Let's further define mutation as a heritable change in the genetic material. This point becomes important in multicellular organisms where we must distinguish between changes in gametes (germline mutations) and changes in body cells (somatic mutations).
Statistical significance relates to the question of whether or not the results of a statistical test meets an accepted criterion level. In psychology this level is typically the value of p < .05. The criteria of p < .05 was chosen to minimize the possibility of a Type I error, finding a significant difference when one does not exist. It does not protect us from Type II error, failure to find a difference when the difference does exist.
Statistical significance is computed as: where S is the standard error, x 1 is the first estimate, and x 2 is the second estimate. The result of this computation is to be multiplied by 1.96 and, if this result is less than the difference between the two estimates, the difference is statistically significant.he standard error is a measure of the reliability or precision of the survey statistic. The value for the standard error can be used to construct confidence intervals and to perform hypothesis tests by standard statistical methods.