From Bayes to the Just Noticeable Difference to Effect Sizes: A Note to Understanding the Clinical and Statistical Significance of Oenologic Research Findings
Domenic V. Cicchettia
Journal of Wine Economics, Vol. 3, No. 2, 185-193
Abstract
The objectives of this paper are (1) to broaden the concept and importance of differentiating statistical significance from clinical or practical significance that was introduced in a recent oenologic application that appeared in this Journal (Cicchetti, 2007); (2) to highlight the major contribution of Economics to the clinical-statistical significance differentiation; (3) to provide oenologic researchers with the tools to accomplish this objective; and (4) to provide examples of oenologic applications using these biostatistical tools. Results indicate that the terms clinical significance, effect sizes, the just noticeable difference between stimuli, and the economic term marginal utility are conceptually related and when applied to the results of oenologic research, offer a richness of interpretation that levels of statistical significance alone cannot provide. (JEL Classification: C0, C1)