Data Source: General Social Survey (GSS) – Public use data might differ based on access.

Chosen Variables:

1. Continuous Variable: Age (in years)
2. Categorical Variable: Highest level of education attained (High School, Some College, Bachelor’s Degree, Graduate Degree)

Analysis of Continuous Variable: Age

• Mean: This might be a good measure of central tendency, but it can be skewed by outliers (extreme values).
• Median: This might be a better measure here as it represents the middle value, unaffected by outliers (assuming a normal distribution).
• Mode: The mode is likely not very informative in this case, as age is spread across a range of values.
• Standard Deviation: This will tell us how spread out the data is around the mean or median.
• Data Variability: Depending on the standard deviation, the data could be highly variable (large standard deviation) or relatively clustered around the central tendency (small standard deviation).
• Data Description: Knowing the average or median age and variability can help describe the population surveyed (e.g., young, middle-aged, or older population with high or low variability).
• Social Change Research Question: How do educational attainment levels differ across various age groups? This could inform policies targeting education programs for specific demographics.

Analysis of Categorical Variable: Education Level

• Frequency Distribution: This will show the number of respondents in each education category (High School, Some College, etc.).
• Measure of Variation: Chi-Square test can be used to assess if the distribution of education levels differs from what would be expected by chance.
• Data Variability: The data is variable if the distribution of respondents across education levels is not uniform.
• Data Description: The frequency distribution will show the most common education level and how education varies within the sample.
• Social Change Research Question: Are there social or economic factors influencing educational attainment levels? This could inform policies promoting educational equity.

Note: Without access to the specific GSS data, I cannot provide actual values for mean, median, standard deviation, or frequency distribution. However, the explanations above outline the steps involved in analyzing central tendency and variability for the chosen variables.

By analyzing these variables, we can gain insights into the sample population and identify potential areas for social change initiatives. For example, if a significant gap exists between age groups and educational attainment, targeted programs could be developed to address these disparities.