Are there effective strategies to deal with pressure? In an experiment, researchers had students take a test on mathematical skills. The same students were then asked to take a second test on the same skills. However, for the second test, the researchers added conditions intended to increase the pressure to perform well. Now each student was paired with a partner, and only if both improved their scores would they receive a monetary reward for participating in the experiment. They were also told that their performance would be videotaped and watched by teachers and students. Students were then randomly divided into two groups. One group served as a control. To help them cope with the pressure, 10 minutes before the second exam, students in the second group were asked to write as candidly as possible about their thoughts and feelings regarding the exam. The difference in the test scores (posttest - pretest score) was computed. "Students who expressed their thoughts before the second high-pressure test showed a statistically significant 5% math accuracy improvement from the pretest to posttest" (P < 0.03).10 A colleague who knows no statistics says that an increase of 5% isn't a lot-and maybe it's just an accident due to natural variation among the students. Explain in simple language how "P < 0.03" answers this objection.
Are there effective strategies to deal with pressure? In an experiment, researchers had students take a test on mathematical skills. The same students were then asked to take a second test on the same skills. However, for the second test, the researchers added conditions intended to increase the pressure to perform well. Now each student was paired with a partner, and only if both improved their scores would they receive a monetary reward for participating in the experiment. They were also told that their performance would be videotaped and watched by teachers and students.
Students were then randomly divided into two groups. One group served as a control. To help them cope with the pressure, 10 minutes before the second exam, students in the second group were asked to write as candidly as possible about their thoughts and feelings regarding the exam. The difference in the test scores (posttest - pretest score) was computed.
"Students who
expressed their thoughts before the second high-pressure test showed a statistically significant 5% math accuracy improvement from the pretest to posttest" (P < 0.03).10
A colleague who knows no statistics says that an increase of 5% isn't a lot-and maybe it's just an accident due to natural variation among the students. Explain in simple language how "P < 0.03" answers this objection.
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