PSYC2063 WEEK 1

WHY THIS COURSE EXISTS?

• There are more graphs than ever before 

• People use graphs to send a message, even if it's not really what the graph shows 

• 'scientific' claims are everywhere 

• We are prone to confirmation bias 

• There is more information available than ever before 

• Misinformation & disinformation 

• Advances in technology enable truly perplexing and impenetrable graphs 

• People make mistakes 

• A small number of scientists commit fraud 

• People gather statistics; statistics are not facts; they are interpretations 

MEAN, MODE, MEDIAN

Mean = the average value  

Median = the middle value  

Mode = the most frequent value  

 

VARIABLES

X-axis = horizontal  

Y-axis = vertical 

 

IV = the variable being manipulated (usually x) 

DV = the variable being measured (usually y) 

GRAPH 1

• The graph shows number of homicides but doesn't account for the number of people living in that area 

• Can't make conclusion about which area is safer  

GRAPH 2

• Doesn't take into account COVID-19 

• You could continue to get divorced vs married during COVID 

• Peak in marriage rates after decline  

• You would expect the peak to be larger  

• Both declining 

• Marriage rates declining more rapidly  

• The cost of living is increasing