examine data collected from the General Social Survey
(GSS), which was administered to a large, representative sample of American adults.
The GSS includes many different questions, but we will focus on two variables: Race and
Mntlhth.
• The Race variable classifies respondents into three categories: “Black,” “White,”
and “Other.”
• The Mntlhth variable measures the number of days an individual experienced
poor mental health in the past 30 days.
A researcher wants to use this dataset to determine if there are differences in the average
number of days with poor mental health among people of different races.
Directions: Use the scenario above to answer the questions below.
If a researcher using the GSS data finds that people of different races have different average
numbers of days with poor mental health, to which population can they generalize that
finding?
A researcher analyzing GSS data may observe differences in the average number of poor
mental health days across racial groups. Because the GSS is designed to be representative of
the entire adult population in the United States, the researcher can reasonably generalize
these findings to all American adults. The survey's methodology ensures that the sample
reflects a wide range of regions and demographic characteristics, supporting the validity of
such generalizations.
If the researcher finds that people of different races have different average numbers of days
with poor mental health, can they conclude that race caused these differences? Why or why
not?
When researchers identify a statistically significant difference, they should not automatically
conclude that race is the cause of variations in the average number of poor mental health
days. There are a few key reasons for this:
1. Causation vs. Correlation: A difference in outcomes across groups does not necessarily
imply that one factor causes the other. These variations may be influenced by other
underlying factors such as socioeconomic status, access to healthcare, education, or pre-
existing mental health conditions.
2. Research Design: To establish a causal relationship, a study must be specifically designed
for that purpose—typically through experimental methods, such as randomized controlled
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, trials. Since the GSS is an observational survey, it can only reveal correlations, not
causation. As such, any associations found in the data should be interpreted with caution
and not assumed to reflect direct causal effects.
The GSS’s Race variable has three categories: “Black,” “White,” and “Other.” How might these
limited options impact the study’s validity? (Most students will need 60-80 words to
completely address this question.)
The GSS’s race variable is limited to three broad categories: “Black,” “White,” and
“Other.” This simplification can significantly impact the validity of the study by failing to
capture the full spectrum of racial and ethnic diversity within the population. By grouping
diverse identities—such as multiracial individuals or specific ethnic subgroups—into the
vague “Other” category, the data may overlook important cultural and social nuances that
influence mental health outcomes. As a result, critical disparities among underrepresented
racial groups may be obscured, potentially distorting findings and limiting the study’s
applicability to the broader U.S. population.
B) Exploring Post-Graduation Opportunities
In this section, you will explore either a graduate program or a job posting related to
psychology that utilizes statistics.
Directions: Identify a graduate program (i.e., a master’s or doctoral program) or a job posting
related to psychology that involves statistics. If you select a graduate program, complete Option
A only. If you select a job posting, complete Option B only.
Option A: Complete this section if you selected a graduate program.
What is the name of the program
you selected?
Provide a link to your selected
program.
Are there any statistics-related
entrance requirements? If so,
describe them.
What statistics courses are students
in this program required to take?
Option B: Complete this section if you selected a job posting.
What is the job title? BCaBA Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst
Provide a link to your selected job www.indeed.com
posting.
What are the statistics-related job • Hold a current BcaBA certification and state
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Part 1: Introduction to Statistics in Psychology
A) Introduction to Research Methods
In this part of the assessment, we will examine data collected from the General Social Survey
(GSS), which was administered to a large, representative sample of American adults.
The GSS includes many different questions, but we will focus on two variables: Race and
Mntlhth.
• The Race variable classifies respondents into three categories: “Black,” “White,”
and “Other.”
• The Mntlhth variable measures the number of days an individual experienced
poor mental health in the past 30 days.
A researcher wants to use this dataset to determine if there are differences in the average
number of days with poor mental health among people of different races.
Directions: Use the scenario above to answer the questions below.
If a researcher using the GSS data finds that people of different races have different average
numbers of days with poor mental health, to which population can they generalize that
finding?
A researcher analyzing GSS data may observe differences in the average number of poor
mental health days across racial groups. Because the GSS is designed to be representative of
the entire adult population in the United States, the researcher can reasonably generalize
these findings to all American adults. The survey's methodology ensures that the sample
reflects a wide range of regions and demographic characteristics, supporting the validity of
such generalizations.
If the researcher finds that people of different races have different average numbers of days
with poor mental health, can they conclude that race caused these differences? Why or why
not?
When researchers identify a statistically significant difference, they should not automatically
conclude that race is the cause of variations in the average number of poor mental health
days. There are a few key reasons for this:
1. Causation vs. Correlation: A difference in outcomes across groups does not necessarily
imply that one factor causes the other. These variations may be influenced by other
underlying factors such as socioeconomic status, access to healthcare, education, or pre-
existing mental health conditions.
2. Research Design: To establish a causal relationship, a study must be specifically designed
for that purpose—typically through experimental methods, such as randomized controlled
This study source was downloaded by 100000900706475 from CourseHero.com on 09-13-2025 11:37:03 GMT -05:00
1
https://www.coursehero.com/file/251432530/3700-assessment-1docx/
, trials. Since the GSS is an observational survey, it can only reveal correlations, not
causation. As such, any associations found in the data should be interpreted with caution
and not assumed to reflect direct causal effects.
The GSS’s Race variable has three categories: “Black,” “White,” and “Other.” How might these
limited options impact the study’s validity? (Most students will need 60-80 words to
completely address this question.)
The GSS’s race variable is limited to three broad categories: “Black,” “White,” and
“Other.” This simplification can significantly impact the validity of the study by failing to
capture the full spectrum of racial and ethnic diversity within the population. By grouping
diverse identities—such as multiracial individuals or specific ethnic subgroups—into the
vague “Other” category, the data may overlook important cultural and social nuances that
influence mental health outcomes. As a result, critical disparities among underrepresented
racial groups may be obscured, potentially distorting findings and limiting the study’s
applicability to the broader U.S. population.
B) Exploring Post-Graduation Opportunities
In this section, you will explore either a graduate program or a job posting related to
psychology that utilizes statistics.
Directions: Identify a graduate program (i.e., a master’s or doctoral program) or a job posting
related to psychology that involves statistics. If you select a graduate program, complete Option
A only. If you select a job posting, complete Option B only.
Option A: Complete this section if you selected a graduate program.
What is the name of the program
you selected?
Provide a link to your selected
program.
Are there any statistics-related
entrance requirements? If so,
describe them.
What statistics courses are students
in this program required to take?
Option B: Complete this section if you selected a job posting.
What is the job title? BCaBA Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst
Provide a link to your selected job www.indeed.com
posting.
What are the statistics-related job • Hold a current BcaBA certification and state
This study source was downloaded by 100000900706475 from CourseHero.com on 09-13-2025 11:37:03 GMT -05:00
2
https://www.coursehero.com/file/251432530/3700-assessment-1docx/
