What term describes a Type I error in statistical hypothesis testing?

A Type I error in statistical hypothesis testing is characterized as a false-positive error. This occurs when a researcher rejects the null hypothesis when it is actually true, implying that there is a statistically significant effect or difference when, in reality, none exists. This type of error suggests that there is evidence for an effect when there is not, which can lead to incorrect conclusions in research.

The concept of a false-positive error is central to hypothesis testing and is often quantified by the significance level (alpha, α), typically set at 0.05. This level indicates a 5% risk of committing a Type I error. Understanding this concept is essential for researchers to interpret their results accurately and assess the reliability of the findings.

The other terms presented do not accurately reflect the definition of a Type I error. Hypothesis error is a vague term and does not specify the type of error. False-alarm error might imply a similar situation but lacks the formal terminology used in statistics. Lastly, a false-negative error refers to a Type II error, which is the failure to reject a false null hypothesis, thus describing a different statistical error.