Introduction to Statistics and Basic Statistical Concept

Statistics

Set of mathematical procedures for collecting, organizing, presenting, analyzing, and interpreting data

Psychology

Study of human behavior and mental processes

Quantitative Research

Research focused on numerical data for theory building or validation

Empirical Support

Evidence from actual observations or experiments to support a theory or hypothesis

Variable

Measureable characteristic related to individuals or groups

Data

Numerical or categorical representations of variables acquired through measurement

Outcome Expectation

Anticipation of a specific outcome influencing motivation

Task Value

Perceived importance or significance of a task influencing motivation

Construct

Abstract or theoretical entity that influences behavior

Operational Definition

Definition that links abstract constructs to observable measurements

Self-Report Questionnaire

Method of data collection where individuals provide information about themselves

Validity

The extent to which a measurement tool accurately measures what it intends to measure

Reliability

Consistency or stability of measurements across repeated trials

Nominal Scale

Scale used to classify objects or characteristics into distinct categories

Ordinal Scale

Scale that orders categories but does not have equal intervals between them

Interval Scale

Scale that measures distance between values with an arbitrary zero point

Ratio Scale

Scale with equal intervals and an absolute zero point

Statistic

Number calculated from sample data to quantify a characteristic of the sample

Parameter

Number calculated from population data to quantify a characteristic of the population

Relationship

Connection or association between two variables