Question

A veterinarian wants to perform a study at a local animal shelter where 200 dogs need training on behavior modification. The purpose of the study would be to determine if using a firm voice during training for 10 minutes improves a dog’s learning behavior compared to not speaking during training for 10 minutes.
1. Describe an appropriate design for the study.
2. The hypotheses for this study are as follows:
H₀: There is no difference in the mean improvement of dogs during behavior modification for either treatment.
H_a: The mean improvement of dogs during behavior modification is greater for the firm voice treatment.

The shelters will allow trainers to use a firm voice during training if the null hypothesis is rejected. What are the possible Type I and II errors? Describe the consequences of each in the context of this study and discuss which type you think is more serious.

Answer 1

(a)

Question: Describe an appropriate design for the study.

Assign the each of the 200 dogs randomly into mutually exclusive groups:
Group 1: of size 100 dogs: Control Group: not speaking during training for 10 minutes.

Group 2: of size 100 dogs: Experimental Group: Firm voice treatment during training for 10 minutes.

Calculate the learning behavior of all the dogs in both the groups after the experimentation.

From the data collected, through hypothesis testing, we can conclude if using a firm voice during training for 10 minutes improves a dog’s learning behavior compared to not speaking during training for 10 minutes.

(b)

Question: What are the possible Type I and II errors?

Type I Error: Rejection of a true null hypothesis.

Suppose in reality, there is no difference in the mean improvement of dogs during behavior modification for either treatment. But, the veterinarian wrongly concludes the mean improvement of dogs during behavior modification is greater for the firm voice treatment.

Type I error is committed in this situation.

Type II Error: Failure to reject a false null hypothesis.

Suppose in reality, The mean improvement of dogs during behavior modification is greater for the firm voice treatment.
But, the veterinarian wrongly concludes there is no difference in the mean improvement of dogs during behavior modification for either treatment.

Type II error is committed in this situation.

(c)

Question: Describe the consequences of each in the context of this study

The consequence of Type I error: The shelters will allow trainers to use a firm voice during training whereas in reality it is not going to be useful as in reality here is no difference in the mean improvement of dogs during behavior modification for either treatment. Thus, this involves unnecessary action of firm voice during training.

The consequence of Type II error: The shelters will not allow trainers to use a firm voice during training whereas in reality it is going to be useful as in reality the mean improvement of dogs during behavior modification is greater for the firm voice treatment.
Thus, this involves avoiding necessary action of firm voice during training.

(d) Question : Discuss which type you think is more serious.

Type I error is more serious because the trainer will be unnecessarily torturing the dogs with firm voice which is not going to give any benefit at all.