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Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences

PSYCH-UA.10

Spring 2024

Computer Assignment #1: Check syllabus for due date

Helpful tip for a successful assignment: Please be sure to read SPSS Rules. They are in a document called A One-Stop-Shop for Nailing your SPSS Assignments. This is a very helpful document. It is posted on Brightspace> Content >SPSS Assignments>A One-Stop-Shop for Nailing your SPSS Assignments. Remember to answer all questions!

The following sample data are used. We are interested in the descriptive statistics from a variable called Empathy Score. This measured the degree of empathy students feel for other people. Higher empathy scores mean more empathy. Assume that these data are a sample from a population. Use the instructions from the first two recitation worksheets to help you.

Input the data the way you learned in recitation. [Compare your descriptive statistics with the means and standard deviations on your graphs; this will help you make sure your numbers are correct.] In addition, I want you to add another variable which will divide the variable “Empathy Score” categorically. You can call this variable “scorescat.” (Note: this is the variable name. The variable label can be more descriptive, e.g., Empathy Scores by Category). Create this variable using the Transform procedure you used in lab. Remember that you will have to give this variable Value Labels in the Variable View.

The scores should be divided into categories like this:

Low: 1-25 Moderate: 26-50 High: 51-75

1) Find the descriptive statistics (using Explore) for Empathy Scores. Include in your assignment the box labeled “Descriptives” and the Stemplot.

2) Find the frequency distribution and histogram (using Frequencies). Note: When doing the histogram, if you check the box “Show Normal Curve” this does not mean your variable is normal. It just shows what normal would look like and you can compare the shape of your variable to what is normal.) Include in your assignment the output box for the frequency distribution and the histogram.

3) For the categorical variable (scorescat) create a bar chart and include it in your assignment. Make sure the variable is categorical on your chart (Low, Moderate and High should be on the x-axis) and remember to label the chart.

4) Create a variable (give it the variable name “scoresfive”) that subtracts 5 from each empathy score (do this by using Transform > Compute like in Lab 2, but instead of adding, we are subtracting 5. Use the - sign for subtraction). Give it a descriptive label (like Scores – 5).

a. Find and include in your assignment the Descriptives and stemplot for “scoresfive” (using Explore, as in step 1 above).

b. Find and include in your assignment the frequency distribution and histogram for the new variable “scoresfive” (using Frequencies, as in step 2 above).

Please answer the following questions (this may be included with the SPSS output or on a separate page):

5) Calculate by hand the SS for the original Empathy Scores variable using the variance you obtained in SPSS. Do not calculate it using the raw scores! Note: Remember the relationship between variance and SS to help you do this. Show the work in your assignment (you can hand write it and take a picture of it to include in your assignment). 

6) Write 1-2 sentences about the original Empathy Scores variable including the following:

a. Values of the mean, median, standard deviation and approximate shape of the distribution (look at the histogram). The shape may not be obvious; this is ok. Just do your best to describe what you think is going on with the data (e.g., mention whether you think there is skew, are there any outliers, is it bimodal?)

b. Is the mean a good measure of the center of this distribution? Why or why not?

7) Answer the following questions comparing the Empathy Scores variable with the “scoresfive” variable:

a. What are the mean and standard deviation of “scoresfive”? What are their relationship to the original mean and standard deviation of the Empathy Scores variable?

b. What is the shape of the distribution of “scoresfive” compared to the shape of the original Empathy Scores variable? What is the explanation for this?

SPSS Output checklist (only include these outputs):

1) Descriptives and stemplot for Empathy Scores

2) Frequency distribution and histogram for Empathy Scores

3) Bar chart for Empathy Scores by Category

4) Descriptives and stemplot for Empathy Scores - 5

5) Frequency distribution and histogram for Empathy Scores - 5