

In the 1980s, ProCare Industries sold a product called Gender Choice.

Methods of gender selection have been around for many years. These couples may want to use a gender-selection method to increase the likelihood of having a baby girl so that none of their children inherit the disorder. For example, some couples carry X-linked recessive genes, so that a male child has a 50% chance of inheriting a serious disorder and a female child has no chance of inheriting the disorder. Others believe that limited use should be allowed for medical reasons, such as to prevent gender-specific hereditary disorders. Some people believe that use of such methods should be prohibited, regardless of the reason. 235Ĭhapter 1: Introduction to Statistics Section 1-2 1.1 8-1 Review and Preview 8-2 Basics of Hypothesis Testing 8-3 Testing a Claim About a Proportion 8-4 Testing a Claim About a Mean: s Known 8-5 Testing a Claim About a Mean: s Not Known 8-6 Testing a Claim About a Standard Deviation or Variance Hypothesis Testing 390Ģ CHAPTER PROBLEM Does the MicroSort method of gender selection increase the likelihood that a baby will be a girl? Gender-selection methods are somewhat controversial. Statistical significance is indicated when methods of statistics are used to reach a conclusion that some treatment or finding is effective, but common sense might suggest that the treatment or finding does not make enough of a difference to justify its use or to be practical.

Yes, it is possible for a study to have statistical significance but not a practical significance. If the source of the data can benefit from the results of the study, it is possible that an element of bias is introduced so that the results are favorable to the source.Ī voluntary response sample is a sample in which the subjects themselves decide whether to be included in the study.

There does appear to be a potential to create a bias.Ī voluntary response sample is generally not suitable for a statistical study because the sample may have a bias resulting from participation by those with a special interest in the topic being studied.Įven if we conduct a study and find that there is a correlation, or association, between two variables, we cannot conclude that one of the variables is the cause of the other. There does not appear to be a potential to create a bias. There does appear a potential to create a bias. The sample is a voluntary response sample and is therefore flawed.ġ0. The sample is a voluntary response sample and is therefore flawed. Because there is a 30% chance of getting such results with a diet that has no effect, it does not appear to have statistical significance, but the average loss of 45 pounds does appear to have practical significance. Because there is only a 1% chance of getting the results by chance, the method appears to have a statistical significance. The result of 540 boys in 1000 births is above the approximately 50% rate expected by chance, but it does not appear to be high enough to have practical significance. Not many couples would bother with a procedure that raises the likelihood of a boy from 50% to 54%.
