Contrasts and Effect Sizes in Behavioral Research A Correlational Approach

Contrasts are statistical procedures for asking focused questions of data. Researchers, teachers of research methods and graduate students will be familiar with the principles and procedures of contrast analysis included here. But they, for the first time, will also be presented with a series of newly developed concepts, measures, and indices that permit a wider and more useful application of contrast analysis. This volume takes on this new approach by introducing a family of correlational effect size estimates. By returning to these correlations throughout the book, the authors demonstrate special adaptations in a variety of contexts from two group comparison to one way analysis of variance contexts, to factorial designs, to repeated measures designs and to the case of multiple contrasts.

Contrasts are statistical procedures for asking focused questions of data. Compared to diffuse or omnibus questions, focused questions are characterized by greater conceptual clarity and greater statistical power when examining those focused questions. If an effect truly exists, we are more likely to discover it and to believe it to be real when asking focused questions rather than omnibus ones. Researchers, teachers of research methods and graduate students will be familiar with the principles and procedures of contrast analysis, but will also be introduced to a series of newly developed concepts, measures, and indices that permit a wider and more useful application of contrast analysis. This volume takes on this new approach by introducing a family of correlational effect size estimates.

1. Basic concepts of focused procedures; 2. Basic procedures for two groups; 3. One-way contrast analysis; 4. Contrasts in factorial designs; 5. Contrasts in repeated measures; 6. Multiple contrasts.

Researchers, teachers of research methods and graduate students will be familiar with the principles and procedures of contrast analysis included here, but will also be presented for the first time with a series of newly developed concepts, measures, and indices that permit a more useful application of contrast analysis.