Discussion Assignment

 

Probability Testing

You almost certainly engage in decision making every day. Usually, you choose an option because you believe that it will have a more pleasing outcome than the other choice(s). If you knew your likelihood of succeeding or failing, you would have an even easier time making a decision. Each decision you make is influenced by probability.

As you would expect, psychologists like to keep the probability of coming to false conclusions in research as low as possible, though you know that it is almost impossible to make a decision that is entirely free of error. But what are the implications of making different types of errors? Are all errors equally dangerous, or do some have more critical importance than others? Consider the four possible decisions a jury could reach in a murder trial when the sentence is the death penalty. If the jury’s verdict is correct, either an innocent defendant goes free or a guilty defendant is convicted. However, what about when the jury makes an error, and a guilty defendant goes free or an innocent man is convicted? How do we calculate the probability of each of these types of errors?

Probability tests might help you make decisions of low importance, such as purchasing goods, but they can also play a role in making critically important decisions. For example, scientists often use probability to evaluate the safety of drugs for human use. This Discussion presents an exercise in probability in the context of a research study for a new drug to treat depression.

To prepare for this Discussion, review the textbook sections on probability and Type I and Type II errors.

Scenario:

Imagine that a pharmaceutical company is testing a new medication to treat major depression in people whose symptoms have not been helped by existing medications.You are part of a panel of professionals who must decide if the drug should be considered safe for human trials. The null hypothesis is that the drug is considered to be safe. The alternative hypothesis is that the drug is considered to be unsafe. In the above scenario, would a Type I or Type II error be worse? Why? Be sure to spell out what a Type I and Type II error would be in this example so your explanation is clear.

Address the following as you prepare for your posting:

·         Consider an example of when it is acceptable to have a p of .05 versus .01. What effect would this have on your interpretation of the drug’s safety?

·         Consider the likelihood of making a Type I or Type II error. What effect could these errors have on your interpretation of the drug’s safety?

·         Draft a recommendation regarding whether the drug should be seen as safe for human trials.

·         Consider how the scenario would need to change in order to have a different recommendation.

Post  your recommendation on whether human testing trials should begin on the drug described in the scenario. Explain why or why not. Specifically, include how the use of different p values (.05 versus .01) and concerns related to Type I and II errors would influence your recommendation. What conditions would need to change for your recommendation to change? Justify your post using the Learning Resources and current literature.

 

References

 

Welkowitz, J., Cohen, B. H., & Lea, R. B. (2012). Introductory statistics for the behavioral sciences (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

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