Massachusetts Institute of Technology Grants Pirate Certificates to Those Students

question 70

Essay

Massachusetts Institute of Technology grants pirate certificates to those students who successfully complete courses in archery, fencing, sailing, and pistol shooting ("MIT Awards Pirate Certificates to Undergraduates," Boston Globe, March 3). Sheila claims that those students who go on to earn pirate certificates are able to hit a higher proportion of bull's-eyes during the archery final exam than the course average of 0.15. Specify the null and alternative hypotheses to test her claim.

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Definitions:

Just-World Phenomenon

The belief that people get what they deserve, leading to a sense that the world is fair and just.

Social Scripts

Culturally provided mental instructions for how to act in various social situations.

Frustration-Aggression Principle

A psychological theory suggesting that frustration often leads to aggressive behavior as the individual seeks to eliminate the source of their frustration.

Scapegoat Theory

A social psychology concept that explains the tendency to blame someone else for one's own problems, often leading to feelings of prejudice against the person or group that one is blaming.