Some Statistics

Some Statistics

Sample: around 100 students in university

A basic run-down for some people, correlation is based on a scale from -1 to 1 so a relation of .23 or -.23 is regarded as significantly correlated. When it gets to .7 or -.7 or closer to the full -1 or 1, there is likely something wrong with your statistic. I hope this sums up a years worth of studying for you, lol.

Openess and Self-Direction:
.2383

Religiosity and Sex Frequency:
-.379

Happiness and Sex Frequency:
-.379

Security and Conformity:
.376

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/4...igion01wa5.jpg

Who are the "none" and "other"? The test did not offer many subsections, but it is interesting to note the amount.

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/1975/happy01ew7.jpg

What do people typically regard as "extraversion"? Why is it so highly correlated?

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/708/sex01pk0.jpg

I figured people would just be interested in seeing this one.

What do you think...?

~

lol.. this was a stupid idea, wasn't it..?

I hope someone finds it interesting.

~

Where is this? If it's in Ontario, I'm surprised at the number of catholics.

Interesting, but yes, where are these statistics from?

I would want to know how the sample was collected, and how the questions were posed. This information is very crucial to the validity and interpretation of the data.

Results taken from an ivy league vs. "lower level" university would be expected to differ. It's crucial that the results of this sampling not be extended to the general American (or even state) population. At best, it will be a profile of the type of students which attend that particular university. It's also very important that the sample be collected in a properly randomized fashion - this shouldn't have been too difficult, as the university probably has a list of student names which could be randomly selected. However, if a portion of selected students were unreachable for some reason, you might have a nonresponse bias inherent in the data.

Questions relating to sexual activity seem likely to garner unreliable results, as subjects may lie one way or the other. This is an especially salient concern if there is an actual person going around asking questions - responses to a female vs. a male questioner are likely to differ.

Correlation is a measure of the linear relationship between two qualitative variables, which means that calculating the correlation between things like "Security" and "Conformity" is doubly inappropriate. Not only are neither of these properly quantifiable variables, even if they were, measuring correlation would overlook any possible exponential or logarithmic relationships between them. Before correlation is calculated, the data should be carefully graphed and examined to determine whether a clear linear association is present. I should also repeat the popular "correlation, not causation" warning. Even if a proper negative linear relationship could be established between sexual activity and happiness, this could simply be because of a third, hidden variable. Perhaps a good portion of the students are using some sort of sexual enhancement drugs (say, viagra) which may have adverse effects like depression.

That's all of the stats I can muster right now. Ironically enough, I probably spent more time writing this than I will spend actually doing my stats homework tonight :lol:

Very good questions and criticism that statistics are always subject to.

These are simply statistics taken from my collection from 100 univeristy students. Nothing too spectacular or representative of all people, just thought I would share them.

Likely, it is related to the fact that they are all from my university and of related age (18-23).

~