The Floor Effect

Learn how to use working floor in less than a minute.

The floor effect.

This could be hiding a possible effect of the independent variable the variable being manipulated. In statistics a floor effect also known as a basement effect arises when a data gathering instrument has a lower limit to the data values it can reliably specify. For example the distribution of scores on an ability test will be skewed by a floor effect if the test is much too difficult for many of the respondents and. In statistics and measurement theory an artificial lower limit on the value that a variable can attain causing the distribution of scores to be skewed.

This is even more of a problem with multiple choice tests. Downloads down below note if the floor doesn t show up you might need to raise it by increasing t. In layperson terms your questions are too hard for the group you are testing. Limited variability in the data gathered on one variable may reduce the power of statistics on correlations between that variable and another variable.

In research a floor effect aka basement effect is when measurements of the dependent variable the variable exposed to the independent variable and then measured result in very low scores on the measurement scale. With other types if the subject doesn t know they aren t. Psychology definition of floor effect. There is very little variance because the floor of your test is too high.

A floor effect is when most of your subjects score near the bottom. Ceiling effects and floor effects both limit the range of data reported by the instrument reducing variability in the gathered data. The inability of a test to measure or discriminate below a certain point usually because its items are too difficult.