Apply knowledge of scales of measurement to produce operational definitions.

• Use problem solving skills to define and solve a problem.
• Understand behavior through empirical processes.
• Describe data with measures of central tendency and dispersion.
• Review and extend use of SPSS for data analysis.
• Communicate results of research through graphs.

 Materials and Apparatus Needed

1. Motor skills measurement apparati as provided in lab, with instructions.
2. Calculator and statistical formula [Bring your own!].
3. Microcomputers with SPSS connections.

 Directions:

  A sensory-motor nerve is one which is "both sensory and motor, i.e. a nerve with both functions." Sensory-Motor skills can be measured in a variety of ways. Your problem is to define a motor skill four different ways using each of the four scales of measurement. You may get some ideas about the value of sensory-motor skills from the website provided on Greg Kearsley's TIP database . You may use any of the apparati available.
 
 

Nominal:
 
 

Ordinal:
 
 

 Interval:
 
 

Ratio:
 
 
 
 

• After your instructor has approved your definitions use the nominal definition and at least one of the other three (ordinal, interval, ratio) to actually measure all your classmates (and any other available people).
• Record and analyze your data.
• Use SPSS to calculate frequencies (with descriptive statistics for both measures of central tendency and dispersion).
• Combine data with one or your classmates to produce a contingency table of the results of the two nominal scales of measurement the two of you used. You must have measured the same people!
• Produce an SPSS cross-tabulation of your combined data.
• Make a graph depicting the results. Annotate the graph with a verbal description of the distribution of data.