Consider a researcher who is conducting final clinical trials to validate that a new treatment for anxiety is effective. This re
searcher is extremely focused on avoiding mistakes in concluding that this new treatment is effective when it really is not when conducting their research. What should this researcher do
Consider a researcher who is conducting final clinical trials to validate that a new treatment for anxiety is effective. This researcher is extremely focused on avoiding mistakes in concluding that this new treatment is effective when it really is not when conducting their research. What should this researcher do?
a. set a low alpha level
b. set a high alpha level
c. set a low sample mean
d. set a high sample mean
Solution
Option A
While carrying out multiple tests, alpha levels are set at low value. In this way value of alpha also reduces. The lower is the value of alpha, the lower will the chances of rejecting a null hypothesis. The chances of type II error increases, which makes it difficult to reject the null hypothesis
Null hypothesis in this case is "New treatment is effective"
This is referred to as Cognitive Dissonance. This term is used when a person has two thoughts, emotions or behaviors that conflict with each other because they are different or opposite. This internal incongruence often causes concern, and to eliminate it one must choose one of the cognitions perceived.