Exam 2: Personality Research Methods

A psychologist is working with a patient who suffers from a very rare disorder. Which type of research is the psychologist likely to use?

A subject variable, which is a characteristic of research participants, is also known as

A researcher uses a manipulated independent variable in his or her experiment. This means she

Most personality research begins with an assessment.

List and identify three different forms of reliability, making sure to discuss why each is important when research is being conducted.

A psychologist developed a new measure of "stage fright." He gave the test to 30 students and divided them into those scoring high and those scoring low. Next, he watched the students for signs of anxiety just before each was to give a talk in front of a class. What was the psychologist trying to establish by watching the students before their talk?

A reliable test

Jessica is conducting a study of the personality of eighth-graders with high achievement motivation. She discovers from statistical analysis that her test's items are measuring more than one concept. You might tell Jessica that she has a problem with

Tony found in his study of introversion that the more introverted subjects in his sample had fewer problems at work. Tony has found evidence for a

Some researchers try to understand personality with in-depth evaluations of individuals (or sometimes a few individuals). This approach is better known as the __________ method.

The use of nonmanipulated variables is required when an independent variable exists without the experimenter's intervention.

A researcher finds that males make fewer errors than females when working in a competitive situation. However, women make fewer errors than men when working in a cooperative situation. This is an example of

In experimental research, the __________variable is sometimes referred to as a treatment variable.

State in general terms a psychological theory you know about. From the theory, develop a hypothesis of your own that is a prediction from the theory. Identify the independent and dependent variables in your hypothesis and briefly describe an experimental test you could use to evaluate your hypothesis. Does your study use manipulated or nonmanipulated independent variables?

Case studies have played a minor role in the history of personality psychology.

A formal prediction about the relationship between two or more variables that is logically derived from a theory is called a(n)

Which of the following statements is true about theories in personality psychology?

If you were asked to describe the process of replication using only one word, what would be your best response?

When conducting personality research, in most cases, a researcher should

A statistical test can give us a solid "yes" or "no" answer to the question of whether the differences between research groups were caused by chance.