Two-Sample t-Test

Independent

Review
Previously, we looked at 1 sample of data at a time, representing 1 level of an IV e.g., does a drug for depression reduce feelings of sadness? We knew how sad depressed people are in the population. We used either a Z-test or a t-test:

1 sample z-test 1 sample

m for known population

1 sample t-test 1 sample

m for known population

s for known population

estimate s using s

Transition to Two-Sample Problems

Goal: compare responses of two treatments or compare the characteristics of two groups.
We have a separate (i.e. independent) sample from each treatment or each population. We have neither nor

Independent t-test
The independent t uses the difference between two X ' s ) to evaluate the difference sample means (i.e. between two population s. The formula for t is:
t=[( X 1 X 2 ) (m1 m2)]/s(X X
1 2

t=(sample mean difference population mean difference)/(estimated standard error)

Remember: H0 says that the population mean difference is equal to zero (i.e., m1 m2 = 0), so the formula can be simplified:
t=( X 1 X 2 )/s(X X
1 2

Snyder Example
In social interactions, Self-Fulfilling Prophecies play out this way: My expectations of you will influence my behavior toward you, and this will cause you to do things I expect. For example, if I see a picture of you wearing a Cubs baseball hat, then I might think you are a baseball fan, particularly a Cubs fan. If we then get a chance to interact, I am more likely to ask you questions about baseball. You will then answer those questions and I will come away thinking that baseball is important to you because thats what we talked most about.

Snyder Example
Now move this to interpersonal attraction research. Snyders research was similar to this. He was interested in whether a males expectations about a females attractiveness would influence the mans behavior and thus the womans behavior over the phone. He brought in 23 men. Twelve men were given a photo of an attractive interaction partner and 11 men were given a photo of an unattractive partner. The females reactions/responses were audiotaped and then rated by judges as to how flirtatious she was being.

Identify Variables
Attractive photo Mean SS n Unattractive photo cond

X A = 5.6
SSA = 35.64 nA = 12

XU

= 4.9

SSU = 22.5 nU = 11

First pick out the variables

DV = Judge ratings of flirtatiousness of female IV = Photo of partner; Levels: attractive, unattractive

- Again taking 2 groups from same population and treating differently.

Question We Are Asking

Do women flirt more when men think they are attractive than when they think the woman is unattractive? Do these groups belong to 2 separate populations (different), or the same population (no difference)

If H0 is true and we draw pairs of samples from 1 population with 1 , then we would expect the differences in means between the groups to be = 0 H0: 1 = 2 or 1 2 = 0

X attr - X

unattr=

H1: 1 > 2 or 1 2 > 0 X attr - X

unattr

>0

Standard Error
Recall that in a one-sample t-test, sM = (s/n)
Now have two s values, and two n values. Which n do we trust?

How do we put them both together to get one overall error value?

Pooled Variance
A survey wants to know how much your household spends on groceries each week. Both you and your significant other go shopping, but you go twice a week and they go only once a week. You spend $50 each time, and he or she spends $100 each time. Thinking about this, you know that you dont spend less money per week than your significant other. You had to weight the amount you spent based on how frequently you went to the store.

 The pooled variance gives us a single value for the standard error of the mean for our samples. It is not the same as a combined variance (s21 + s22).
pooled variance = s2p = (SS1 + SS2)/(df1+df2)
s2p = [(Xi1 X 1)2 + (Xi2 X 2)2 ] / [(n1 1) + (n2 1)]

Pooled Variance and Standard Error of the Difference in Means

But, we dont use the pooled variance in the t-formula, we use a pooled standard error:
s( X1 X 2 )= [(s2p/n1) + (s2p/n2)]

Now you can get your t-statistic

Calculate Obtained t
t (df ) ( X 1 X 2 ) ( m1 m 2 ) ( X 1 X 2 ) ( m1 m 2 ) s x1 x2 s p2 s p2 n1 n2 ( X1 X 2 ) s p2 n1 s p2 n2

df = (n1 - 1) + (n2 - 1)

Calculate Obtained t
In our example, we get:

t(21) = (5.6 4.9) / [(1.662/12) + (1.662/11)] = 1.01