Floor effect
Encyclopedia
In statistics
, the term floor effect refers to when data cannot take on a value lower than some particular number, called the floor.
An example of this is when an IQ test is given to young children who have either (a) been given training or (b) have been given no training. If the test is too difficult (so difficult that no amount of training will affect the ability to carry out the test), both group (a) and group (b) will perform particularly badly. This does not necessarily lead to the conclusion that the training has no effect on the ability to complete the IQ test. In fact, this may lead to a Type II error
. The IQ test is too difficult, and by making the questions less difficult, training may have an effect on the ability to complete the IQ score.
Here, the floor effect is the data all hitting the bottom end of the distribution due to the extreme difficulty of the task. A ceiling effect
is precisely the opposite - all participants reaching the high end of the distribution (e.g. the test was too easy).
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
, the term floor effect refers to when data cannot take on a value lower than some particular number, called the floor.
An example of this is when an IQ test is given to young children who have either (a) been given training or (b) have been given no training. If the test is too difficult (so difficult that no amount of training will affect the ability to carry out the test), both group (a) and group (b) will perform particularly badly. This does not necessarily lead to the conclusion that the training has no effect on the ability to complete the IQ test. In fact, this may lead to a Type II error
Type I and type II errors
In statistical test theory the notion of statistical error is an integral part of hypothesis testing. The test requires an unambiguous statement of a null hypothesis, which usually corresponds to a default "state of nature", for example "this person is healthy", "this accused is not guilty" or...
. The IQ test is too difficult, and by making the questions less difficult, training may have an effect on the ability to complete the IQ score.
Here, the floor effect is the data all hitting the bottom end of the distribution due to the extreme difficulty of the task. A ceiling effect
Ceiling effect
The term ceiling effect has two distinct meanings, referring to the level at which an independent variable no longer has an effect on a dependent variable, or to the level above which variance in an independent variable is no longer measured or estimated...
is precisely the opposite - all participants reaching the high end of the distribution (e.g. the test was too easy).