Testing type II error rates in biological anthropology

This paper presents a look at the underused procedure of testing for Type II errors when "negative" results are encountered during research. It recommends setting a statistical alternative hypothesis based on anthropologically derived information and calculating the probability of committing this type of error. In this manner, the process is similar to that used for testing Type I errors, which is clarified by examples from the literature. It is hoped that researchers will use the information presented here as a means of attaching levels of probability to acceptance of null hypotheses.