Nownes (2000) surveyed representatives of interest groups who were registered
as lobbyists of three U.S. state legislatures. One of the issues he studied was
whether interest groups are in competition with each other. Table 1?10 shows
the results for one such question. (a) Using this table as an example, explain the
idea of a frequency table to a person who has never had a course in statistics.
(b) Explain the general meaning of the pattern of results.
for Members and Other Resources
Question: How much competition does this group
face from other groups with similar goals
for members and other resources?
Answer Percentage Number
No competition 20 118
Some competition 58 342
A lot of competition 22 131
Total 100 591
We have no access to the table.
(a) A frequency table is a way to organize and summarize data. It provides a count or percentage of how often certain values or responses occur in a dataset. In the example provided, the frequency table shows the results for a question about the level of competition faced by a specific interest group from other groups with similar goals for members and resources. The table has two columns: "Answer" and "Percentage/Number."
The "Answer" column represents the different response options in the survey, which in this case are "No competition," "Some competition," and "A lot of competition." The "Percentage/Number" column shows either the percentage or the actual count (number) of respondents who selected each answer option. For example, 20% of the respondents (118 individuals) answered "No competition," 58% (342 individuals) answered "Some competition," and 22% (131 individuals) answered "A lot of competition."
By presenting the data in this format, the frequency table allows us to understand the distribution of responses and identify any patterns or trends. It provides a clear visual representation of the different categories and their corresponding frequencies, making it easier to analyze and interpret the data.
(b) Looking at the pattern of results in the frequency table, we can observe that the majority of respondents (58%) indicated "Some competition" from other groups with similar goals for members and resources. This suggests that a significant portion of the interest groups surveyed perceive a moderate level of competition.
On the other hand, 20% of respondents reported "No competition," indicating that a considerable number of interest groups believe they do not face any competition from other similar groups. Meanwhile, 22% of respondents stated that they face "A lot of competition," suggesting that some interest groups perceive a high level of competition in their field.
Overall, the pattern of results in the frequency table indicates that competition among interest groups with similar goals for members and resources exists, with varying levels depending on the specific group. This information could be useful for understanding the dynamics and landscape of interest group activities within the studied state legislatures.