Question 1

The experiment is a research method in which the investigator

Accepted Answer

A)  systematically observes two variables to see whether there is an association between them. 
B)  observes behavior as it occurs in its natural environment. 
C)  conducts an in-depth investigation of an individual subject. 
D)  manipulates a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observes whether there are changes in a second variable as a result. 
A)  systematically observes two variables to see whether there is an association between them. 
B)  observes behavior as it occurs in its natural environment. 
C)  conducts an in-depth investigation of an individual subject. 
D)  manipulates a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observes whether there are changes in a second variable as a result.

Question 2

Which of the following statements about correlations is incorrect?

Accepted Answer

A)  A and B correlate +1.00; therefore, they are causally related. 
B)  A and B correlate +1.00; if you know A you can predict B without error. 
C)  A and B correlate -1.00; if you know A you can predict B without error. 
D)  A correlation of +.90 gives better predictability than a correlation of +.60. 
A)  A and B correlate +1.00; therefore, they are causally related. 
B)  A and B correlate +1.00; if you know A you can predict B without error. 
C)  A and B correlate -1.00; if you know A you can predict B without error. 
D)  A correlation of +.90 gives better predictability than a correlation of +.60.

Question 3

To generalize results to a population, we must first

Accepted Answer

A)  select a biased sample from the population of interest. 
B)  oversample selected subgroups in the population. 
C)  draw a representative sample from the population of interest. 
D)  ensure that all the variables have been operationally defined. 
A)  select a biased sample from the population of interest. 
B)  oversample selected subgroups in the population. 
C)  draw a representative sample from the population of interest. 
D)  ensure that all the variables have been operationally defined.

Question 4

Suppose a researcher discovered a strong negative correlation between the length of people's hair and the amount of money they paid for their automobile. In general, people who paid the least amount of money for their automobile also had

Accepted Answer

A)  the longest hair. 
B)  mid-length hair. 
C)  the shortest hair. 
D)  either extremely long or extremely short hair. 
A)  the longest hair. 
B)  mid-length hair. 
C)  the shortest hair. 
D)  either extremely long or extremely short hair.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a descriptive/correlational research method?

Accepted Answer

A)  survey 
B)  experiment 
C)  case study 
D)  naturalistic observation 
A)  survey 
B)  experiment 
C)  case study 
D)  naturalistic observation

Question 6

You are sitting on a park bench in a major metropolitan area from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and you note the number of people who walk by, whether or not they litter, and their gender. You are engaging in

Accepted Answer

A)  casual observation. 
B)  naturalistic observation. 
C)  case study research. 
D)  experimental research. 
A)  casual observation. 
B)  naturalistic observation. 
C)  case study research. 
D)  experimental research.

Question 7

One advantage of naturalistic observation is that it

Accepted Answer

A)  approximates the experimental method. 
B)  allows for cause-and-effect conclusions to be drawn. 
C)  allows behavior to be studied in realistic settings. 
D)  involves random assignment. 
A)  approximates the experimental method. 
B)  allows for cause-and-effect conclusions to be drawn. 
C)  allows behavior to be studied in realistic settings. 
D)  involves random assignment.

Question 8

Inferential statistics help us determine whether ____ played a role in an experiment.

Accepted Answer

A)  chance 
B)  a dependent variable 
C)  a normal distribution 
D)  genetics 
A)  chance 
B)  a dependent variable 
C)  a normal distribution 
D)  genetics

Question 9

One of the disadvantages of the experimental method is

Accepted Answer

A)  the inability to generate cause-and-effect conclusions. 
B)  the length of time necessary to complete the study. 
C)  the fact that only one variable can be studied at a time. 
D)  the fact that experiments often can't be done for practical or ethical reasons. 
A)  the inability to generate cause-and-effect conclusions. 
B)  the length of time necessary to complete the study. 
C)  the fact that only one variable can be studied at a time. 
D)  the fact that experiments often can't be done for practical or ethical reasons.

Question 10

Subjects in the control group should be ____ subjects in the experimental groups in all respects except for the treatment they receive in regards to the ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  very different from; independent variable 
B)  very different from; dependent variable 
C)  very similar to; independent variable 
D)  very similar to; dependent variable 
A)  very different from; independent variable 
B)  very different from; dependent variable 
C)  very similar to; independent variable 
D)  very similar to; dependent variable

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of the scientific approach?

Accepted Answer

A)  clarity 
B)  precision 
C)  acceptance of a degree of error 
D)  skepticism 
A)  clarity 
B)  precision 
C)  acceptance of a degree of error 
D)  skepticism

Question 12

A researcher wants to see if a protein-enriched diet will enhance the maze-running performance of rats. One group of rats is fed the high-protein diet for the duration of the study; the other group continues to receive ordinary rat chow. In this experiment, the group of rats that is fed the high-protein diet is ____ group; the group that receives ordinary rat chow is ____ group.

Accepted Answer

A)  a control; a control 
B)  a control; an experimental 
C)  an experimental; an experimental 
D)  an experimental; a control 
A)  a control; a control 
B)  a control; an experimental 
C)  an experimental; an experimental 
D)  an experimental; a control

Question 13

By definition, a sample

Accepted Answer

A)  is that group of people to whom the conclusion of the study will apply. 
B)  is a subset of the population who actually participate in a research study. 
C)  contains less than 50 people or animals. 
D)  must only include volunteers who express an interest in the study. 
A)  is that group of people to whom the conclusion of the study will apply. 
B)  is a subset of the population who actually participate in a research study. 
C)  contains less than 50 people or animals. 
D)  must only include volunteers who express an interest in the study.

Question 14

A researcher is investigating the effect of music on the productivity of employees in a factory. Half of the employees listen to music while working and half do not listen to music. The researcher measures the productivity of each employee. In this study the employees who do not listen to music are the

Accepted Answer

A)  independent group. 
B)  dependent group. 
C)  control group. 
D)  experimental group. 
A)  independent group. 
B)  dependent group. 
C)  control group. 
D)  experimental group.

Question 15

Hypotheses are typically expressed as

Accepted Answer

A)  theories. 
B)  variables. 
C)  predictions. 
D)  statistics. 
A)  theories. 
B)  variables. 
C)  predictions. 
D)  statistics.

Question 16

Most typically, researchers report their findings

Accepted Answer

A)  by holding a press conference. 
B)  in a book. 
C)  in a scientific magazine. 
D)  in a journal. 
A)  by holding a press conference. 
B)  in a book. 
C)  in a scientific magazine. 
D)  in a journal.

Question 17

If a researcher studied helping behavior by observing how often shoppers stopped to help an individual pickup dropped packages they would be using the

Accepted Answer

A)  survey method. 
B)  case study method. 
C)  naturalistic observation method. 
D)  experimental method. 
A)  survey method. 
B)  case study method. 
C)  naturalistic observation method. 
D)  experimental method.

Question 18

How much the scores in a data set vary from each other and from the mean refers to the concept of

Accepted Answer

A)  correlation. 
B)  central tendency. 
C)  variability. 
D)  standard deviation. 
A)  correlation. 
B)  central tendency. 
C)  variability. 
D)  standard deviation.

Question 19

Dr. Critell is studying aggression in children and plans to define aggression as the number of times one child pushes or strikes another child. Defining aggression in this way would

Accepted Answer

A)  be an example of a hypothesis. 
B)  violate ethical guidelines for psychological research. 
C)  represent an operational definition. 
D)  require a double-blind research design. 
A)  be an example of a hypothesis. 
B)  violate ethical guidelines for psychological research. 
C)  represent an operational definition. 
D)  require a double-blind research design.

Question 20

The scientific approach assumes that

Accepted Answer

A)  events are governed by some lawful order. 
B)  each event is completely unique. 
C)  there are no general laws or principles that apply to human behavior. 
D)  the search for absolute truth is the ultimate goal. 
A)  events are governed by some lawful order. 
B)  each event is completely unique. 
C)  there are no general laws or principles that apply to human behavior. 
D)  the search for absolute truth is the ultimate goal.

Exam 3: The Research Enterprise in Psychology Part 1

The experiment is a research method in which the investigator

Which of the following statements about correlations is incorrect?

To generalize results to a population, we must first

Suppose a researcher discovered a strong negative correlation between the length of people's hair and the amount of money they paid for their automobile. In general, people who paid the least amount of money for their automobile also had

Which of the following is NOT a descriptive/correlational research method?

You are sitting on a park bench in a major metropolitan area from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and you note the number of people who walk by, whether or not they litter, and their gender. You are engaging in

One advantage of naturalistic observation is that it

Inferential statistics help us determine whether ____ played a role in an experiment.

One of the disadvantages of the experimental method is

Subjects in the control group should be ____ subjects in the experimental groups in all respects except for the treatment they receive in regards to the ____.

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of the scientific approach?

By definition, a sample

Hypotheses are typically expressed as

Most typically, researchers report their findings

If a researcher studied helping behavior by observing how often shoppers stopped to help an individual pickup dropped packages they would be using the

How much the scores in a data set vary from each other and from the mean refers to the concept of

Dr. Critell is studying aggression in children and plans to define aggression as the number of times one child pushes or strikes another child. Defining aggression in this way would

The scientific approach assumes that

The Evolution of Psychology Part 1

The Evolution of Psychology Part 2

The Research Enterprise in Psychology Part 2

The Biological Bases of Behavior Part 1

The Biological Bases of Behavior Part 2

Sensation and Perception Part 1

Sensation and Perception Part 2

Variations in Consciousness Part 1

Variations in Consciousness Part 2

Learning Part 1

Learning Part 2

Human Memory Part 1

Human Memory Part 2

Language and Thought Part 1

Language and Thought Part 2

Intelligence and Psychological Testing Part 1

Intelligence and Psychological Testing Part 2

Motivation and Emotion Part 1

Motivation and Emotion Part 2

Human Development Across the Life Span Part 1

Human Development Across the Life Span Part 2

Personality: Theory, Research, and Assessment Part 1

Personality: Theory, Research, and Assessment Part 2

Stress, Coping, and Health Part 1

Stress, Coping, and Health Part 2

Psychological Disorders Part 1

Psychological Disorders Part 2

Treatment of Psychological Disorders Part 1

Treatment of Psychological Disorders Part 2

Social Behavior Part 1

Social Behavior Part 2

Careers in Psychology

Industrialorganizational Psychology

Statistical Methods

Filters

Subjects in the control group should be subjects in the experimental groups in all respects except for the treatment they receive in regards to the .