F distribution

a theoretical probability distribution widely used in the analysis of variance, multiple regression, and other statistical tests of hypotheses about population variances. It is the ratio of the variances of two independent random variables each divided by its degrees of freedom. In an analysis of variance, for example, the F distribution is used to test the hypothesis that the variance between groups is significantly greater than the variance within groups, thus demonstrating evidence of some differences among the means. See F ratio; F test.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

December 22nd 2024

autassassinophilia

n. a paraphilia in which sexual arousal and the achievement of orgasm are facilitated by the fantasy or belief that one is in danger of being killed. This may include the individual staging a sexual encounter characterized by extreme masochism with the real potential for his or her own murder. Also called autoassassinatophilia. Compare homicidophilia.