Teaching Hypothesis Testing Methods to Graduate and Undergraduate Students Using Equivalence‐Based Instruction

ABSTRACT In this study, equivalence‐based instruction (EBI) was used to teach hypothesis testing methods to graduate and undergraduate psychology students. Instruction was delivered on six‐members classes representing the z ‐test, t ‐test, F ‐test, chi‐square test and binomial test. A pretest‐training‐posttest‐maintenance design was employed, with baseline relations taught using a computer‐controlled match‐to‐sample task. The effects of training were assessed using both written and computerized pretests and posttests. One week after training, a follow‐up written and computerized test was administered to assess maintenance. Test scores improved following training, derived relations emerged, and class‐consistent responding generalized to a novel context (i.e., the written test) for all participants. These effects were maintained 1 week after training across all participants. This study systematically replicates precious findings that EBI can effectively teach advanced content to college students and is the first to apply EBI to the instruction of hypothesis testing methods.