prov able , ▁probable , ▁prob are ▁L .) ▁meaning ▁to ▁test . ▁Hence , ▁proof ▁is ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁inference ▁by ▁means ▁of ▁a ▁statistical ▁test . ▁Statist ical ▁tests ▁are ▁form ulated ▁on ▁models ▁that ▁generate ▁probability ▁distributions . ▁Ex amples ▁of ▁probability ▁distributions ▁might ▁include ▁the ▁binary , ▁normal , ▁or ▁po isson ▁distribution ▁that ▁give ▁exact ▁descri ptions ▁of ▁variables ▁that ▁behave ▁according ▁to ▁natural ▁laws ▁of ▁random ▁chance . ▁ ▁When ▁a ▁statistical ▁test ▁is ▁applied ▁to ▁samples ▁of ▁a ▁population , ▁the ▁test ▁determ ines ▁if ▁the ▁sample ▁statistics ▁are ▁significantly ▁different ▁from ▁the ▁assumed ▁null - model . ▁True ▁values ▁of ▁a ▁population , ▁which ▁are ▁un know able ▁in ▁practice , ▁are ▁called ▁parameters ▁of ▁the ▁population . ▁Research ers ▁sample ▁from ▁populations , ▁which ▁provide ▁estimates ▁of ▁the ▁parameters , ▁to ▁calculate ▁the ▁mean ▁or ▁standard ▁deviation . ▁If ▁the ▁entire ▁population ▁is ▁sample d , ▁then ▁the ▁sample ▁stat istic ▁mean ▁and ▁distribution ▁will ▁conver ge ▁with ▁the ▁paramet ric ▁distribution . ▁ ▁Using ▁the ▁scientific ▁method ▁of ▁f als ification , ▁the ▁probability ▁value ▁that ▁the ▁sample ▁stat istic ▁is ▁sufficiently ▁different ▁from ▁the ▁null - model ▁than ▁can ▁be ▁explained ▁by ▁chance ▁alone ▁is ▁given ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁test . ▁Most ▁statist icians ▁set ▁the ▁prior ▁probability ▁value ▁at ▁ 0 . 0 5 ▁or ▁ 0 . 1 , ▁which ▁means ▁if ▁the ▁sample ▁statistics ▁diver ge ▁from ▁the ▁paramet ric ▁model ▁more ▁than ▁ 5 ▁( or ▁ 1