We want to compare the scores of different groups on a measure of reaction time. Three different groups were studied: patients with recent head injuries, patients with old head injuries, and a control group of non-injured people. We want to know which group of people has the fastest reaction time. What is the best statistical test to use to find this out?
A) one-way ANOVA
B) factorial ANOVA
C) paired samples t -test
D) correlation

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

One-way ANOVA is appropriate for comparing the means of three or more independent groups on a continuous variable, in this case, the reaction time. It will identify if there are significant differences between the groups, and if so, which group(s) differ from the others. Factorial ANOVA would be used if there were additional factors being considered, such as age or gender. Paired samples t-test is used when comparing the means of two dependent groups, which is not applicable here since the groups are independent. Correlation is used to examine the relationship between two continuous variables, which is not what we are examining here.

We Want to Compare the Scores of Different Groups on a Measure