A researcher investigated the effect of a brief mindfulness meditation session on subjective anxiety levels. She conducted a controlled laboratory experiment using a sample of 20 participants.
In Condition A (Control), participants completed a state-anxiety self-report scale (from 1 to 10, where 1 = completely calm and 10 = extremely anxious) after sitting quietly in a waiting room for 15 minutes.
In Condition B (Mindfulness), the same participants completed the same 1 to 10 scale after participating in a 15-minute guided mindfulness meditation session.
The order of the conditions was counterbalanced across the participants.
The researcher analysed the data using a Wilcoxon signed-ranks test. The analysis showed that anxiety ratings were significantly lower after the mindfulness meditation session.
Explain two reasons why it was appropriate to use a Wilcoxon test in this study. Refer to the description of the study in your answer.
121 exam-style questions on AQA A Level Psychology Inferential testing (A-level only). Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.