ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses many issues that, in their own right, have been the topics of books. Consequently, treatment of each is limited, focusing upon those appearing with some frequency in the neuropsychology literature as well as in my personal experience in the teaching and practice of clinical neuropsychology. Many clinicians enter practice having received instruction in introductory statistics, test and measurement, and perhaps one additional course in nonparametric or parametric modeling2. The present chapter is written with this reader in mind. My interns often view probability statements as a form or
1 Please address correspondence to PO Box 246, Candor, NC 27229 or https://www.rdfphd@yahoo.com/. 2 Readers with less preparation, or those who may be a bit “rusty” are encouraged to review one of the recent texts on these topics cited in this
evidence of “proof.” Discussions between practitioners at national and international meetings provide me with little basis for thinking that the views of interns change after graduation. Because psychology is so prone to confirmation bias (see Faust, Ziskin, & Hiers; 1991 Nickerson, 1998), a clear understanding of statistical modeling is particularly important in clinical applications. The purpose of this chapter is to provide readers with the requisite tools for using formal hypothesis testing as a method for reducing the confirmation bias that might otherwise occur in their clinical work.
