For this question, you will examine central tendency and variability based on two separate variables. You will also explore the implications for positive social change based on the results of the data.

To prepare:

Review the Learning Resources and the Descriptive Statistics media program.

For additional support, review the Skill Builder: Visual Displays for Categorical Variables and the Skill Builder: Visual Displays for Continuous Variables, which you can find in the Learning Resources.

Review the Chapter 4 of the Wagner text and the examples in the SPSS software related to central tendency and variability.

From the General Social Survey dataset, found in the Learning Resources, use the SPSS software. Choose one continuous and one categorical variable. Note: This dataset will be different from your Assignment dataset.

As you review, consider the implications for positive social change based on the results of your data.

For this question response, report a descriptive analysis for your variables, specifically noting the following:

For your continuous variable:

Report the mean, median, and mode.

What might be the better measure for central tendency (i.e., mean, median, or mode), and why?

Report the standard deviation.

How variable are the data?

How would you describe this data?

What sort of research question would this variable help answer that might inform social change?

Submit the following information for your categorical variable:

A frequency distribution.

An appropriate measure of variation.

Then, answer:

How variable are the data?

How would you describe this data?

What sort of research question would this variable help answer that might inform social change?