The content of the solution given to 3 day old infants was changed over cxonsecutive periods: (1) water, (2) water, (3)0.1 molar salt + water, (4) 0.1 molar salt + water, (5) water, (6) water, (7) 0.3 molar salt + water, (8) 0.3 molar salt + water, (9)water, (10) water. In addition, as a control, the response of the baby to the taste of sugar was also measured after the salt-taste protocol was completed. In an experiment, the sucking response was measured over five different periods with the following stimuli: (1) non nutritive sucking, that is a pure sucking response was elicited without using any external substance; (2) water; (3) 5% sucrose + water ; (4) 15% sucrose + water;(5) nonnutritive sucking.
Construct a variable measuring the response to salt. For example, one possibility is to compute the average MSB for trials 3 and 4- average MSB for trials 1 and 2 = average when the solution was 0.1 molar salt + water - average MSB when the solution was water. A similar index could be computed comparing trials 7 and 8 with trials 5 and 6. (MSB-mean number of sucks per burst of sucking).
Obtain descriptive statistics and graphic displays for these salt-tatste indices. Do the indices appear to be normally distributed? Why or why not ?Compute the sample mean for this index, and obtain 95 % Cls about the point estimate.
Construct indices measuring responsiveness to sugar tatse, and provide descriptive statistics and graphical displays for these indices. Do the indices appear normally distributed ? Why or why not ? Compute the sample mean and associated 95 % Cls for these indices.
We want to relate the indices to blood pressure level. Provide a scatter plot relating mean SBP and mean DBP, respectively, to each of the salt-taste and sugar-taste indices. Does there appear to be a relation between the indices and blood pressure level?