Author Question: Think about a situation where you have a test for a virus. First, you are tested positive or ... (Read 68 times)

mckennatimberlake · **on:** Jun 24, 2018

Think about a situation where you have a test for a virus. First, you are tested positive or negative. Second, you either really do have the virus or you don't.
a. If you actually have the virus but the test did not catch it, which error has been made and what is the impact of that error?
b. If you actually don't have the virus but the test says you did, which error is being made and what is the impact of this error?
c. Which error is the worst one to commit in this situation and why?

Question 2

In explaining starting salaries for graduates of psychology programs, which of the following independent variables would not best be represented with dummy variables?
a. Marital status
b. Grade point average
c. Race
d. Gender

potomatos · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 24, 2018

Answer to Question 1

a. A Type II error has been committed, which is a very costly error. You are being told you are OK when you really have the virus, and you are going untreated.
b. This is a false alarm, and a Type I error. A Type I error causes undue worry on behalf of the person taking the test, and could cause some treatments to occur that shouldn't.
c. With a Type II error you are letting people with the virus go unnoticed, and hence untreated. With a Type I error you falsely tell them they have the virus. This can cause undue worry but it is certainly not as bad of a problem as letting someone go on not knowing they have the virus. A Type II error is the worst in this situation.

Answer to Question 2

B