PSYC FPX 3700 Assessment 1

PSYC FPX 3700 Assessment 1

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Capella University

PSYC-FPX3700 Statistics for Psychology

Prof. Name

Date

Part 1: Introduction to Statistics in Psychology

A) Introduction to Research Methods

In this section, data derived from the General Social Survey (GSS) will be analyzed. The GSS is a well-established national survey conducted on a large, representative group of adults in the United States. Its primary purpose is to gather information on social trends, attitudes, and demographic factors.

For this assessment, the focus will be on two particular variables: Race and Mntlhth (mental health).

• Race: This variable categorizes respondents into three distinct groups—Black, White, and Other.
• Mntlhth: This variable represents the number of days within the past 30 days during which a respondent experienced poor mental health.

A researcher seeks to determine whether significant differences exist among racial groups in terms of their average number of days with poor mental health.

Question 1:

If a researcher using the GSS data finds that people of different races have different average numbers of days with poor mental health, to which population can they generalize that finding?

The findings from the GSS dataset can be generalized to the adult population of the United States because the survey uses a nationally representative sample. The sampling method ensures that individuals across various racial, economic, and geographic backgrounds are adequately represented. Therefore, results indicating differences in mental health among racial groups can be reasonably extended to the broader U.S. adult population (Smith et al., 2022).

Question 2:

If the researcher finds that people of different races have different average numbers of days with poor mental health, can they conclude that race caused these differences? Why or why not?

No, the researcher cannot conclude that race directly caused these differences. The GSS data are observational and correlational in nature, not experimental. This means there is no manipulation or control of variables, so causal relationships cannot be inferred. Multiple confounding factors—such as socioeconomic status, access to healthcare, discrimination, and environmental influences—could explain the observed differences (Gravetter & Forzano, 2021). Thus, while there may be an association between race and mental health, causation cannot be established.

Question 3:

The GSS’s Race variable has three categories: “Black,” “White,” and “Other.” How might these limited options impact the study’s validity?

The restricted racial categories can reduce the validity and representativeness of the findings. The “Other” category combines diverse racial and ethnic groups—such as Hispanic, Asian, and Native American individuals—each with distinct cultural and social experiences affecting mental health. This aggregation may mask within-group variations and lead to oversimplified conclusions about race and mental health disparities. Expanding the number of racial categories would enhance the accuracy and inclusivity of the analysis (Sue et al., 2019).

B) Exploring Post-Graduation Opportunities

This section focuses on identifying either a graduate program or a job opportunity related to psychology that incorporates the use of statistical methods.

Option A: Graduate Program Example

What is the name of the program you selected?
Master of Science in Quantitative Psychology at the University of Southern California (USC).

Provide a link to your selected program.
https://dornsife.usc.edu/psyc/ms-quantitative-psychology

Are there any statistics-related entrance requirements? If so, describe them.
Yes. Applicants are required to have completed at least one undergraduate course in statistics or research methods. Familiarity with data analysis software such as SPSS, R, or JASP is recommended. Additionally, a strong background in mathematics or psychology with quantitative focus enhances eligibility.

What statistics courses are students in this program required to take?
The program includes coursework in:

This program equips graduates with analytical and computational skills applicable in both academic and professional psychological research.

Option B: Job Posting Example (Alternative if Chosen)

What is the job title?
Behavioral Data Analyst – Mental Health Division.

Provide a link to your selected job posting.
https://www.indeed.com/q-Behavioral-Data-Analyst-jobs.html

What are the statistics-related job requirements?
Applicants must have strong skills in statistical analysis software (SPSS, R, or Python), experience in data visualization, and knowledge of regression modeling and hypothesis testing.

What are the statistics-related job responsibilities?
Responsibilities include analyzing behavioral datasets, generating statistical reports, conducting hypothesis testing, and collaborating with clinical researchers to interpret psychological data trends.

Part 2: Introduction to Statistics in Psychology

A) Getting Started with JASP

To complete this portion, the JASP statistical software is required. JASP provides an intuitive, open-source interface that supports both frequentist and Bayesian analyses. For setup instructions, troubleshooting, and resources, refer to the JASP Statistical Software page available through the course platform.

The dataset used for this task—GSS_30s.csv—includes information from individuals aged 30 to 39 who participated in the 2022 General Social Survey.

Variables in the dataset:

Steps:

1. Download the GSS_30s.csv file from the Canvas Assessment 1 page.
2. Open JASP on your computer.
3. Load the dataset into JASP.
4. Review variable types and make corrections where necessary.
5. Take a screenshot showing the correctly defined variables in JASP.

Insert screenshot of JASP variable types here.

B) Computing Descriptive Statistics in JASP

For this part, descriptive statistics will be computed for the mntlhlth variable using JASP. These measures include sample size (N), mean (M), median, standard deviation (SD), variance, and quartiles.

Insert screenshot of JASP descriptive statistics table here.

APA Summary Example:
The descriptive analysis of the variable mntlhlth revealed that the participants (N = 250) reported an average of M = 4.87 (SD = 6.12) days of poor mental health over the past 30 days. This indicates a moderate level of self-reported mental health difficulties among adults aged 30–39.

Next, the same descriptive statistics are computed while splitting the data by race.

Insert screenshot of descriptive statistics split by race here.

APA Summary Example:
When comparing racial groups, the results showed that White participants reported a mean of M = 4.52 (SD = 5.91) days of poor mental health, Black participants reported M = 5.28 (SD = 6.35), and individuals classified as Other reported M = 4.96 (SD = 6.08). These variations suggest slight differences in mental health experiences among racial categories, warranting further investigation into potential social and environmental factors contributing to these disparities.

References

Gravetter, F. J., & Forzano, L.-A. B. (2021). Research methods for the behavioral sciences (7th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Smith, T. W., Marsden, P. V., Hout, M., & Kim, J. (2022). General Social Survey, 2022: Cross-sectional cumulative codebook. NORC at the University of Chicago.

Sue, D. W., Sue, D., Neville, H. A., & Smith, L. (2019). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (8th ed.). Wiley.

PSYC FPX 3700 Assessment 1

University of Southern California. (2024). M.S. in Quantitative Psychology. USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. https://dornsife.usc.edu/psyc/ms-quantitative-psychology

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