Most engaged couples expect or at least hope that they will have high levels of marital satisfaction. However, because 54% of first marriages end in divorce, social scientists have begun investigating influences on marital satisfaction. (Data Source: These data were obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics. ) Suppose a counseling psychologist sets out to look at the role of having children in relationship longevity. A sample of 78 couples with children score an average of 51. 1 with a sample standard deviation of 4. 7 on the Marital Satisfaction Inventory. A sample of 94 childless couples score an average of 45. 2 with a sample standard deviation of 12. 1. Higher scores on the Marital Satisfaction Inventory indicate greater satisfaction.
Suppose you intend to conduct a hypothesis test on the difference in population means. In preparation, you identify the sample of couples with children as sample 1 and the sample of childless couples as sample 2. Organize the provided data by completing the following table:​