Question 1

Which of the following is correct about interpreting the results of statistical tests?

Accepted Answer

A) Obtaining a probability value of .05 tells us the difference between groups is definitely not caused by chance fluctuation. 
B) If a probability value falls above .05, then the results will have to be replicated before we can have confidence in them. 
C) Obtaining a probability value of .05 gives us confidence that the findings are not the result of chance, but does not eliminate this possibility. 
D) A .05 probability value means there is a 5 percent chance the finding reflects a real difference. 
A) Obtaining a probability value of .05 tells us the difference between groups is definitely not caused by chance fluctuation. 
B) If a probability value falls above .05, then the results will have to be replicated before we can have confidence in them. 
C) Obtaining a probability value of .05 gives us confidence that the findings are not the result of chance, but does not eliminate this possibility. 
D) A .05 probability value means there is a 5 percent chance the finding reflects a real difference.

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

An investigator divides participants into those who went to college and those who did not. After testing each participant,she finds that those who went to college know more about current news events than those who did not go.She concludes that going to college causes people to become more interested in news events.What issue should this researcher have considered before drawing this conclusion?

Accepted Answer

A) The "file drawer" problem 
B) Manipulated versus nonmanipulated variables 
C) Prediction versus hindsight 
D) The need for replication 
A) The "file drawer" problem 
B) Manipulated versus nonmanipulated variables 
C) Prediction versus hindsight 
D) The need for replication

Question 4

The correlation coefficient is an appropriate statistic when we want to understand the relationship between two measures.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Personality researchers take steps to discover the nature of personality in which order?

Accepted Answer

A) Generate hypotheses, evaluate data, speculate 
B) Generate hypotheses, collect data, evaluate data 
C) Collect data, evaluate data, speculate 
D) Speculate, collect data, generate hypotheses 
A) Generate hypotheses, evaluate data, speculate 
B) Generate hypotheses, collect data, evaluate data 
C) Collect data, evaluate data, speculate 
D) Speculate, collect data, generate hypotheses

Question 6

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?

Accepted Answer

One psychological theory that I am famil

Question 7

A psychologist gives several personality tests to a group of participants.When sifting through her data,she is surprised to find that people born in the summer have a slightly higher (but statistically significant)need for Achievement than those born in the winter.She concludes that exposing children to the stimulation of the outdoors during the first few months of life (as the summer-born children were)results in a higher need for Achievement when the children become adults.What might we conclude from this?

Accepted Answer

A) The hypothesis needs to be tested with a controlled lab study. 
B) The hypothesis has not been tested because the researcher explained the findings after seeing the results. 
C) The hypothesis is supported with these data, but probably should be replicated to see if it generalizes to other samples. 
D) The hypothesis is useless because it cannot be tested. 
A) The hypothesis needs to be tested with a controlled lab study. 
B) The hypothesis has not been tested because the researcher explained the findings after seeing the results. 
C) The hypothesis is supported with these data, but probably should be replicated to see if it generalizes to other samples. 
D) The hypothesis is useless because it cannot be tested.

Question 8

Most personality research begins with an assessment.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Describe a test or measure that is low in reliability. How can you know that it has poor reliability? Would a correlation coefficient for reliability be closer to 1.00 or -1.00 for this test? List some reasons why personality tests can be low in reliability.

Accepted Answer

A test or measure that is low in reliabi

Question 10

Which of the following statements is correct about hypothetical constructs?

Accepted Answer

A) They are useful inventions by researchers that have no physical reality. 
B) They are easier to measure than personality variables. 
C) They cannot be measured with personality tests. 
D) They have poor reliability and validity. 
A) They are useful inventions by researchers that have no physical reality. 
B) They are easier to measure than personality variables. 
C) They cannot be measured with personality tests. 
D) They have poor reliability and validity.

Question 11

A test is said to have good validity if there is good evidence that

Accepted Answer

A) all the test items are measuring the same thing. 
B) it has been used previously by many different researchers. 
C) test scores are relatively stable over time. 
D) the test measures what it was designed to measure. 
A) all the test items are measuring the same thing. 
B) it has been used previously by many different researchers. 
C) test scores are relatively stable over time. 
D) the test measures what it was designed to measure.

Question 12

A test that measures consistently over time has a high

Accepted Answer

A) test-retest coefficient. 
B) internal consistency. 
C) face validity. 
D) internal validity. 
A) test-retest coefficient. 
B) internal consistency. 
C) face validity. 
D) internal validity.

Question 13

Which of the following describes the relationship between your credit card balance each month and the amount of interest you are paying (not interest rate)?

Accepted Answer

A) A perfect negative correlation 
B) A weak negative correlation 
C) No correlation 
D) A strong positive correlation 
A) A perfect negative correlation 
B) A weak negative correlation 
C) No correlation 
D) A strong positive correlation

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

A) a hypothesis. 
B) a manipulated independent variable. 
C) a nonmanipulated independent variable. 
D) a personality assessment. 
A) a hypothesis. 
B) a manipulated independent variable. 
C) a nonmanipulated independent variable. 
D) a personality assessment.

Question 15

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

Accepted Answer

A) conducts her research in a laboratory. 
B) uses comparison groups. 
C) makes her prediction before conducting the study. 
D) randomly assigns participants to conditions. 
A) conducts her research in a laboratory. 
B) uses comparison groups. 
C) makes her prediction before conducting the study. 
D) randomly assigns participants to conditions.

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

A) internal consistency. 
B) reliability. 
C) statistical significance. 
D) predictive validity. 
A) internal consistency. 
B) reliability. 
C) statistical significance. 
D) predictive validity.

Question 17

Which of the following is not true about a good theory?

Accepted Answer

A) It uses as few concepts as necessary to explain a phenomenon. 
B) It can generate many testable hypotheses. 
C) It is never proved or disproved. 
D) All experts agree it is correct. 
A) It uses as few concepts as necessary to explain a phenomenon. 
B) It can generate many testable hypotheses. 
C) It is never proved or disproved. 
D) All experts agree it is correct.

Question 18

Which of the following is true about replication in experimental research?

Accepted Answer

A) We often use different experimental methods to reach different conclusions. 
B) We deal with the problem of prediction versus hindsight by replicating the results of original research. 
C) We often use participant populations different from those used in the original research. 
D) We tend to explain effect after the data are in. 
A) We often use different experimental methods to reach different conclusions. 
B) We deal with the problem of prediction versus hindsight by replicating the results of original research. 
C) We often use participant populations different from those used in the original research. 
D) We tend to explain effect after the data are in.

Question 19

A researcher finds that men make more errors on a memory task than do women. After conducting the appropriate statistical test on this difference,he finds a probability level of less than .05.The researcher will probably conclude that

Accepted Answer

A) the difference represents a chance fluctuation. 
B) the difference is statistically significant. 
C) if he conducts the study again, there is a high probability that no difference would be found or that women would make more errors. 
D) there is only a five in 100 chance that his finding represents a real difference between men and women. 
A) the difference represents a chance fluctuation. 
B) the difference is statistically significant. 
C) if he conducts the study again, there is a high probability that no difference would be found or that women would make more errors. 
D) there is only a five in 100 chance that his finding represents a real difference between men and women.

Question 20

When a theory is described as parsimonious,it means that the theory

Accepted Answer

A) has stimulated a great deal of research. 
B) uses only those constructs necessary to explain the phenomenon. 
C) was derived from past research data. 
D) is not capable of generating testable hypotheses. 
A) has stimulated a great deal of research. 
B) uses only those constructs necessary to explain the phenomenon. 
C) was derived from past research data. 
D) is not capable of generating testable hypotheses.

Which of the following is correct about interpreting the results of statistical tests?

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

The correlation coefficient is an appropriate statistic when we want to understand the relationship between two measures.

Personality researchers take steps to discover the nature of personality in which order?

Most personality research begins with an assessment.

Describe a test or measure that is low in reliability. How can you know that it has poor reliability? Would a correlation coefficient for reliability be closer to 1.00 or -1.00 for this test? List some reasons why personality tests can be low in reliability.

Which of the following statements is correct about hypothetical constructs?

A test is said to have good validity if there is good evidence that

A test that measures consistently over time has a high

Which of the following describes the relationship between your credit card balance each month and the amount of interest you are paying (not interest rate)?

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

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

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

Which of the following is not true about a good theory?

Which of the following is true about replication in experimental research?

A researcher finds that men make more errors on a memory task than do women. After conducting the appropriate statistical test on this difference,he finds a probability level of less than .05.The researcher will probably conclude that

When a theory is described as parsimonious,it means that the theory

What Is Personality?

The Psychoanalytic Approach: Freudian Theory, Application, and Assessment

The Freudian Approach: Relevant Research

The Psychoanalytic Approach: Neo-Freudian Theory, Application, and Assessment

Neo-Freudian Theories: Relevant Research

The Trait Approach: Theory, Application, and Assessment

The Trait Approach: Relevant Research

The Biological Approach: Theory, Application, and Assessment

The Biological Approach: Relevant Research

The Humanistic Approach: Theory, Application, and Assessment

The Humanistic Approach: Relevant Research

The Behavioral/Social Learning Approach: Theory,Application,and Assessment

The Behavioral Social Learning Approach: Relevant Research

The Cognitive Approach: Theory, Application, and Assessment

The Cognitive Approach: Relevant Research

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Exam 2: Personality Research Methods

Which of the following is correct about interpreting the results of statistical tests?

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

The correlation coefficient is an appropriate statistic when we want to understand the relationship between two measures.

Personality researchers take steps to discover the nature of personality in which order?

Most personality research begins with an assessment.

Describe a test or measure that is low in reliability. How can you know that it has poor reliability? Would a correlation coefficient for reliability be closer to 1.00 or -1.00 for this test? List some reasons why personality tests can be low in reliability.

Which of the following statements is correct about hypothetical constructs?

A test is said to have good validity if there is good evidence that

A test that measures consistently over time has a high

Which of the following describes the relationship between your credit card balance each month and the amount of interest you are paying (not interest rate)?

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

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

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

Which of the following is not true about a good theory?

Which of the following is true about replication in experimental research?

A researcher finds that men make more errors on a memory task than do women. After conducting the appropriate statistical test on this difference,he finds a probability level of less than .05.The researcher will probably conclude that

When a theory is described as parsimonious,it means that the theory

What Is Personality?

The Psychoanalytic Approach: Freudian Theory, Application, and Assessment

The Freudian Approach: Relevant Research

The Psychoanalytic Approach: Neo-Freudian Theory, Application, and Assessment

Neo-Freudian Theories: Relevant Research

The Trait Approach: Theory, Application, and Assessment

The Trait Approach: Relevant Research

The Biological Approach: Theory, Application, and Assessment

The Biological Approach: Relevant Research

The Humanistic Approach: Theory, Application, and Assessment

The Humanistic Approach: Relevant Research

The Behavioral/Social Learning Approach: Theory,Application,and Assessment

The Behavioral Social Learning Approach: Relevant Research

The Cognitive Approach: Theory, Application, and Assessment

The Cognitive Approach: Relevant Research

Filters