Question 1

Given the problems with the evolutionary approach to psychology, what is a major advantage to using this approach?

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary psychology can be used to g

Question 2

A researcher is interested in the effects of self-esteem on people's choice of romantic partner. She asks her study participants to complete a measure of self-esteem and to bring in separate photos of themselves and their significant others. She then has these photos rated for attractiveness by a panel of independent judges, and relates the relative attractiveness of a person's significant other to the person's self-esteem. The study just described is a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  observational study. 
B)  correlational study. 
C)  experimental study. 
D)  meta-analysis. 
A)  observational study. 
B)  correlational study. 
C)  experimental study. 
D)  meta-analysis.

Question 3

In two hundred years, after watching our TV commercials and Internet advertising, it is possible that researchers will conclude that we had all sorts of medical problems and only ate food in our cars. These conclusions would be based on ________ research.

Accepted Answer

A)  ethnographic 
B)  experimental 
C)  correlational 
D)  archival 
A)  ethnographic 
B)  experimental 
C)  correlational 
D)  archival

Question 4

Imagine that researchers have found a positive correlation between the frequency of disagreements that couples have and how long they stay together. Based on this correlation, would you start arguments with your significant other in order to sustain your relationship?

Accepted Answer

A)  Yes, because the correlation is positive. 
B)  No, because the correlation is positive. 
C)  No, because although the two may be correlated, causation has not been established. 
D)  No, because in your group of friends, the correlation is negative. 
A)  Yes, because the correlation is positive. 
B)  No, because the correlation is positive. 
C)  No, because although the two may be correlated, causation has not been established. 
D)  No, because in your group of friends, the correlation is negative.

Question 5

Dr. Wegner conducts a study to investigate the careers young adults are interested in pursuing using a sample of 100 Harvard honors students. What is the major problem with her sample?

Accepted Answer

A)  It lacks internal validity. 
B)  It is unlikely that she can generalize across situations. 
C)  It is difficult to say with certainty that she can generalize across people. 
D)  It is too small in size to provide any meaningful information. 
A)  It lacks internal validity. 
B)  It is unlikely that she can generalize across situations. 
C)  It is difficult to say with certainty that she can generalize across people. 
D)  It is too small in size to provide any meaningful information.

Question 6

The hindsight bias is most like which of the following statements?

Accepted Answer

A)  "Birds of a feather flock together." 
B)  "I knew it all along." 
C)  "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." 
D)  "White men can't jump." 
A)  "Birds of a feather flock together." 
B)  "I knew it all along." 
C)  "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." 
D)  "White men can't jump."

Question 7

If two variables have no correlation with one another, this means that

Accepted Answer

A)  you can only predict one of the two variables. 
B)  when one is higher, the other is lower. 
C)  they are probably very similar. 
D)  you cannot predict one from the other. 
A)  you can only predict one of the two variables. 
B)  when one is higher, the other is lower. 
C)  they are probably very similar. 
D)  you cannot predict one from the other.

Question 8

According to the authors of your text, when Darwin developed evolutionary theory, it was aimed at explaining how

Accepted Answer

A)  humans adapt to their social environment. 
B)  animals adapt to their environments. 
C)  people select a mate. 
D)  genes can mutate in harsh environments. 
A)  humans adapt to their social environment. 
B)  animals adapt to their environments. 
C)  people select a mate. 
D)  genes can mutate in harsh environments.

Question 9

If a researcher is concerned with having high external validity in their study, she should design a

Accepted Answer

A)  field experiment 
B)  survey 
C)  laboratory experiment 
D)  cover story 
A)  field experiment 
B)  survey 
C)  laboratory experiment 
D)  cover story

Question 10

Researchers conduct an experiment in which participants watch either a violent film or a nonviolent film. After watching the film, the researchers take saliva samples from participants to test for levels of a hormone called testosterone. According to the authors of your text, what technique are these researchers using?

Accepted Answer

A)  correlational design 
B)  evolutionary psychology 
C)  social neuroscience 
D)  functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) 
A)  correlational design 
B)  evolutionary psychology 
C)  social neuroscience 
D)  functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Question 11

All of the following are threats to the internal validity of a study except

Accepted Answer

A)  failure to randomly assign participants. 
B)  assigning participants based on gender. 
C)  varying only the independent variable. 
D)  randomly changing several aspects of the study in addition to the independent variable. 
A)  failure to randomly assign participants. 
B)  assigning participants based on gender. 
C)  varying only the independent variable. 
D)  randomly changing several aspects of the study in addition to the independent variable.

Question 12

Recall the description of the political poll taken by Literary Digest about the Landon vs. Roosevelt election. This is an example of a potential error that can be made when doing survey research involving political polls. What is the lesson that survey researchers learned from this error?

Accepted Answer

A)  Although people may report one opinion, they are likely to behave differently. 
B)  Surveys are not useful tools for predicting human behavior. 
C)  It is important to ask mostly hypothetical questions. 
D)  It is important to use random selection to obtain a representative sample. 
A)  Although people may report one opinion, they are likely to behave differently. 
B)  Surveys are not useful tools for predicting human behavior. 
C)  It is important to ask mostly hypothetical questions. 
D)  It is important to use random selection to obtain a representative sample.

Question 13

The hindsight bias occurs because after an event occurs, people

Accepted Answer

A)  explain why the event occurred to themselves, and explaining makes it seem inevitable. 
B)  have to assert that they predicted it correctly as a way to enhance their self-esteem. 
C)  repress the memory of their previous predictions because they find them embarrassing. 
D)  imagine that the event turned out differently than it did, and this confuses them. 
A)  explain why the event occurred to themselves, and explaining makes it seem inevitable. 
B)  have to assert that they predicted it correctly as a way to enhance their self-esteem. 
C)  repress the memory of their previous predictions because they find them embarrassing. 
D)  imagine that the event turned out differently than it did, and this confuses them.

Question 14

The primary goal of cross-cultural research is to

Accepted Answer

A)  demonstrate the universality or cultural dependence of psychological processes. 
B)  increase the internal validity of manipulations and measures. 
C)  increase the psychological realism of experiments. 
D)  replicate questionable findings to increase consistency. 
A)  demonstrate the universality or cultural dependence of psychological processes. 
B)  increase the internal validity of manipulations and measures. 
C)  increase the psychological realism of experiments. 
D)  replicate questionable findings to increase consistency.

Question 15

According to the authors of your text, the ultimate test of an experiment's external validity is

Accepted Answer

A)  generalizability. 
B)  p-value. 
C)  replications. 
D)  random selection. 
A)  generalizability. 
B)  p-value. 
C)  replications. 
D)  random selection.

Question 16

Which of the following best defines the term "sample"?

Accepted Answer

A)  the group of people about whom the results of a study are intended to generalize 
B)  a group of people who are representative of the population as a whole 
C)  the people actually measured in a study 
D)  a small group of people used to pilot test a study 
A)  the group of people about whom the results of a study are intended to generalize 
B)  a group of people who are representative of the population as a whole 
C)  the people actually measured in a study 
D)  a small group of people used to pilot test a study

Question 17

The idea that certain traits that promote survival are passed to future generations because the organisms that possess those traits are more likely to successfully reproduce is the definition of

Accepted Answer

A)  evolution. 
B)  mate selection. 
C)  natural selection. 
D)  sexual selection. 
A)  evolution. 
B)  mate selection. 
C)  natural selection. 
D)  sexual selection.

Question 18

The greatest drawback to archival analysis is that

Accepted Answer

A)  it can be used to examine a large number of variables. 
B)  it is very difficult to train researchers to code archival data accurately. 
C)  archival data are invariably biased by the researcher's preconceptions. 
D)  archival data rely on the accuracy of the original compiler of the data and may be incomplete. 
A)  it can be used to examine a large number of variables. 
B)  it is very difficult to train researchers to code archival data accurately. 
C)  archival data are invariably biased by the researcher's preconceptions. 
D)  archival data rely on the accuracy of the original compiler of the data and may be incomplete.

Question 19

A goal of ethnography that makes it different from other methods of testing theories is that in ethnography, the researcher

Accepted Answer

A)  tries to understand the group or culture without imposing his or her own ideas on it. 
B)  focuses on interjudge reliability. 
C)  relies on the accumulated documents of a culture as a technique for understanding. 
D)  focuses on assessing behaviors that occur more often in private than in public. 
A)  tries to understand the group or culture without imposing his or her own ideas on it. 
B)  focuses on interjudge reliability. 
C)  relies on the accumulated documents of a culture as a technique for understanding. 
D)  focuses on assessing behaviors that occur more often in private than in public.

Question 20

The variable that the researcher changes or varies to see if it has an effect is called the

Accepted Answer

A)  interjudge reliability. 
B)  independent variable. 
C)  dependent variable. 
D)  correlation coefficient. 
A)  interjudge reliability. 
B)  independent variable. 
C)  dependent variable. 
D)  correlation coefficient.

Given the problems with the evolutionary approach to psychology, what is a major advantage to using this approach?

In two hundred years, after watching our TV commercials and Internet advertising, it is possible that researchers will conclude that we had all sorts of medical problems and only ate food in our cars. These conclusions would be based on ________ research.

Imagine that researchers have found a positive correlation between the frequency of disagreements that couples have and how long they stay together. Based on this correlation, would you start arguments with your significant other in order to sustain your relationship?

Dr. Wegner conducts a study to investigate the careers young adults are interested in pursuing using a sample of 100 Harvard honors students. What is the major problem with her sample?

The hindsight bias is most like which of the following statements?

If two variables have no correlation with one another, this means that

According to the authors of your text, when Darwin developed evolutionary theory, it was aimed at explaining how

If a researcher is concerned with having high external validity in their study, she should design a

All of the following are threats to the internal validity of a study except

Recall the description of the political poll taken by Literary Digest about the Landon vs. Roosevelt election. This is an example of a potential error that can be made when doing survey research involving political polls. What is the lesson that survey researchers learned from this error?

The hindsight bias occurs because after an event occurs, people

The primary goal of cross-cultural research is to

According to the authors of your text, the ultimate test of an experiment's external validity is

Which of the following best defines the term "sample"?

The idea that certain traits that promote survival are passed to future generations because the organisms that possess those traits are more likely to successfully reproduce is the definition of

The greatest drawback to archival analysis is that

A goal of ethnography that makes it different from other methods of testing theories is that in ethnography, the researcher

The variable that the researcher changes or varies to see if it has an effect is called the

Introducing Social Psychology

Social Cognition: How We Think About the Social World

Social Perception: How We Come to Understand Other People

The Self: Understanding Ourselves in a Social Context

The Need to Justify Our Actions

Attitudes and Attitude Change: Influencing Thoughts and Feelings

Conformity: Influencing Behavior

Group Processes: Influence in Social Groups

Interpersonal Attraction: From First Impressions to Close Relationships

Prosocial Behavior: Why Do People Help

Aggression: Why Do We Hurt Other People Can We Prevent It

Prejudice: Causes and Cures

Social Psychology in Action 1: Making a Difference With Social Psychology: Attaining a Sustainable Future

Social Psychology in Action 2: Social Psychology and Health

Social Psychology in Action 3: Social Psychology and the Law

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Exam 2: Methodology: How Social Psychologists Do Research

Given the problems with the evolutionary approach to psychology, what is a major advantage to using this approach?

In two hundred years, after watching our TV commercials and Internet advertising, it is possible that researchers will conclude that we had all sorts of medical problems and only ate food in our cars. These conclusions would be based on ________ research.

Imagine that researchers have found a positive correlation between the frequency of disagreements that couples have and how long they stay together. Based on this correlation, would you start arguments with your significant other in order to sustain your relationship?

Dr. Wegner conducts a study to investigate the careers young adults are interested in pursuing using a sample of 100 Harvard honors students. What is the major problem with her sample?

The hindsight bias is most like which of the following statements?

If two variables have no correlation with one another, this means that

According to the authors of your text, when Darwin developed evolutionary theory, it was aimed at explaining how

If a researcher is concerned with having high external validity in their study, she should design a

All of the following are threats to the internal validity of a study except

Recall the description of the political poll taken by Literary Digest about the Landon vs. Roosevelt election. This is an example of a potential error that can be made when doing survey research involving political polls. What is the lesson that survey researchers learned from this error?

The hindsight bias occurs because after an event occurs, people

The primary goal of cross-cultural research is to

According to the authors of your text, the ultimate test of an experiment's external validity is

Which of the following best defines the term "sample"?

The idea that certain traits that promote survival are passed to future generations because the organisms that possess those traits are more likely to successfully reproduce is the definition of

The greatest drawback to archival analysis is that

A goal of ethnography that makes it different from other methods of testing theories is that in ethnography, the researcher

The variable that the researcher changes or varies to see if it has an effect is called the

Introducing Social Psychology

Social Cognition: How We Think About the Social World

Social Perception: How We Come to Understand Other People

The Self: Understanding Ourselves in a Social Context

The Need to Justify Our Actions

Attitudes and Attitude Change: Influencing Thoughts and Feelings

Conformity: Influencing Behavior

Group Processes: Influence in Social Groups

Interpersonal Attraction: From First Impressions to Close Relationships

Prosocial Behavior: Why Do People Help

Aggression: Why Do We Hurt Other People Can We Prevent It

Prejudice: Causes and Cures

Social Psychology in Action 1: Making a Difference With Social Psychology: Attaining a Sustainable Future

Social Psychology in Action 2: Social Psychology and Health

Social Psychology in Action 3: Social Psychology and the Law

Filters