What does it mean when a result is statistically significant?

Statistical significance indicates that the results of a study are unlikely to have occurred by chance, suggesting that there is a true effect or relationship present in the data. When a finding is statistically significant, it means that the evidence is strong enough to rule out random variation as the sole reason for the observed effect. Researchers typically use a predetermined threshold, often a p-value of less than 0.05, to determine whether the results are statistically significant. If the results meet this criterion, they suggest a high degree of confidence that the observed phenomenon reflects a genuine effect in the population being studied, rather than being a fluke or anomaly. This understanding is crucial for drawing valid conclusions from empirical data and for progressing in further research based on these findings.