Short Answer

A clinical researcher measures reaction times (in milliseconds) to a warning signal. If most participants react very quickly but a few take a long time, resulting in a positively skewed distribution, what does this imply about the position of the peak and the direction of the tail on the reaction time scale?

Question: A clinical researcher measures reaction times (in milliseconds) to a warning signal. If most participants react very quickly but a few take a long time, resulting in a positively skewed distribution, what does this imply about the position of the peak and the direction of the tail on the reaction time scale?

Sample answer: This implies that the peak of the distribution is positioned toward the lower end of the reaction time scale (faster times), while a relatively long tail extends outward toward the higher-value, positive direction (slower times).

Key points:

  • Peak is positioned toward the lower end of the measurement scale
  • Tail is relatively long
  • Tail extends outward into the positive or higher-value direction

Feedback: The answer should correctly apply the concept of a positively skewed distribution by identifying that the peak corresponds to the lower end (fast reaction times) and the tail extends toward the higher-value direction (slow reaction times).

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Updated 2026-05-27

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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU

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