An Experimenter Was Interested in the Accuracy of a New

question 4

Essay

An experimenter was interested in the accuracy of a new type of polygraph (lie detector)test. To test this, a polygraph operator used the machine on a participant who was told ahead of time to lie about some of the questions being asked. In an average situation of this type, the polygraph test is 75% accurate with a standard deviation of 6.5%. With the new machine the operator correctly identified 83.5% of the false responses. Is the accuracy of the new polygraph different from the usual ones? (Use the .05 level.)
a. Use the five steps of hypothesis testing.
b. Sketch the distributions involved.
c. Explain the logic of what you did (be sure your explanation includes the overall logic of hypothesis testing, including each of the five steps).

---

Definitions:

Autonomic Nervous System

A section of the nervous system that controls involuntary bodily functions, such as heart rate, digestion, and breathing.

Subjective Feelings

Personal experiences of emotions that are influenced by individual perceptions and cannot be directly measured by others.

Naturalistic Observation

A research method in which subjects are observed in their natural environment without any manipulation by the observer.

Bullying

Intentional aggressive behavior that involves an imbalance of power or strength, often repeated over time, and can occur in physical, verbal, or electronic forms.