Readers’ Digest (April 2002) reported results of several surveys that asked graduate students to examine photographs of men and women and try to guess their ages. Researchers compared these guesses with the number of times the people in the pictures reported having sexual intercourse. It turned out that those who had been more sexually active were judged as looking younger, and that the difference was described as “statistically significant.” Psychologist David Weeks, who compiled the research, speculated that lovemaking boosts hormones that “reduce fatty tissue and increase lean muscle, giving a more youthful appearance.”

a) What does “statistically significant” mean in this context?

b) Explain in statistical terms why you might be skeptical about Dr. Weeks’s conclusion. Propose an alternative explanation for these results.