What is statistical power?

Statistical power refers to the ability of a statistical test to detect a true effect or difference when it exists. In other words, it measures the likelihood that the test will correctly reject the null hypothesis when there is indeed a real effect in the population being studied.

A higher statistical power means a greater chance of identifying a true effect, which is especially crucial in research because it impacts the overall validity of findings. This is typically influenced by several factors, including sample size, effect size, and the significance level set for the test.

Understanding statistical power is essential for designing studies that can yield reliable and meaningful results, ensuring that researchers can effectively identify true differences rather than missing them due to insufficient power.