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Based on the researcher's observations, classify the specific shape of this data distribution and explain how the placement of the peak and the tail in her data justify your classification.
Case context: A clinical psychology researcher measures the number of phobia-related avoidance behaviors exhibited per week by a sample of undergraduate students. When graphing the data, she observes an asymmetrical shape where the vast majority of students report zero to two avoidance behaviors, but a very small number of students report up to twenty behaviors.
Question: Based on the researcher's observations, classify the specific shape of this data distribution and explain how the placement of the peak and the tail in her data justify your classification.
Sample answer: The data forms a positively skewed distribution. This is justified because the peak of the scores is at the lower end of the range (zero to two behaviors), and the small number of students reporting high numbers of behaviors (up to twenty) creates a relatively long positive tail trailing off toward the higher values.
Key points:
- The distribution is positively skewed.
- The peak is shifted toward the lower end of the range.
- There is a relatively long positive tail trailing off toward the higher values.
Rubric: The response must correctly identify the distribution as positively skewed, comprehend that the peak occurs at the lower end of the score range, and state that the extreme high values create a long positive tail.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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