Social Behavioral Statistics

Focusing on practical application, this textbook provides clear and concise explanations of statistical tests and techniques that students can apply in real-world situations. It has a dual emphasis: firstly, on doing statistics, and secondly, on understanding statistics, to do away with the mindset that statistics is difficult. Procedural explanations are provided so students know how to apply particular statistical tests and techniques in practical research situations. Conceptual understanding is encouraged to ensure students know not only when and how to apply appropriate techniques, but also why they are using them. Ancillary resources are available including sample answers to exercises, PowerPoint teaching slides, instructor manual, and a test bank. Illustrative figures, real-world data, practice exercises, and software instruction make this an essential resource for mastering statistics for undergraduate and graduate students in the social and behavioral sciences.Table of ContentPreface; 1. Statistics in the research process; 2. Tabular and graphical representations; 3. Measures of central tendency; 4. Variability; 5. The normal curve; 6. Hypothesis testing; 7. Effect size, power, and parameter estimation; 8. The t-test; 9. Analysis of variance; 10. Bivariate correlation; 11. Regression; 12. The chi-square test; Appendix: Statistical tables; Glossary; References; Index.Biographical NoteRoberto R. Heredia is Regents Professor in the Department of Psychology and Communication at Texas A & M International University, USA. He served as chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences for two years and he was director of a multimillion-dollar grant from the US Department of Education. He has published on bilingual memory, bilingual lexical representation, bilingual nonliteral language processing, stereotype processing, and evolutionary psychology. Richard D. Hartley is Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Texas at San Antonio, USA. His research interests include decision-making practices for criminal court outcomes, empirical determinants of prosecutorial and judicial decision-making, and process and outcome evaluation. Some of this research has been funded by the National Institute of Justice, the American Statistical Association, and the Bureau of Justice Statistics.A simplified approach to learning statistics and problem-solving strategies with a focus on applied social and behavioral settings.