What is the significance of a p-value less than 0.05?

A p-value less than 0.05 indicates statistical significance, meaning that the results observed in a study are unlikely to have occurred by chance alone if the null hypothesis were true. Essentially, when researchers set a significance level, typically at 0.05, they are asserting that they will accept a 5% risk of concluding that an effect exists when there is none. When the p-value is below this threshold, it suggests that there is sufficient evidence to reject the null hypothesis, which posits that there is no effect or no difference.

This statistical significance implies that the findings have a higher likelihood of being due to a real effect rather than random variation. However, it's crucial to note that it does not demonstrate the strength of the effect or imply a cause-and-effect relationship, nor does it confirm research findings definitively; it merely indicates that the findings are statistically noteworthy and warrant further consideration or investigation.