<p>Are those reliable differences? Without knowing what confidence intervals you plotted it's difficult to estimate visually (95%? ±1 SD?), but I wouldn't be surprised that there are no statistically significant performance differences between those levels. Keep in mind that if this test emerged only after seeing the data, rather than a priori based on theory, then that changes how to interpret the significance of such tests and makes them less trustworthy:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>HARKing: Hypothesizing After the Results are Known <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15327957pspr0203_4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15327957pspr0203_4</a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>The main finding seems to be an increase with age, possibly non-linear. Thresholding could be due to the task complexity.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-23T09:48:29.327Z
2018-08-23T09:48:29.327Z
Cameron Brick
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Snkvr.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Snkvr.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>The box-plot above represents the number of programming tasks performed correctly in 30 minutes during an experiment by me. Each box represents an age group:</p>

<ul>
<li>p1 = 6 - 7 years old</li>
<li>p2 = 7 - 8 years old</li>
<li><p>...</p></li>
<li><p>p6 = 11 - 12 years old</p></li>
<li>s1 = 12 - 13 years old</li>
<li><p>s2 = 13 - 14 years old</p></li>
<li><p>...</p></li>
<li>b1 = 16 - 17 years old</li>
<li>b2 = 17 - 18 years old</li>
</ul>

<p>When I see the results, I am surprised by the difference between p4, p5 and p6.
The set of tasks was almost identical by age. The only difference is that by increasing the age they have some less start tasks.
I think it may be due to the ability of reading comprehension and motor development ...</p>

<p>Are there more factors that can influence?</p>

<p>UPDATE</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/y85jc.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/y85jc.png" alt="enter image description here"></a>
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/5sDHg.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/5sDHg.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/9Mbyr.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/9Mbyr.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/AKKAP.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/AKKAP.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-21T02:17:34.840Z
What do you mean by "less start tasks"? Fewer tasks initiated/attempted? Your box plot only shows completed tasks...
got trolled too much this week
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-21T02:24:00.003Z
Or do you mean fewer beginner-level tasks (assigned)?
got trolled too much this week
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-21T05:36:53.617Z
Please note that this question has been [double posted](https://cseducators.stackexchange.com/questions/5001/what-can-be-the-causes-of-the-difference-in-performance).
Ben I.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-21T13:56:33.457Z
@Fizz fewer beginner-level tasks (assigned)
Marina
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-22T15:32:19.847Z
Hi Marina.  I feel there are a few things needing addressing here.  For a start, the title is asking why the difference in performance, and then the main body of the question is asking what age good reading comprehension is reached and whether there are more factors that can influence... is that **influence difference in performance**?  Not only is asking more than one question in a post not a good fit for this site, but there is no source information for the box-plot chart you have provided.  Is this from a paper we can read for more information?
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-22T19:15:49.623Z
@ChrisRogers I'm sorry, they are data from an experiment performed by me. I only have my data (that being data of children under age I can not spread). I can add all the anonymous data that you considered important to help me.
Marina
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-22T21:04:14.570Z
Ah, I think I might have realised, is this related to your previous question https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/20437?
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-22T21:30:09.453Z
@ChrisRogers Yes, it's the same study
Marina
<cognitive-neuroscience><learning><metacognition>
What can be the causes of the difference in performance?
Marina
# What can be the causes of the difference in performance?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-08-20)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Snkvr.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/Snkvr.png)

The box-plot above represents the number of programming tasks performed correctly in 30 minutes during an experiment by me. Each box represents an age group:

* p1 = 6 - 7 years old
* p2 = 7 - 8 years old
* ...
* p6 = 11 - 12 years old
* s1 = 12 - 13 years old
* s2 = 13 - 14 years old
* ...
* b1 = 16 - 17 years old
* b2 = 17 - 18 years old

When I see the results, I am surprised by the difference between p4, p5 and p6.
The set of tasks was almost identical by age. The only difference is that by increasing the age they have some less start tasks.
I think it may be due to the ability of reading comprehension and motor development ...

Are there more factors that can influence?

UPDATE

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/y85jc.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/y85jc.png)
[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/5sDHg.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/5sDHg.png)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/9Mbyr.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/9Mbyr.png)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/AKKAP.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/AKKAP.png)

**Tags:** cognitive-neuroscience, learning, metacognition

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What do you mean by "less start tasks"? Fewer tasks initiated/attempted? Your box plot only shows completed tasks...  
> **username_1**: Or do you mean fewer beginner-level tasks (assigned)?  
> **username_2**: Please note that this question has been [double posted](https://cseducators.stackexchange.com/questions/5001/what-can-be-the-causes-of-the-difference-in-performance).  
> **username_0**: @Fizz fewer beginner-level tasks (assigned)  
> **username_3**: Hi username_0.  I feel there are a few things needing addressing here.  For a start, the title is asking why the difference in performance, and then the main body of the question is asking what age good reading comprehension is reached and whether there are more factors that can influence... is that **influence difference in performance**?  Not only is asking more than one question in a post not a good fit for this site, but there is no source information for the box-plot chart you have provided.  Is this from a paper we can read for more information?  
> **username_0**: @ChrisRogers I'm sorry, they are data from an experiment performed by me. I only have my data (that being data of children under age I can not spread). I can add all the anonymous data that you considered important to help me.  
> **username_3**: Ah, I think I might have realised, is this related to your previous question https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/20437?  
> **username_0**: @ChrisRogers Yes, it's the same study  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2018-08-23. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Are those reliable differences? Without knowing what confidence intervals you plotted it's difficult to estimate visually (95%? ±1 SD?), but I wouldn't be surprised that there are no statistically significant performance differences between those levels. Keep in mind that if this test emerged only after seeing the data, rather than a priori based on theory, then that changes how to interpret the significance of such tests and makes them less trustworthy:

> HARKing: Hypothesizing After the Results are Known <http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15327957pspr0203_4>

The main finding seems to be an increase with age, possibly non-linear. Thresholding could be due to the task complexity.


---

