Contrasts and Effect Sizes in Behavioral Research
A Correlational Approach

This book presents a series of concepts, measures, and indices that permit a more useful application of contrast analysis.

Robert Rosenthal (Author), Ralph L. Rosnow (Author), Donald B. Rubin (Author)

9780521652582, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 28 December 1999

224 pages, 4 b/w illus. 68 tables
24.4 x 17 x 1.4 cm, 0.64 kg

'Contrasts and Effect Sizes in Behavioural Research … is a masterpiece of careful exposition. It introduces a framework and terminology for thinking of concepts that will be familiar to anyone who has struggled with the issues of how to represent effects in diverse research literatures, e.g., anyone who has ever done a mata-analysis. It fills a nees that I and others have observed over the years for a careful treatment of computing effect sizes from the diverse and complex designs one finds in behavioural research.' Larry Hedges, University of Chicago

Contrasts are statistical procedures for asking focused questions of data. Compared to diffuse or omnibus questions, focused questions are characterized by greater conceptual clarity and greater statistical power when examining those focused questions. If an effect truly exists, we are more likely to discover it and to believe it to be real when asking focused questions rather than omnibus ones. Researchers, teachers of research methods and graduate students will be familiar with the principles and procedures of contrast analysis, but will also be introduced to a series of newly developed concepts, measures, and indices that permit a wider and more useful application of contrast analysis. This volume takes on this new approach by introducing a family of correlational effect size estimates.

1. Basic concepts of focused procedures
2. Basic procedures for two groups
3. One-way contrast analysis
4. Contrasts in factorial designs
5. Contrasts in repeated measures
6. Multiple contrasts.

Subject Areas: Psychological methodology [JMB]