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Analyze a research study involving college students' perceptions of negative consequences related to excessive drinking. Use the provided data, results, and conclusions to interpret the study design, variables, statistical tests, and the significance of findings. Recalculate and interpret p-values and degrees of freedom as needed. Summarize the meaning of statistically significant differences and evaluate the appropriateness of the statistical methods used.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

The research conducted by Suls and Barton (2003) aimed to explore gender differences in the perceived severity of negative consequences associated with excessive drinking among college students. By examining responses from male and female students through a structured questionnaire, the study sought to determine whether one gender experiences or perceives more severe consequences than the other, thereby providing insights into gender-specific attitudes towards drinking-related risks.

Study Design and Variables

The key components of the study include the cases, variables, and the nature of the study. The cases are individual college students who participated in the survey, comprising 111 males and 112 females, totaling 223 participants. The study is observational because researchers collected data without manipulating any variables; they simply observed and recorded participants’ responses regarding perceived negative outcomes of excessive drinking.

The response variable is the students’ ratings of the severity of negative consequences, measured on a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 indicates women experience more negative consequences, 7 indicates men experience more, and 4 suggests equal severity. As the ratings are numerical, the response variable is continuous and quantitative.

The predictor variable in this study is gender, which is categorical, with two levels: male and female. This variable informs the analysis by allowing comparisons between the two groups regarding their perceived severity ratings of adverse drinking consequences.

Analysis and Results

The researchers summarized the data by calculating the mean and standard deviation for each gender group: men had an average rating of 3.45 (SD = 1.33), and women had an average rating of 3.04 (SD = 1.39). Both groups performed one-sample t-tests against the midpoint value of 4, to assess whether the mean ratings significantly differed from the neutral point, indicating whether participants perceived women or men as experiencing more severe consequences.

The original reported t-statistics were t(110) = 25.50 for men and t(111) = 24.19 for women, with p-values less than 0.001, asserting that both groups’ mean ratings differed significantly from the midpoint. The degrees of freedom calculated are 110 for men (n = 111) and 111 for women (n = 112), consistent with the sample sizes minus one. The exact p-values are extremely small (

Recalculation and Interpretation

Using the provided means, standard deviations, and sample sizes, one can recalculate the t-statistics to verify the results. The formula for the one-sample t-test is:

t = (x̄ - μ₀) / (s / √n)

Where x̄ is the sample mean, μ₀ is the test value (4 in this case), s is the sample standard deviation, and n is the sample size.

For men:

t = (3.45 - 4) / (1.33 / √111) ≈ (-0.55) / (1.33 / 10.5357) ≈ -0.55 / 0.1263 ≈ -4.35

For women:

t = (3.04 - 4) / (1.39 / √112) ≈ (-0.96) / (1.39 / 10.583) ≈ -0.96 / 0.1314 ≈ -7.31

These t-values are different from the initially reported ones, suggesting either a calculation discrepancy or an initial typo in the reported t-stats. Regardless, the p-values remain highly significant (

Meaning of the Statistical Findings

The significantly lower average ratings (

Evaluation of Assumptions and Appropriateness

The application of one-sample t-tests assumes the response variable is approximately normally distributed. Given the sample sizes (over 100 per group), the Central Limit Theorem supports this assumption. Additionally, independence of observations is reasonable since responses are from different individuals. The response variable is continuous, and the data collection method appears appropriate for applying t-tests.

However, as the ratings are on a 7-point Likert scale, some statisticians might argue that treating ordinal data as interval data can be problematic, yet with large sample sizes, this is generally acceptable, especially under the assumption of approximate normality.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that both male and female college students perceive differences in the severity of negative consequences associated with excessive drinking, with responses significantly differing from neutrality. The statistical analyses, including the recalculated t-values and the acknowledged significance levels, support the conclusion that perceptions are gendered, although the actual difference in mean ratings is modest. The appropriate use of t-tests and the large sample sizes validate the findings, providing meaningful insights into gender perceptions related to alcohol-related adverse outcomes among college students.

References

• Suls, J., & Barton, A. (2003). Gender differences in the experience of negative consequences of drinking: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 64(2), 173-182.
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