/*! 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 35 More duct tape \(\quad\) In a fo... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91Ó°ÊÓ

91Ó°ÊÓ

More duct tape \(\quad\) In a follow-up study, 103 patients in the Netherlands having warts were randomly assigned to use duct tape or a placebo, which was a ring covered by tape so that the wart itself was kept clear \((\) Arch. Pediat. Adoles. Med. \(2006 ; 160: 1121-1125) .\) a. Identify the response variable, the explanatory variable, the experimental units, and the treatments. b. After six weeks, the warts had disappeared for \(16 \%\) of the duct tape group and \(6 \%\) of the placebo group. However, the difference was declared to be "not statistically significant." Explain what this means.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The study's response variable is wart disappearance; the explanatory variable is the treatment type. Despite a 10% difference, the results were not statistically significant.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the Experimental Units

The experimental units in this study are the 103 patients in the Netherlands who participated in the experiment.
02

Identify the Response Variable

The response variable is whether or not the warts disappeared after six weeks of treatment.
03

Identify the Explanatory Variable

The explanatory variable is the type of treatment used, which includes duct tape and a placebo.
04

Identify the Treatments

In this study, the treatments are the application of duct tape and the application of a placebo to the warts.
05

Explain Statistical Significance

A result is "not statistically significant" if the observed difference between groups is likely due to random chance rather than a real effect of the treatment. Here, the difference in wart disappearance rates between the duct tape group (16%) and the placebo group (6%) was not large enough to conclude that duct tape is more effective than placebo beyond random variation.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!

Key Concepts

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

Response Variable
In the study about patients with warts, the response variable is the outcome or the effect we are measuring. Here, the response variable is the disappearance of warts after six weeks. We are looking to see if the warts are gone or still present, which provides insight into the effectiveness of the treatment. This variable responds to the treatment being applied and therefore is crucial in assessing the impact of different interventions.
Explanatory Variable
The explanatory variable in an experimental setup is the variable that is manipulated to observe its effect on the response variable. In this study, the explanatory variable is the type of treatment used on the warts. Two treatments were compared: duct tape and a placebo. By varying this variable, researchers aim to explore its potential influence on the outcome, which is the disappearance of warts.
Statistical Significance
Statistical significance is a concept used to determine if the results of an experiment are due to the effect of the explanatory variable, or if they might have happened by chance. When we say a result is "not statistically significant," it signals that the observed difference between groups could just as likely be a result of random variation as it could be due to the actual treatments.
The study found a 10% difference in wart disappearance rates between the duct tape (16%) and placebo (6%) groups. However, this difference wasn't deemed statistically significant, meaning the results don't provide strong evidence that duct tape is indeed more effective than the placebo.
Treatments
In any experiment, treatments refer to the specific conditions applied to experimental units. In this particular case, treatments involve the use of duct tape and placebo on patients. Each group received a different treatment, one with actual duct tape and the other with a placebo (a ring covered by tape, with warts left clear).
Understanding which treatment gets applied allows researchers to compare their impacts. Doing so helps investigate whether there is a difference in outcomes (warts disappearing) between the two treatments and how they perform in promoting wart removal.

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Multiple choice: Opinion and question wording A recent General Social Survey asked subjects if they supported legalized abortion in each of seven different circumstances. The percentage who supported legalization varied between \(42.4 \%\) (if the woman wants it for any reason) to \(89.2 \%\) (if the woman's health is seriously endangered by the pregnancy). This indicates that a. Responses can depend greatly on the question wording. b. Nonexperimental studies can never be trusted. c. The sample must not have been randomly selected. d. The sample must have had problems with response bias.

Stock market associated with poor mental health An Internet survey of 545 Hong Kong residents suggested that close daily monitoring of volatile financial affairs may not be good for your mental health \((J .\) Social and Clinical Psychology \(2002: 21: 116-128) .\) Subjects who felt that their financial future was out of control had the poorest overall mental health, whereas those who felt in control of their financial future had the best mental health. a. What is the population of interest for this survey? b. Describe why this is an observational study. c. Briefly discuss the potential problems with the sampling method used and how these problems could affect the survey results.

Job market for MBA students A February \(2,2003,\) Atlanta Journal Constitution article about the bleak job market for graduating MBA students described an opinion survey conducted by a graduate student at a major state university. The student polled 1500 executive recruiters, asking their opinions on the industries most likely to hire. He received back questionnaires from 97 recruiters, of whom 54 indicated that health care was the industry most likely to see job growth. a. What is the population for this survey? b. What was the intended sample size? What was the sample size actually observed? What was the percentage of nonresponse? c. Describe two potential sources of bias with this survey.

Spinal fluid proteins and Alzheimer's A research study published in 2010 in the Archives of Neurology investigated the relationship between the results of a spinal fluid test and the presence of Alzheimer's disease. The study included 114 patients with normal memories, 200 with memory problems, and 102 with Alzheimer's disease. Each individual's spinal fluid was analyzed to detect the presence of two types of proteins. Almost everyone with Alzheimer's had the proteins in their spinal fluid. Nearly three quarters of the group with memory problems had the proteins, and each such member developed Alzheimer's within five years. About one third of those with normal memories had the proteins, and the researchers suspect that those individuals will develop memory problems and eventually Alzheimer's. a. Identify the explanatory and response variable(s). b. Was this an experimental or nonexperimental study? Why? c. Would it be possible to design this study as an experiment? Explain why or why not.

Marijuana and schizophrenia Studies show that marijuana is extremely popular among individuals who suffer from psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. A recent study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry followed 80 marijuana smokers, 42 who had schizophrenia. Over the course of six days, the participants were asked to periodically record their moods. All participants reported feeling generally happier while using marijuana, but the increase was stronger in the group with schizophrenia. a. Identify the explanatory and response variables. b. Is this an example of an observational study or an experiment? If observational, is the study retrospective or prospective?

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Math Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.