Answer to Question #203044 in Statistics and Probability for Lauren Veitz

Question

If we decrease the probability f making a Type I Error, then we ________ the probability of making a Type II Error.

a. decrease

b. increase

Answer 1

A Type I error is when we reject a true null hypothesis. Lower values of α make it harder to reject the null hypothesis, so choosing lower values for α can reduce the probability of a Type I error. The consequence here is that if the null hypothesis is false, it may be more difficult to reject using a low value for α. So using lower values of α can increase the probability of a Type II error. A Type II error is when we fail to reject a false null hypothesis.

Answer: b. increase