/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 86 An experiment was conducted to i... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91Ó°ÊÓ

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An experiment was conducted to investigate whether a graphologist (a handwriting analyst) could distinguish a normal person's handwriting from that of a psychotic. A wellknown expert was given 10 files, each containing handwriting samples from a normal person and from a person diagnosed as psychotic, and asked to identify the psychotic's handwriting. The graphologist made correct identifications in 6 of the 10 trials (data taken from Statistics in the Real World, by R. J. Larsen and D. F. Stroup [New York: Macmillan, 1976]). Does this indicate that the graphologist has an ability to distinguish the handwriting of psychotics? (Hint: What is the probability of correctly guessing 6 or more times out of 10 ? Your answer should depend on whether this probability is relatively small or relatively large.)

Short Answer

Expert verified
A binomial distribution and test would be used to analyze whether the probability of the graphologist correctly identifying is significantly greater than just chance (50%). The answer is determined by calculating the probability and comparing it with the significance level.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Binomial Distribution

The outcome of this problem falls under binomial distribution since there are two outcomes: Correct (psychotic handwriting is identified) and incorrect (normal handwriting is identified as psychotic). This problem can be solved using the formula of binomial probability: \(P(x; n, p) = C(n, x) * p^x * (1-p)^(n-x)\), where \(n\) is the number of trials, \(p\) is the probability of success (correct identification), and \(x\) is the number of successful trials.
02

Calculating the Binomial Probability

The graphologist correctly identified the handwritings 6 times out of 10. Therefore, the binomial probability can be calculated for \(x \geq 6\) (6,7,8,9,10). It is easier to calculate the complementary probability (i.e., the sum of probabilities for \(x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5\)) and subtract it from 1. Get each probability by using the binomial formula and add them up.
03

Conclusion

Compare the result of the probability calculated in step 2 with the significance level (commonly 0.05). If it is equal to or less than 0.05, it indicates that the probability of guessing 6 or more correct handwritings just by chance is very small, hence the graphologist ability to distinguish the handwriting can be considered significant. Otherwise, if the probability is greater than 0.05, this means the graphologist's observations can be attributed to chance.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Binomial Distribution
When we toss a coin, there are two possible outcomes – heads or tails. This situation where only two outcomes are possible is the crux of binomial distribution. It's a statistical concept used to determine the probability of a specific number of successes in a fixed number of trials, each with the same probability of success. In the case of our graphologist, each trial is the task of identifying the psychotic's handwriting, and there are 10 trials in total. With binomial distribution, we can calculate how likely it is for the expert to correctly identify the handwriting a certain number of times by chance alone.

For example, we can use it to calculate the probability of getting exactly 6 correct identifications out of 10 trials if the graphologist was simply guessing, which would give us insight into their true ability to distinguish between the handwritings.
Probability of Success
The probability of success in a binomial distribution refers to the likelihood of one single trial resulting in a 'success'. This could be a coin landing heads, a customer making a purchase, or in our handwriting analysis scenario, the graphologist correctly identifying the handwriting of a psychotic individual. If we assume the graphologist is guessing, the probability of success, denoted by the symbol \( p \), would be 0.5 – a 50% chance of being right. Different probabilities would imply different levels of skill. A higher probability indicates a greater than random chance of correct identification, suggesting real expertise.
Significance Level
In statistics, the significance level is a threshold used to determine the statistical significance of an observed effect. It is denoted by alpha (\( \alpha \)) and usually set at 0.05, which means there is a 5% risk we are willing to take in wrongly rejecting the null hypothesis – the hypothesis that there is no effect, or in our case, that the graphologist is not better than random at identifying psychotic handwriting. If the calculated probability of the graphologist's success rate is less than or equal to the significance level, we could conclude, with caution, that the expert indeed has a talent for distinguishing between the handwritings.
Complementary Probability
Complementary probability is the probability of the opposite outcome occurring. If the probability of success is \( p \), then the complementary probability is \( 1-p \), representing the probability of failure. In our graphologist's scenario, rather than calculating the probability of 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 successes directly, it's simpler to calculate the probability of obtaining 5 or fewer successes and subtract that from 1. This approach often simplifies calculations and can provide a clearer picture when trying to determine the likelihood of a 'success' occurring a certain number of times within a set number of trials.
Statistical Significance
The concept of statistical significance is used to decide whether the result of an experiment is not likely to have occurred by random chance. This concept goes hand in hand with the significance level. When the calculated probability of an event occurring is less than the pre-determined significance level (typically \( \alpha = 0.05 \)), we say the result is statistically significant. This means the observations made (like our graphologist identifying 6 out of 10 handwritings correctly) are unlikely to be due to random chance alone and suggest that there may be a genuine effect – such as the graphologist truly being able to tell psychotic handwriting apart from that of a normal person. It's how scientists and researchers decide if their hypotheses are supported by their data.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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