INDEPENDENT-SAMPLES

t TEST
 INDEPENDENT – SAMPLES t TEST
• Used when the means of the two independent groups are
compared on a continuous dependent variable of interest.

Example 1:
A clinical psychologist wanted to investigate the relative
effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychoanalytic
therapy on depression. Thirty people suffering from depression
were randomly assigned to receive one of the two therapies, with
15 people receiving cognitive-behavioral therapy and 15 receiving
psychoanalytic therapy. After two months of therapy, the depression
score for each participant was recorded. The independent variable
in this study is the type of therapy (cognitive-behavioral,
psychoanalytical) and the dependent variable is depression, with
higher scores representing greater depression levels.
 INDEPENDENT – SAMPLES t TEST

Objective and Data Requirements of the Independent-Samples

t Test
Objective Data Example
Requirements
To test whether the One independent
means of two groups variable with two
differ significantly on separate groups
some dependent One continuous
variable of interest. dependent variable:
 INDEPENDENT – SAMPLES t TEST

Research Question:
“Is there a significant difference in the average depression
levels between those who received cognitive-behavioral
therapy and those who received psychoanalytical therapy?”

Null Hypothesis:
There is no significant difference in the average
depression levels between who received cognitive-behavioral
therapy and those who received psychoanalytical therapy.

Alternative Hypothesis:
There is a significant difference in the average depression
levels between who received cognitive-behavioral therapy
and those who received psychoanalytical therapy.
 INDEPENDENT – SAMPLES t TEST
The Data (Psychoanalytical – 1; Cognitive-Behavioral – 2)
Participant Therapy Depression Participant Therapy Depression
1 1 57 16 2 47
2 1 61 17 2 42
3 1 67 18 2 59
4 1 63 19 2 37
5 1 51 20 2 35
6 1 55 21 2 42
7 1 45 22 2 38
8 1 62 23 2 49
9 1 41 24 2 61
10 1 36 25 2 43
11 1 55 26 2 47
12 1 57 27 2 49
13 1 70 28 2 37
14 1 62 29 2 41
15 1 58 30 2 48
 INDEPENDENT – SAMPLES t TEST
Data Entry and Analysis in SPSS
Step 1: Create the Variables
Use therapy and depression as variable names.
Step 2: Enter the Data
Step 3: Analyze the Data
1. From the menu bar, select Analyze > Compare Means >
Independent-Samples T Test…
2. Select the dependent variable, depression, and click the upper
right arrow button to move it into the Test Variable(s) box.
3. Select the independent variable, therapy, and click the lower
right arrow button to move it into the Grouping Variable box.
4. Click Define Groups.
5. Enter “1” to the right of Group 1 (the number assigned to the
psychoanalytical group and “2” to the right of Group 2 (the
number assigned to the cognitive-behavioral group)
6. Click Continue.
7. Click OK.
 INDEPENDENT – SAMPLES t TEST
Data Entry and Analysis in SPSS
Step 4: Interpret the Results
1. The first table output, Group Statistics, displays the
descriptive statistics including the sample space, size, mean,
standard deviation, and standard error. The second table,
Independent Samples Test, presents the results for the
Levene’s Test for Equality of Variances followed by the t-test
for equality of Mean.
 INDEPENDENT – SAMPLES t TEST
Data Entry and Analysis in SPSS
Step 4: Interpret the Results
2. Check the results of Levene’s test for the equality of
variances.
• If p > 0.05: Interpret the first row of values for the t test.
Labeled Equal variances assumed.
• If p ≤ 0.05: Interpret the second row of values for the t
test, labeled Equal variances not assumed.
3. Check the p-value (“sig.”) in the t-test for Equality of Means
section of the Independent Samples Test table.
• If p ≤ 0.05, the null hypothesis rejected. Inspect the means
form the Group Statistics table and write the results
indicating the nature of the difference between the groups.
• If p > 0.05, the null hypothesis is not rejected. Write the
result indicating that there is no significant difference
between the groups.
INDEPENDENT – SAMPLES t TEST
 INDEPENDENT – SAMPLES t TEST
Example 2:
Recent advances is surgical technology have led to an increase in the
use of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) which involves making one or
more small incisions to preform the surgery, as opposed to making a
considerably larger incision that traditional surgery requires. One of the
claims advocates of MIS make is that the patient experiences less pain
following the surgery. To investigate this claim, a researcher followed 30
people who were scheduled to undergo cardiovascular surgery, with 15
receiving MIS and 15 receiving traditional surgery. The reported pain level
of each surgical patient was recorded 24 hours following surgery. The pain
scale ranged from 1 to 10, with higher score indicating a greater degree of
pain.

Procedure Pain
MIS 5 4 7 2 3 5 4 6 2 5 6 8 4 5 5
Traditional 6 7 5 8 9 7 8 6 6 7 8 8 6 3 9
 INDEPENDENT – SAMPLES t TEST
Example 3:
Two different methods were compared for helping people overcome
snake phobia (ophidiophobia). Twenty people who suffered from
excessive fear of snakes were randomly assigned to receive one of two
treatments: either systematic desensitization (small, progressive steps are
made toward overcoming the snake phobia) or implosion therapy (the
participant is overwhelmed of “flooded” with the fear with the goal of
overcoming it). After three weeks of treatment, the snake anxiety score for
each participant was obtained using a measure of snake fear (with higher
scores representing greater fear of snakes. The data are shown below.
Therapy Snakefear
Systematic
50 45 52 58 42 35 40 46 52 51
desensitization
Implosion 70 59 62 45 39 58 50 75 70 65