Two sample t test - equal variances not assumed - overview
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Two sample $t$ test - equal variances not assumed | One sample $t$ test for the mean | Pearson correlation |
You cannot compare more than 3 methods |
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Independent/grouping variable | Independent variable | Variable 1 | |
One categorical with 2 independent groups | None | One quantitative of interval or ratio level | |
Dependent variable | Dependent variable | Variable 2 | |
One quantitative of interval or ratio level | One quantitative of interval or ratio level | One quantitative of interval or ratio level | |
Null hypothesis | Null hypothesis | Null hypothesis | |
H0: $\mu_1 = \mu_2$
Here $\mu_1$ is the population mean for group 1, and $\mu_2$ is the population mean for group 2. | H0: $\mu = \mu_0$
Here $\mu$ is the population mean, and $\mu_0$ is the population mean according to the null hypothesis. | H0: $\rho = \rho_0$
Here $\rho$ is the Pearson correlation in the population, and $\rho_0$ is the Pearson correlation in the population according to the null hypothesis (usually 0). The Pearson correlation is a measure for the strength and direction of the linear relationship between two variables of at least interval measurement level. | |
Alternative hypothesis | Alternative hypothesis | Alternative hypothesis | |
H1 two sided: $\mu_1 \neq \mu_2$ H1 right sided: $\mu_1 > \mu_2$ H1 left sided: $\mu_1 < \mu_2$ | H1 two sided: $\mu \neq \mu_0$ H1 right sided: $\mu > \mu_0$ H1 left sided: $\mu < \mu_0$ | H1 two sided: $\rho \neq \rho_0$ H1 right sided: $\rho > \rho_0$ H1 left sided: $\rho < \rho_0$ | |
Assumptions | Assumptions | Assumptions of test for correlation | |
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Test statistic | Test statistic | Test statistic | |
$t = \dfrac{(\bar{y}_1 - \bar{y}_2) - 0}{\sqrt{\dfrac{s^2_1}{n_1} + \dfrac{s^2_2}{n_2}}} = \dfrac{\bar{y}_1 - \bar{y}_2}{\sqrt{\dfrac{s^2_1}{n_1} + \dfrac{s^2_2}{n_2}}}$
Here $\bar{y}_1$ is the sample mean in group 1, $\bar{y}_2$ is the sample mean in group 2, $s^2_1$ is the sample variance in group 1, $s^2_2$ is the sample variance in group 2, $n_1$ is the sample size of group 1, and $n_2$ is the sample size of group 2. The 0 represents the difference in population means according to the null hypothesis. The denominator $\sqrt{\frac{s^2_1}{n_1} + \frac{s^2_2}{n_2}}$ is the standard error of the sampling distribution of $\bar{y}_1 - \bar{y}_2$. The $t$ value indicates how many standard errors $\bar{y}_1 - \bar{y}_2$ is removed from 0. Note: we could just as well compute $\bar{y}_2 - \bar{y}_1$ in the numerator, but then the left sided alternative becomes $\mu_2 < \mu_1$, and the right sided alternative becomes $\mu_2 > \mu_1$. | $t = \dfrac{\bar{y} - \mu_0}{s / \sqrt{N}}$
Here $\bar{y}$ is the sample mean, $\mu_0$ is the population mean according to the null hypothesis, $s$ is the sample standard deviation, and $N$ is the sample size. The denominator $s / \sqrt{N}$ is the standard error of the sampling distribution of $\bar{y}$. The $t$ value indicates how many standard errors $\bar{y}$ is removed from $\mu_0$. | Test statistic for testing H0: $\rho = 0$:
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Sampling distribution of $t$ if H0 were true | Sampling distribution of $t$ if H0 were true | Sampling distribution of $t$ and of $z$ if H0 were true | |
Approximately the $t$ distribution with $k$ degrees of freedom, with $k$ equal to $k = \dfrac{\Bigg(\dfrac{s^2_1}{n_1} + \dfrac{s^2_2}{n_2}\Bigg)^2}{\dfrac{1}{n_1 - 1} \Bigg(\dfrac{s^2_1}{n_1}\Bigg)^2 + \dfrac{1}{n_2 - 1} \Bigg(\dfrac{s^2_2}{n_2}\Bigg)^2}$ or $k$ = the smaller of $n_1$ - 1 and $n_2$ - 1 First definition of $k$ is used by computer programs, second definition is often used for hand calculations. | $t$ distribution with $N - 1$ degrees of freedom | Sampling distribution of $t$:
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Significant? | Significant? | Significant? | |
Two sided:
| Two sided:
| $t$ Test two sided:
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Approximate $C\%$ confidence interval for $\mu_1 - \mu_2$ | $C\%$ confidence interval for $\mu$ | Approximate $C$% confidence interval for $\rho$ | |
$(\bar{y}_1 - \bar{y}_2) \pm t^* \times \sqrt{\dfrac{s^2_1}{n_1} + \dfrac{s^2_2}{n_2}}$
where the critical value $t^*$ is the value under the $t_{k}$ distribution with the area $C / 100$ between $-t^*$ and $t^*$ (e.g. $t^*$ = 2.086 for a 95% confidence interval when df = 20). The confidence interval for $\mu_1 - \mu_2$ can also be used as significance test. | $\bar{y} \pm t^* \times \dfrac{s}{\sqrt{N}}$
where the critical value $t^*$ is the value under the $t_{N-1}$ distribution with the area $C / 100$ between $-t^*$ and $t^*$ (e.g. $t^*$ = 2.086 for a 95% confidence interval when df = 20). The confidence interval for $\mu$ can also be used as significance test. | First compute the approximate $C$% confidence interval for $\rho_{Fisher}$:
Then transform back to get the approximate $C$% confidence interval for $\rho$:
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n.a. | Effect size | Properties of the Pearson correlation coefficient | |
- | Cohen's $d$: Standardized difference between the sample mean and $\mu_0$: $$d = \frac{\bar{y} - \mu_0}{s}$$ Cohen's $d$ indicates how many standard deviations $s$ the sample mean $\bar{y}$ is removed from $\mu_0.$ |
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Visual representation | Visual representation | n.a. | |
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n.a. | n.a. | Equivalent to | |
- | - | OLS regression with one independent variable:
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Example context | Example context | Example context | |
Is the average mental health score different between men and women? | Is the average mental health score of office workers different from $\mu_0 = 50$? | Is there a linear relationship between physical health and mental health? | |
SPSS | SPSS | SPSS | |
Analyze > Compare Means > Independent-Samples T Test...
| Analyze > Compare Means > One-Sample T Test...
| Analyze > Correlate > Bivariate...
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Jamovi | Jamovi | Jamovi | |
T-Tests > Independent Samples T-Test
| T-Tests > One Sample T-Test
| Regression > Correlation Matrix
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Practice questions | Practice questions | Practice questions | |