Final answer:
The question involves a college-level statistical analysis to determine if the average age of the happiest adults is over 65, using a sample of adults who scored high on a happiness survey and testing the claim at a 2.5% significance level.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question refers to a psychological study aiming to test the hypothesis on happiness levels in adults and whether the average age of the happiest adults is over 65. To address this, a psychologist collects ages from adults who have scored high on a happiness survey. The hypothesis testing involves statistical methods, typically used in mathematics or statistics courses in college, to infer whether the collected sample data supports the claim about average age.
At a 2.5% significance level, the psychologist will compare the sample mean to the hypothesized population mean using a t-test or a z-test, considering the sample size and variance. If the test statistic falls into the critical region, the null hypothesis that the mean age is 65 or less will be rejected in favor of the alternative hypothesis.
The study of happiness and age demographics mentioned in the question suggests that younger seniors might generally be happier than previous generations. A well-designed study should take into account the different life stages as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau and gerontological research.