Exam 2: How Psychologists Do Research

Psychologists measure alternate-forms reliability by giving the same test twice to the same group of people.

A laboratory observation would be the most effective research method in order to determine the "personal space" preferred by individuals from different cultures.

Dr. Littman-Smith is conducting research in Kenya in order to determine the ways that mothers and their toddlers interact throughout the day. It is most likely that she is engaged in:

Popular polls often suffer from volunteer bias because those who feel strongly enough about their opinions may differ from those who remain silent.

Interpreting the results of an experiment involves all of the following EXCEPT:

Match these descriptions with the appropriate research method. -A detailed description of a particular individual being studied or treated.

When the authors refer to psychologists as scientists, they do not mean that psychologists work with complicated gadgets and machines or wear white lab coats (although some do). The scientific enterprise has more to do with attitudes and procedures than it does with apparatus and apparel. Describe, in detail, the five key characteristics of the ideal scientist.

Meta-analysis is used to:

Match these descriptions with the appropriate research terms. -A study in which subjects are followed and periodically reassessed over time.

The magazine Lover's Delight publishes a survey of its female readers called "The Sex Life of the Canadian Wife." It reports that 87% of all wives like to make love in rubber boots. The critical flaw in this research would be the fact that:

Animal research is used for all of the following reasons EXCEPT:

A statistical measure of the relationship between two variables is the definition of:

In ________ the researcher carefully and systematically watches and records behaviour, without interfering with the behaviour.

When psychologists learned that hopeful parents of autistic children were being drawn to a program of "facilitated communication," they:

A research hypothesis proposes that consuming low-carbohydrate diets results in increased weight loss. One group of people follows a low-carb diet for three weeks, while a second group follows a high-carb diet containing the same number of calories for three weeks. The average number of pounds lost per person is compared. What is the dependent variable?

Unlike plays and poems, scientific theories are not judged by how pleasing they are. Instead, a theory must be backed by empirical evidence if it is to be taken seriously. Integrate this information from Chapter 2 with the critical thinking guideline "Avoid Emotional Reasoning," which you studied in Chapter 1.

Which of the following is most characteristic of scientists?

Scientists are expected to submit their results for peer review before any announcements regarding the study are made to the public.

Briefly outline how you could conduct a study of "personal space."

A/an ________ is a measure of how strongly two variables are related to one another.