DrMoynihan Conducts a Study Examining the Relationship Between the Number

question 39

Essay

Dr.Moynihan conducts a study examining the relationship between the number of panic attacks a person experienced in the past month,the number of nightmares experienced in the past month,and people's levels of neuroticism (a personality trait characterized by instability,anxiety,and worry).She collects a convenience sample of 50 community college students (25 males,25 females).Below are her findings.
-A-number of panic attacks in the past month and neuroticism: r = -.03,not sig.
-B-number of panic attacks in the past month and number of nightmares in the past month:
r = -.14 (p = .05)
-C-number of nightmares in the past month and neuroticism: r = .48 (p = .003)

-What is an outlier? What aspect of Dr.Moynihan's study makes her findings especially susceptible to outliers? Why is this a problem?

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Definitions:

Sympathetic Division

Part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for quick action in emergencies; "fight or flight" response.

Parasympathetic Division

Part of the autonomic nervous system responsible for conserving energy and bringing the body to a state of rest by slowing the heart rate, increasing intestinal and glandular activity, and relaxing sphincter muscles.

Central Nervous System

The part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord, which interprets sensory information and issues instructions based on past experience and current conditions.

Peripheral Nervous System

The peripheral nervous system is the part of the nervous system that consists of the nerves and ganglia outside of the brain and spinal cord, which connect the central nervous system to limbs and organs.