What kind of hypothesis test would you use if you are not concerned about the direction of an effect?

The choice of a two-tailed hypothesis test is appropriate when you are not concerned about the direction of an effect. This type of test allows for the possibility of finding an effect in either direction, meaning that it tests for deviations from the null hypothesis on both sides of the distribution.

In hypothesis testing, a two-tailed test considers both possibilities: whether the parameter of interest is greater than or less than a specified value. For example, if you were testing the effectiveness of a new therapy compared to a control, a two-tailed hypothesis would be valid if you were open to detecting whether the therapy significantly improved outcomes or led to worse outcomes compared to the control.

Choosing a one-tailed hypothesis, on the other hand, would indicate a specific direction of interest (either an increase or a decrease), which limits the scope of the test. Similarly, a directional hypothesis explicitly states the expected direction of the relationship or effect, which again is not suitable when there is no specific concern about direction. A non-directional hypothesis is not a standard term used in hypothesis testing; thus, it does not apply here.

In conclusion, a two-tailed hypothesis test is the correct approach when there is no specific expectation regarding the direction of an effect, allowing researchers to remain