Exam 2: Psychology’s Scientific Method

Professor Jordan has suggested to his students that a strong relationship exists between the number of hours they spend studying and their grade on the final exam.He would like his students to improve their test scores by increasing the time they spend studying.The professor is describing a:

Given the following data set,calculate the mean and discuss why the mean in this case is,or is not,the best measure of central tendency. 12,16,11,2,44,15

Five students had the following scores on a psychological test: 10,10,15,25,and 40.The mean of these five scores is _____.

The careful observation of behavior in laboratory settings is called naturalistic observation.

David Harper,the marketing manager of a large cosmetic company,observes that when the company decreases the price of its premium deodorant brand,there is an increase in the level of sales of the brand.If the company increases the price of its premium brand,there is a decrease in the level of sales of the brand.In the context of experimental research studies,the changes in price represent the:

Explain the concepts of random assignment and random sample.State the difference between the two.

In the context of psychology's scientific method,a theory is defined as:

In an experiment,the independent variable is what the experimenter arranges or has control over to allow a comparison.

Which of the following features of an experiment does not typically lead to biased results?

In an experimental research study,the group that receives no treatment is called the _____ group.

In the context of measures of central tendency,the mode of a distribution of scores refers to the:

Briefly describe the process of replication in the final step of psychology's scientific method.

In the context of evaluating theories in psychology,_____ replication means doing a study precisely as it was conducted in its original form.

In the context of psychological research methods,which of the following scenarios is an example of the survey method?

In the context of experimental research,random assignment of participants is important in order to ensure that:

If a person would like to explore the benefits of writing in his or her own life,he or she should pick just one topic to explore.

Ryan wants to study the level of personal happiness among his students.He devises a self-report questionnaire that measures how highly a student scores his or her life's achievements.Ryan believes that these scores are a good measure of personal happiness.In the context of empirical research,the scores on the questionnaire are representative of the _____ of the study.

Dr.Kingston,a psychologist,is examining how a student's reading speed is differently affected by two variables: being tutored by a teacher's assistant or being tutored by a computer-based reading program.In this experiment,which of the following is the dependent variable?

In an experimental study,a(n)_____ is a manipulated experimental factor that the experimenter changes to see what its effects are.

The first step in the scientific method of psychology is formulating hypotheses and predictions.