Class Activity 4A: Feeling Sleepy!

Introduction

• Review of previous data activity from section 3.A.
• Classifying individuals as Larks (early risers), Owls (night owls), or Neither.
• Personal anecdote about being a night owl.

Key Questions

• How does sleep quality differ among Larks, Owls, and Neither?
• Which group tends to consume more alcohol?
• Personal hypothesis: Owls may drink more and have poorer sleep quality.

Data Analysis

Measures of Center

• Mean and Median: Key measures of center, used to analyze sleep quality and alcohol consumption.
• Discussion on differences between mean (balancing point) and median (divides data into two equal parts).

Exploring Sleep Quality

• Poor sleep quality indicated by higher scores (scale 0 to 11+).
• Alcohol consumption measured by average drinks per week.
• Use of histograms to visualize data.
  • Outliers: Notable for both sleep quality and alcohol consumption.

Calculating Mean and Median

• Mean and median calculated using technology.
• Sleep Quality: Mean = 6.26, Median = 6
• Alcohol Consumption: Mean = 5.57, Median = 5
• Observations: Outliers affect the mean, causing slight inflation.

Interpretation of Findings

• Sleep Scores: Median indicates half the students have a score better/worse than 6.
• Alcohol Drinks: Median shows half consume less/more than 5 drinks per week.

Comparison: Owls, Larks, and Neither

Sleep Quality Analysis

• Larks generally have better sleep quality (lower scores).
• Owls display more poor sleep quality scores compared to Larks and Neither.
• Visualization using median estimates.
  • Larks: Median suggests better sleep quality.
  • Owls: Median suggests poorer sleep quality.

Alcohol Consumption Analysis

• Larks and Neither show similar drinking patterns, typically lower.
• Owls tend to have a higher average alcohol consumption.
• Visualization using median estimates.
  • Owls: Median greater than Larks and Neither, suggesting higher consumption.

Conclusion

• Owls tend to have poorer sleep quality and higher alcohol consumption.
• Comparisons are based on visual estimation of medians and means from histograms.
• Further analysis to be continued in a subsequent session.

The session focused on using statistical tools to analyze behavioral data and understand the implications of different circadian preferences on lifestyle factors like sleep and alcohol consumption.