Question 1

In encouraging social psychologists to generate useful, practical theories, Kurt Lewin

Accepted Answer

A)  set apart reliability issues from validity issues. 
B)  urged the synthesis of basic and applied research. 
C)  emphasized the importance of experimental methodologies. 
D)  reduced the distinction between hypotheses and theories.

Question 2

In a study concerning the cues that signal deception, Winston uses the number of times a person shifts in his or her seat as a measure of lying. Virginia points out that people may shift their position because they are nervous about being perceived as a liar, even though they are actually telling the truth. Virginia is questioning the ____ of Winston's measure of lying.

Accepted Answer

A)  internal validity 
B)  construct validity 
C)  interrater reliability 
D)  mundane realism

Question 3

What is the primary disadvantage of correlation studies compared to experimental studies?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are more labor-intensive. 
B)  They do not allow one to determine causality. 
C)  The results are more difficult to understand. 
D)  The choice of variables that can be studied is limited.

Question 4

Theories in social psychology have all of the following characteristics except that

Accepted Answer

A)  they are efficient and precise. 
B)  they lead to new hypotheses. 
C)  they predict conditions under which events will occur. 
D)  they encompass all of the relevant information .

Question 5

To assess the extent to which students are reading their textbooks, a professor notes how creased the spines of books are. What technique does this professor apply?

Accepted Answer

A)  An event-contingent self-report 
B)  An observational measure 
C)  A descriptive study 
D)  A signal-contingent self-report

Question 6

Which of the following is/are NOT mentioned in the text as a technology used by social psychologists in obtaining data?

Accepted Answer

A)  Brain imaging technology 
B)  Measures of reaction time and heart rate 
C)  Polygraphs (lie detector machines) 
D)  Eye tracking

Question 7

"Moms prefer Brand X of peanut butter" is a commercial claim. Sarah wonders what other brands were used as the comparison group. Which of the following benefits of learning about research methods is Sarah displaying?

Accepted Answer

A)  Better understanding of studies 
B)  Better memory for the results of studies 
C)  Critical evaluation of information 
D)  Enhanced self-esteem

Question 8

Including culture as a subject variable in a study helps improve the ____ validity of the study.

Accepted Answer

A)  internal 
B)  external 
C)  construct 
D)  content

Question 9

Stanley examines the impact of group size on conformity behavior in an experiment. He makes groups of two, five, or ten people stand on a city street and stare up at a window. He then records the number of passersby who stop and stare at the window. This study is an example of a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  meta-analysis. 
B)  archival study. 
C)  experiment with one independent variable. 
D)  experiment with two independent variables.

Question 10

Johanna is participating in a study on social contacts and subjective well-being. At random times during the day, she receives a text message to which she responds with information about who she was with and how happy she is feeling. The researcher is using ____ self-report in this study.

Accepted Answer

A)  signal-contingent 
B)  interval-contingent 
C)  bogus pipeline 
D)  event-contingent

Exam 2: Doing Social Psychology Research