Exam 2: Methodology: How Social Psychologists Do Research

Rosenberg and his colleagues (1992) conducted a study that found that women who relied on the diaphragm or contraceptive sponge had fewer STDs than women who used condoms.The media jumped to the conclusion that condom use contributes to STDs.Of the limitations of this study, which one should have prevented the media from drawing a causal conclusion?

A psychologist first conducted a study on helping behavior with a sample of college undergraduates.This psychologist then replicated the study using the same procedure with a different participant sample.If similar results were obtained with both samples, this experimenter has demonstrated

It is important to know the probability level for a given set of experimental findings because p-values

Professor Swenson is interested in university students' reactions to the death of a popular rock star.For two weeks, Professor Swenson spends one hour a day in a popular cafeteria, inconspicuously listening to students, joining in their conversations when the topic of the dead rock star comes up, and recording what the students have to say.Professor Swenson is conducting ________ research.

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?

Why are random assignment and experimental control two essential ingredients of an experiment?

According to the authors of your text, one of the major problems with relying solely on evolutionary theory as the only explanation for social behavior is that

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

Dr.Julian conducts an experiment to test the hypothesis that when more witnesses to a crime are present, any one witness is less likely to help the victim.After providing a cover story, she randomly assigns participants to witness a staged crime either alone, in the presence of two other people, or in the presence of ten other people.Then, she assesses how many people make an effort to help.Identify the independent and dependent variables in this study.

What is one of the main problems faced by researchers who want to test their theories cross-culturally?

Recall that Latané and Darley observed the number of participants in each experimental condition who left their cubicles to help the alleged victim of a seizure.The ________ was the independent variable in their experiment.

Whereas observational research is designed to ________ behavior, correlational research is designed to ________.

The phenomenon of diffusion of responsibility can best be described as

The experimental method always involves

Which of the following questions would a researcher be most likely to investigate with a survey?

Based on survey data, the Literary Digest erroneously predicted that Alf Landon would beat Franklin D.Roosevelt in the upcoming presidential election.What cardinal rule of survey methods did the Literary Digest violate? Make sure

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

A researcher hired by a department store wants to examine whether manipulating the room temperature to be hotter as opposed to cooler affects sales of air conditioners.The best method for answering this question would be

There is a moderately strong correlation between the number of bars in a town and the number of churches in a town.As it turns out, this correlation is due to the correlation of both numbers of bars and number of churches with town population.This illustrates which of the following? Correlations are

Assume that you are a participant in Latané and Darley's (1968) experiment examining when people help.You believe that there are four other people participating with you in a discussion, although you are isolated in a booth to ensure privacy.When you are listening to one of the other participants talk, you hear him beginning to have a seizure.If you behave like the typical subject in Latané and Darley's research, what are you most likely to do?