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Example of Lacking Practical Significance
An example of a finding that lacks practical significance is a study where a new treatment for social phobia produces a statistically significant positive effect, but the effect is too weak to justify the time, effort, and costs of implementing it over cheaper, existing treatments. Another example is finding statistically significant gender differences in mathematical problem-solving that are actually so small they are considered trivial in real-world contexts.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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Statistical Significance Versus Practical Significance
What does the term 'practical significance' refer to in the context of research findings?
A clinical study finds that a new therapy reduces anxiety scores by 0.1 points on a 100-point scale. Even if the researchers are mathematically certain that this reduction is a real effect and not a fluke, the finding would likely be described as lacking practical significance.
In psychological research, a result can be statistically significant without having real-world importance. Match each research outcome with the label that best characterizes its practical significance based on the meaningfulness of the effect.
Arrange the logical steps a researcher must follow to analyze whether a mathematically reliable finding also possesses practical significance for a real-world psychological intervention.
A clinical psychologist is designing a study for a new treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder. To ensure that any successful result possesses practical significance, which of the following evaluation frameworks should the psychologist construct as part of the study design?
Example of Lacking Practical Significance
Clinical Significance
In psychological research, a finding that is statistically significant guarantees that the result also possesses practical significance in everyday life.
A study of students finds that a new teaching method improves test scores by an average of points on a -point scale, a result that is statistically significant (). A school board reviews this finding and decides not to adopt the method, reasoning that a gain this small would have no meaningful impact on student success. The board is concluding that the finding lacks _____.
Match each hypothetical research outcome with the description that best characterizes its significance based on the relationship between mathematical reliability and real-world utility.
A researcher finds a statistically significant difference in memory recall between two groups, but the actual difference is only points on a -point scale. Although mathematically reliable, this finding is considered to lack _____ significance because the observed effect is too trivial to have any meaningful impact in everyday life.
Order the steps a researcher takes when evaluating a research finding to determine if its statistical significance translates to practical significance.
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Which of the following is an example of a research finding that lacks practical significance?
A research study with 10,000 participants finds that a new, intensive 40-hour study program produces a statistically significant increase in test scores, but the average improvement is only 0.5 points on a 100-point exam. In this scenario, it would be accurate to conclude that the finding has high practical significance because the results are statistically significant.
A researcher finds that a new 60-hour therapeutic intervention for social phobia results in a statistically significant improvement (). Arrange the logical steps the researcher would follow to determine if this finding is significant enough to be implemented in a real-world clinical setting.
A study finds that a new treatment for social phobia produces a statistically significant positive effect. However, the improvement is too weak to justify the time, effort, and financial costs required for its implementation. This scenario is an example of a finding that lacks practical significance.
A clinical study finds that a new, intensive 12-week behavioral program for social phobia produces a statistically significant reduction in symptoms (p < .05) compared to a simple self-help book. However, the actual difference in symptom scores is only 1 point on a 100-point scale. Arrange the logical steps a researcher takes to analyze why this finding lacks practical significance.
In psychological research, a finding can be statistically significant without being practically significant. Match each research scenario with the primary reason it lacks practical significance.
According to the course material, which of the following scenarios is an example of a research finding that lacks practical significance?
A clinical director reviews a study on a new anxiety treatment that is statistically significant () but produces a symptom reduction of only on a standardized scale. By judging that this 'real-world' impact is too small to justify the high cost and effort of implementing it over cheaper existing treatments, the director is concluding that the study lacks _____ significance.
An educational district is offered a new reading program for $20,000 that demonstrated a statistically significant () increase in student reading speeds by an average of words per minute. If the district rejects the program because the benefit is too small to warrant the financial cost and training time, they are making a judgment based on the study's lack of _____ significance.
Match each research finding to the primary reason it is considered statistically significant but practically insignificant.
Based on the course material on practical significance, recall and describe the two specific examples of research findings that are statistically significant but lack practical significance.
Using your comprehension of practical significance, decide whether the researcher should recommend this program, justify your decision based on the details in the case, and state which example from the course reading this scenario resembles.
A school psychologist conducts a large-scale study on gender differences in mathematical problem-solving and finds a statistically significant difference (), but the mean difference is only points on a 100-point test. Apply the concept of practical significance to explain how the psychologist should interpret this result in a real-world educational setting.