Basic Statistics for Behavioural Sciences 

This deficiency course has the aim of securing a basic level of (i) understanding the standard data-analyses for experimental designs, (ii) selecting and running by computer software the appropriate analysis given the data and research hypothesis, and (iii) interpreting the results of such analyses properly. The focus will be on behavioural data, but the principles extend to neuro-imaging and electrophysiological data.

After (a review of) the principles of statistical hypothesis testing, the standard data-analyses for experimental designs will be covered: t-tests, multiple linear regression (as expression of the general linear model), one-way ANOVA, including contrasts and post-hoc tests, factorial ANOVA, and both the univariate and multivariate approach to repeated measures analysis.

• Discovering Statistics Using SPSS (3e) by Andy Field, chapters 2, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14. A copy of this book is available in the student office.

A practical course is taken. For each session there is a reading assignment, directly coupled to an exercise assignment, both involving data analyses with SPSS. Students not familiar with SPSS can form teams with students who are. However, the book used also contains an introduction into SPSS, so it can also be consulted for this purpose. At the start of each session the students are assumed to have completed the assignments and to have the output of the required analyses with them. During the meeting the assignments will then be discussed and illustrated by appropriate SPSS-output. Thus, the meetings have principally a feedback function and the students should feel free to bring up any question or problem they encountered with respect to the assignments.

2Executing and reporting SPSS data-analyses. Date: Monday, January 16, 2011; 10.45-15.30

 Note this course is for CNS students only. Non-CNS students can contact Yvonne Schouten () or Arno Koning ().