Exam 2: How Psychologists Do Research

What are the disadvantages associated with psychological case study research?

A _______________ study is a descriptive study that looks for a consistent relationship between two phenomena.

Julie finds that the more she sleeps on the eve of an exam, the higher the score she gets for the exam. There is _______________ correlation between the amount Julie sleeps and her exam scores.

In a psychological research study, a sample made up of those who happen to be available at the time of study is called a _______________ sample.

Computer technology can help reduce lying on surveys because many people feel more anonymous when they answer questions on a computer.

When compared to other methods, an advantage of experiments is that the participants are always representative of the larger population.

Why can it be difficult to interpret a correlation between two variables?

The standard deviation is a commonly used measure of variability that indicates the average difference between scores in a distribution.

_______________ gather information by asking people directly about their experiences, attitudes, or opinions.

The usual procedure for developing norms for a test is to give the test to a large group of people who resemble those for whom the test is intended.

Which of the following statements is true?

A variable that is predicted to be affected by an experimenter's manipulations in experimental research is called a(n):

The value of the independent variable depends on the dependent variable.

A theory is an organized system of assumptions and principles that purports to explain a specified set of phenomena.

Unintended changes in subjects' behavior due to cues inadvertently given by the experimenter in an experimental study are called:

How wise is popular wisdom? In Chapter 1, we pondered how many old sayings have other old sayings that contradict them. For example, a common saying is "You can't teach old dogs new tricks." But we also hear "You are never too old to learn." Now that you have read Chapter 2, design a research study in order to test these sayings. Provide your reasoning in selecting a particular research method, subjects, and other key details.

____________ is a technique which allows a researcher to combine data from numerous studies.

_______________ are usually sources of hypotheses, rather than tests of hypotheses.

A researcher hypothesizes that adults will respond differently to the same baby depending on how the child is dressed. Her colleague, on the other hand, hypothesizes that boys and girls are treated equally and that only temperamental differences lead to differences in their handling. Design a research study to test their hypotheses.

Two sets of observations assessing students' heights and their respective weights are compared. Which of the following is most likely true?