What can be concluded if the marginal means are not the same?

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Prepare for UCF's PSY3204C Statistical Methods in Psychology Quiz 3. Use interactive tools and engaging quizzes to solidify your understanding of statistics in psychology, and enhance your chances of success.

When the marginal means are not the same, it indicates that there is a systematic difference in the levels of the independent variable affecting the dependent variable. This reflects a main effect, which suggests that at least one of the independent variables has an impact on the dependent variable. The marginal means represent the average scores for each level of a factor while controlling for the other factors in the analysis. If these means differ, it signifies that the factor in question is having a noticeable influence.

In the context of statistical analysis, observing different marginal means helps researchers draw conclusions about the effects of the variables involved. It serves as an initial indicator that further analysis, such as post hoc tests, may be appropriate to explore these differences in more detail.