Type I and II errors (2 of 2)

---

Next section: One- and two-tailed tests

A Type I error, on the other hand, is an error in every sense of the word. A conclusion is drawn that the null hypothesis is false when, in fact, it is true. Therefore, Type I errors are generally considered more serious than Type II errors. The probability of a Type I error (α) is called the significance level and is set by the experimenter. There is a tradeoff between Type I and Type II errors. The more an experimenter protects himself or herself against Type I errors by choosing a low level, the greater the chance of a Type II error. Requiring very strong evidence to reject the null hypothesis makes it very unlikely that a true null hypothesis will be rejected. However, it increases the chance that a false null hypothesis will not be rejected, thus lowering power. The Type I error rate is almost always set at .05 or at .01, the latter being more conservative since it requires stronger evidence to reject the null hypothesis at the .01 level then at the .05 level.

Next section: One- and two-tailed tests.