PSYC 354
SPSS HOMEWORK: CENTRAL TENDENCY ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
This assignment is designed to increase your statistical literacy and proficiency in summarizing,
visualizing, and interpreting central tendency within data sets. You will work within SPSS, using
data that are related to specific research scenarios in the behavioral sciences such as psychology,
social work, and counseling. A working knowledge of how to summarize and visualize data is
fundamental to being able to understand and apply research in your related field to your practice.
Additionally, SPSS skills are professionally valuable, as it is one of the most used statistical
software packages in behavioral science settings, both academic and professional.
INSTRUCTIONS
This assignment includes two problem sets that contain research scenarios and related
questions.
For each scenario, you will respond to a series of questions asking you to create and
interpret various tables and charts in SPSS. Paste your SPSS output directly into the
homework underneath each relevant question. Type written answers into the document
underneath the question to which they relate.
This assignment is worth 60 points.
Please review Watch: SPSS Homework Tutorial: Describing and Graphing Central
Tendency and Watch: SPSS Homework Tutorial: Describing and Graphing Central
Tendency for Groups in this module for directions on how to enter data in SPSS and use it to
produce the final product for your assignment. The scenarios begin on the next page.
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PSYC 354
Problem Set 1: A neuropsychologist who works with clients over 60 years of age administers
the Dementia Severity Rating Scale (DSRS; Clark and Ewbank, 1996) to the caregivers of 20
clients. On the DSRS, lower scores indicate a lack of, or low severity of, dementia symptoms;
while higher scores indicate more severe dementia symptoms. The scores are contained in the
table below.
1. Using the data in the table above, set up a data file in SPSS and create a table of
descriptive statistics using the “Explore” command. Paste the table here: (8 pts)
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DSRS Score
17
13
18
21
10
26
51
10
6
53
52
11
8
13
19
6
20
16
17
20
PSYC 354
2. Using the same data, create a histogram showing the distribution of DSRS scores in the
sample. Paste the histogram here: (7 pts)
3. List the mean and the median for DSRS scores. (4 pts)
Mean: 20.35
Median: 17.00
4. Based on the information in numbers 1-3, which measure of central tendency would you
use to describe this data set? Support your answer with material from the presentations
and/or reading this week. (6 pts)
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PSYC 354
The best measure of central tendency would be the median. This distribution has few extreme
scores. As noted in the textbook, the median is not affected by extreme scores whereas the
mean is. Extreme scores distort the mean, however even if the extreme score were 100 rather
than 53 the median would not change.
5. Locate the outliers in the data set. Based on your knowledge of DSRS scores, what would
your recommendation be for the caregivers of the patients with these outlying scores? (5
pts)
My recommendation would be to be more alert and to seek further professional help as those patients
are showing sever symptoms of dementia.
Problem Set 2: The following data are based on numbers taken from the Bureau of Labor
Statistics surveys from the year 2019 ( https://www.bls.gov/cps/aa2019/cpsaat39.htm ), for
community, service, social science, and education occupations. They represent the average
weekly pay for wage and salary earners measured during 2019 and broken down by gender.
Enter these data into a new file containing one grouping variable for gender and one variable for
salary.
For the Gender variable in column 1, code women as 1 and men as 2
Remember to define these in Value Labels as covered in the presentations.
There will be thirteen “1”s and thirteen “2”s (as many participants as in each group) in the
Gender column in SPSS.
The corresponding earnings will be entered in the Salary column in SPSS.
1 Women 2 Men
1358
1042
1095
942
579
1003
944
862
896
556
731
664
589
1870
1161
1262
1190
707
944
1108
1155
928
588
953
890
671
1. Using the data in the table above, set up your data file in SPSS and create a table of
Descriptive Statistics using the “Explore” function that shows descriptives for women
and men separately. Paste the table here: (8 pts)
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PSYC 354
2. What is the median salary for men in this sample? (5 pts)
953.00
3. What are the mean and standard deviation of salaries for women? (5 pts)
Mean:866.2308
SD:236.51151
4. Using the same data, create a boxplot in SPSS to show the difference in salaries between
women and men. Paste the boxplot here: (6 pts)
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