Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-68ccn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-12T21:20:47.687Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Inferential Statistics: Criticised by Sidman (1960), but Popular in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2012

T. Mary Foster ,
Kimberly Jarema  and
Alan Poling
T. Mary Foster*
Affiliation:
The University of Waikato
Kimberly Jarema
Affiliation:
Western Michigan University
Alan Poling
Affiliation:
Western Michigan University
*
*Address for correspondence: T. Mary Foster, Psychology Department, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand. Email: m.foster@waikato.ac.nz
Get access

Abstract

There are many criticisms of the use of inferential statistics in behavioural research, including those made by Sidman (1960). This paper reports the frequency of use of inferential statistics in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior in every fifth year from 1960. The usage is apparently growing. It is argued that is it time to return to appropriate experimental control.

Type
Research Article
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 16 , Issue 3 , 01 September 1999 , pp. 203 - 204
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baer, D.M. (1977). Perhaps it would be better not to know everything. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 10, 167–172.Google Scholar
Baron, A. (1990). Experimental designs. The Behavior Analyst, 13, 167–171.Google Scholar
Cohen, J. (1990). Things I have learned (so far). American Psychologist, 45, 1304–1312.Google Scholar
Cohen, J. (1994). The earth is round (p < .05). American Psychologist, 49, 997–1003.Google Scholar
Johnston, J.M., & Pennypacker, H.S. (1993). Strategies and tactics of scientific research. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Michael, J. (1974). Statistical inference for individual organism research: Mixed blessing or curse? Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 3, 1–24.Google Scholar
Poling, A., Methot, L.L., & LeSage, M.G. (1995). Fundamentals of behavior analytic research. New York: Plenum.Google Scholar
Rosnow, R.L., & Rosenthal, R. (1989). Statistical procedures and the justification of knowledge in psychological science. American Psychologist, 44, 1276–1284.Google Scholar
Sidman, M. (1960). Tactics of scientific research evaluating experimental data in psychology. New York: Basic Books.Google Scholar
Tukey, J.W. (1991). The philosophy of multiple comparisons. Statistical Science, 6, 100–116.Google Scholar