Are continuous variables parametric?

Are continuous variables parametric?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Depends on the data
• D. Cannot be determined

Answer: (A)

Parametric analysis relies on assumptions about the population distribution and uses parameters such as the mean and variance in modeling. Continuous variables, because they can take an infinite number of values along a scale, are well suited to these models. In practice, many statistical procedures for continuous outcomes are parametric (for example, t-tests and ANOVA rely on normality assumptions and model means and variances). So, continuous variables are typically analyzed with parametric methods when the data meet the necessary assumptions. If the data are strongly non-normal or sample sizes are small, nonparametric methods may be more appropriate.

Parametric analysis relies on assumptions about the population distribution and uses parameters such as the mean and variance in modeling. Continuous variables, because they can take an infinite number of values along a scale, are well suited to these models. In practice, many statistical procedures for continuous outcomes are parametric (for example, t-tests and ANOVA rely on normality assumptions and model means and variances). So, continuous variables are typically analyzed with parametric methods when the data meet the necessary assumptions. If the data are strongly non-normal or sample sizes are small, nonparametric methods may be more appropriate.