3.9 Using Studies Wisely

3.9 Using Studies Wisely

Learning Target

• Identify when it is appropriate to use information from a sample to make an inference about a population and when it is appropriate to make an inference about cause and effect.

The Scope of Inference

• Random selection of individuals allows inference about the population.

• Random assignment of individuals to groups permits inference about cause and effect.

Scope of Inference

• a) Yes, because the study used random samples of teens from 1991 to 2012.

• b) No, because teens weren't randomly assigned to use social media or assigned to avoid using social media.

Read the context for the next questions

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey is a long-term research program that uses random sampling methods to examine the health and nutrition among adults and children in the United States. One study of 2400 young adults found that subjects who consumed sugary foods at least 5 times per week had a 73% higher risk of developing periodontal (gum) disease in at least two teeth than those who never ate such foods.

Multiple Choice

Can the results of this study be generalized to all young adults in the United States?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Based on the study, is it reasonable to conclude that consuming sugary foods at least 5 times per week causes periodontal (gum) disease?

• Yes

• No

Learning Target

• Evaluate if a statistical study has been carried out in an ethical manner.

Basic Principles of Data Ethics

• All planned studies must be reviewed in advance by an institutional review board charged with protecting the safety and well-being of the subjects.

• All individuals who are subjects in a study must give their informed consent before data are collected.

• All individuals data must be kept confidential. Only statistical summaries for groups of subjects may be made public.

Example

• No.

• Participants in the study didn't provide informed consent before the study was conducted.

• Also, because the participants were filmed for a television program, the results are not confidential.

Multiple Choice

Facebook manipulated users' news feed (without their knowledge) to conduct an experiment on how they were affected by mostly positive or negative posts. Was this study ethical?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

A social psychologist attends public meetings of a religious group to study the behavior patterns of members. Should this study require informed consent?

• Yes

• No