Analyzing data:

Assessing group
differences
The “Scientific” Method

The
Scientific Evidence Conclusions
Method

Theory/ Theory
Collecting
Folklore/ construction/
data
Intuition modification

New
Research Analyzing
research
questions data
questions
Key Issues
• What is your research question?

• What is the appropriate method of

assessment?
A. Assessing group differences
B. Assessing associations
C. Assessing causality
Assessing Group Differences
• A psychologist wished to know whether men are
more outgoing than women at HKUST. She
administered a questionnaire to a random sample
of 100 men and a random sample of 100
women.
– Gender: MeanM versus MeanF
– Year of study
– School / concentration
Assessing Group Differences
• What is the effect of Culture on Personality?*
– HK Chinese versus
– Chinese immigrants after 1985 (new
immigrants) versus
– Chinese Immigrants before 1986 (old
immigrants) versus
– Europeans

*McCrae, R. R., Yik, M., Trapnell, P. D., Bond, M. H., & Paulhus, D. L. (1998).
Interpreting personality profiles across cultures: Bilingual, acculturation, and peer
rating studies of Chinese undergraduates. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 74, 1041-1055.