Exam 2: Research Methods

Iyesha reads a journal article reporting a study in which a small sample of women undertook tests of spatial ability at two points during their menstrual cycle. She decides to conduct a similar study using a larger sample of women. Iyesha is performing a ______.

In descriptive research, a researcher manipulates behavior in a laboratory setting.

Deception is NOT used in psychological research.

With respect to the scientific method, the statistics courses that undergraduate psychology degree programs usually require are MOST relevant to the step of ______.

The Tuskegee experiments had a lasting effect on African Americans' perception of health care professionals.

______ psychologists and psychology majors support the use of animals in research.

Which research strategy is correctly matched with the type of validity it is aimed at minimizing?

Epigenetic changes can be passed from one generation to the next.

Suppose that in one study, breast-cancer patients write either about their feelings concerning their diagnosis or simply about the facts of their disease. For each group, the researchers track the number of contacts the women make with the health-care system for 60 days. In this study, the number of contacts is a(n) ______ variable.

Distinguish between positive and negative correlations. Suggest one pair of health-related variables that is probably positively correlated, and one that is probably negatively correlated. For each pair, draw a hypothetical scatterplot, being sure to label the axes.

In round figures, animals are used in about ______ of psychological research studies.

Dr. Jackson is performing statistical analyses to combine the results of a number of studies investigating the relationship between locus of control and health-promoting behaviors among young adults. Dr. Jackson is conducting a ______.

A researcher assesses stress by measuring levels of cortisol in the blood. This is a(n) ______ definition of stress.

In an experiment, the factor under consideration as a potential cause is generally the ______ variable.

In quasi-experiments, the influence of third variables can be eliminated through careful participant matching procedures.

Dr. Carroll is conducting ______ when she tests a hypothesis by examining data from the National Nursing Home Survey available on the website of the National Center for Health Statistics.

Randomized controlled trials in clinical research are analogous to experiments in nonclinical research.

Define "randomized controlled trial (RCT)." Consider this description of an RCT: Espada and colleagues (2016) conducted a test of the efficacy of a smoking cessation program for adolescents in Spain. Prospective participants were recruited using a convenience sample, then randomly assigned to either a program condition or a control condition. The control condition consisted of adolescents placed on a waiting list for the program. Six months after the program, 8% of the program group had quit smoking, whereas no one in the control group had. This difference was statistically significant. After 1 year, 43% of the participants were available for follow-up data collection; this proportion was similar across both program and control conditions. Making explicit reference to the concepts of internal and external validity, highlight several potential strengths and weakness of this study.

A researcher is MOST likely to find a ______ correlation between scores on a measure of social support and scores on a measure of subjective well-being. Assume that higher scores on the measure indicate greater social support and higher well-being.

Which method is considered the "gold standard" in clinical research?