Question

"Inferential" statistics:

a) describe what something is like in qualitative terms.
b) describe what something is like in quantitative terms.
c) measure cause-and-effect relationships among two or more variables or factors in qualitative terms.
d) measure cause-and-effect relationships among two or more variables or factors in quantitative terms.
e) none of the above

Answer 1

Inferential statistics measure cause-and-effect relationships in quantitative terms, using methods like t-tests and probability to draw reliable conclusions from data. The correct option is option (d).

Step-by-step explanation:

“Inferential” statistics, unlike descriptive statistics that summarize data, are used to make inferences about a population based on a sample. The correct answer to the question is measure cause-and-effect relationships among two or more variables or factors in quantitative terms. Inferential statistics use methods like hypothesis testing and confidence intervals to draw conclusions from data. The t-test, as an example, is a method used in inferential statistics to compare means between groups or against a known value.

Inferential statistics are a cornerstone in fields like quantitative sociology, which uses statistical techniques to discover patterns in human behavior from data. Moreover, statistical inference is crucial because it applies probability to conclusions about data, allowing researchers to measure the reliability of their inferences.