About the lecture

In this lecture, we think about nominal data and scales, focusing in particular on: (i) the ways in which different variables can be coded, to represent data; (ii) the logic behind coding variables in particular ways, depending on what is required of the data; (iii) the statistical limitations of nominal scales, with the mode being the only typically relevant measure of central tendency; (iv) the applicability of nominal scales in behavioural genetics.

About the lecturer

Professor Dominic Dwyer is the chair for the BSc and MSc exam boards in the School of Psychology at Cardiff University. Professor Dwyer teaches introductory statistics for undergraduate years one and two. Professor Dwyer’s research is primarily focused on how animals and people learn, as well as how that learning is expressed as behaviour. Some key focus areas of this research are computational modelling, neurodegenerative disorders, and the assessment of individual differences. Some of Professor Dwyer’s recent publications include 'EXPRESS: Instrumental responses and Pavlovian stimuli as temporal referents in a peak procedure' (2022) and 'Face masks have emotion-dependent dissociable effects on accuracy and confidence in identifying facial expressions of emotion' (2022).