It has been suggested that the rate of forgetting (coded as normal vs. fast) for word lists
often used in psychological experiments may depend on the type of memory test
employed, either free-recall or recognition. What is the best way to test this hypothesis?
a. regression
b. z-test for population mean
c. ANOVA
d. Chi square test for independence
How about d?
The best way to test the hypothesis that the rate of forgetting for word lists may depend on the type of memory test employed is through a statistical analysis called ANOVA (c), which stands for Analysis of Variance.
To conduct an ANOVA, you would need to perform the following steps:
1. Select and gather data: Collect data on the rate of forgetting (coded as normal vs. fast) for word lists using both free-recall and recognition memory tests. Make sure to have a sufficient sample size for each condition.
2. Define hypotheses: Formulate the null hypothesis (H0) stating that there is no difference in the rate of forgetting between the two memory tests. The alternative hypothesis (Ha) would state that there is a difference in the rate of forgetting between the two memory tests.
3. Calculate the ANOVA: Perform an ANOVA test, which will compare the means of the rate of forgetting for word lists under different memory tests. The ANOVA will determine if there is a significant difference between the means and if this difference is likely due to the type of memory test used.
4. Interpret results: Examine the p-value associated with the ANOVA test. If the p-value is less than a pre-defined significance level (e.g., 0.05), you can reject the null hypothesis and conclude that there is a significant difference in the rate of forgetting depending on the type of memory test employed.
It's worth mentioning that the other options (a) regression, (b) z-test for population mean, and (d) Chi-square test for independence, are not suitable for testing this particular hypothesis.