Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No.2, 2014

 

The Lost Boundary: A Study of the Null Hypothesis Testing Method in Psychology

(Abstract)

 

Jiao Can and Zhang Minqiang

 

After being introduced into psychology from statistics, the null hypothesis testing method was widely used and became the most common and the most influential psychological technique since the emergence of scientistic psychology. However, psychological circles at home and abroad have found many problems and errors in its use, as the method has been used outside its proper boundaries. An examination of its history and development shows that it is most often criticized for dependence on sample capacity, uncertainty over the degree of significance of conclusions, and non-replicable findings. Effect size is the main factor that influences statistical power. Introducing the concept of effect size, reporting and explaining effect size, and making effect size an integral part of research findings will improve the theory and technique of null hypothesis testing.