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Chapter 9 of 10All chapters

Chapter 9 of 10

How to read a study

Practical scepticism.

Questions to ask

Who were the participants, how many, was it randomised, what was actually measured, and how large was the effect in real terms?

  • Much of the field studies university students in wealthy countries.
  • Statistical significance says nothing about practical importance.

Correlation again

Most psychology outside the laboratory is correlational. Headlines routinely upgrade an association into a cause, sometimes without the researchers involved.