Question

Generation Y’s entitlement mentality. The current workforce is dominated by “Generation Y”—people born between 1982 and 1999. These workers have a reputation as having an entitlement mentality (e.g., they believe they have a right to a high-paying job, without the work ethic). The reasons behind this phenomenon were investigated in Proceedings of the Academy of Educational Leadership (Vol. 16, 2011). A sample of 272 undergraduate business students was administered a questionnaire designed to capture the behaviors that lead to an entitlement mentality. The responses were used to measure the following two quantitative variables for each student: entitlement score (y)—where higher scores indicate a greater level of entitlement, and “helicopter parents” score (x)—where higher scores indicate that the student’s parents had a higher level of involvement in his or her everyday experiences and problems.

a. Give the equation of a simple linear regression model relating y to x.

b. The researchers theorize that helicopter parents lead to an entitlement mentality. Based on this theory, would you expect β₀ to be positive or negative (or are you unsure)? Would you expect β₁ to be positive or negative (or are you unsure)? Explain.

c. The p-value for testing H₀: β₀ = 0 versus H_a: β₁> 0 was reported as .002. Use this result to test the researchers’ entitlement theory at α = .01.

Short answer

1. $\mathit{y}\mathbf{=}{\mathit{\beta }}_{\mathbf{0}}\mathbf{+}{\mathit{\beta }}_{\mathbf{1}}\mathit{x}$
   
2. Slope β₁is positive.
3. Helicopter parents positively affect the prediction of the entitlement score.

Step-by-step solution

Introduction

A straight line is the outcome of a simple linear regression study of two or more independent variables. In rare instances, a regression with numerous relevant variables might result in a curved line.

Providing the equation of a simple linear regression

A simple linear regression model relating y to x has the equation as

$\mathit{y}\mathbf{=}{\mathit{\beta }}_{\mathbf{0}}\mathbf{+}{\mathit{\beta }}_{\mathbf{1}}\mathit{x}$.

Here,

y = entitlement score, and

x = helicopter parent score.

Finding if β0 and β1 are positive or negative

According to the researcher, helicopter parenting develops an entitlement mentality. Theoretically, helicopter parenting and entitlement mentality are positively associated.

Therefore, Slope β₁is positive.

Testing the researchers’ entitlement theory

The P-value for testing β₁=0.002 at d is 0.01.If the P-value < α, the null hypothesis is rejected.

Therefore, the rejection rule says that the null hypothesis (H0) is rejected in this case.

Hence, it is possible to conclude that helicopter parents leave a positive impact on predicting the entitlement score.