Question 1

A theory that predicts children will develop abstract reasoning by age 12 is more ________ than a theory that predicts the development of abstract reasoning by ages 12 to 20.

Accepted Answer

A)  general 
B)  precise 
C)  hypothetical 
D)  parsimonious

Question 2

Researchers demonstrated a relationship between the extent to which people in large cities help strangers and the degree of cultural embeddedness in the city (i.e.,concern for family and in-group members).As cultural embeddedness increased,people were less likely to help strangers.This relationship indicates that

Accepted Answer

A)  concern for family and in-group members causes people to avoid helping strangers. 
B)  helping strangers causes a decrease in cultural embeddedness. 
C)  both (
A)  and (
B)  
D)  neither (
A)  nor (
B)

Question 3

Suppose you come across a car accident at an intersection and observe that a small car is severely damaged and a large SUV appears to have only a headlight broken.If you describe the accident as occurring because the SUV hit the smaller car,your report likely includes

Accepted Answer

A)  contaminated observations. 
B)  inferences. 
C)  distorted behaviors. 
D)  illusory correlations.

Question 4

When research consists of verbal summaries of "naturally occurring,ordinary events in natural settings" the research is

Accepted Answer

A)  more likely to be qualitative research than quantitative research. 
B)  more likely to be quantitative research than qualitative research. 
C)  equally likely to be qualitative or quantitative research. 
D)  unlikely to be either qualitative or quantitative research.

Question 5

A researcher manipulates the amount of time participants view a list of words (1 vs.4 minutes),and measures the number of words the participants are able to write down 10 minutes later.The researcher suggests that in-between the presentation time and the later recall of the words,the words are in participants' memory.The construct of "memory" in this example represents

Accepted Answer

A)  an operational definition. 
B)  an intervening variable. 
C)  the researcher's independent variable. 
D)  the researcher's dependent variable.

Question 6

Which of the following is not one of the conditions for making a causal inference?

Accepted Answer

A)  covariation of events 
B)  a time-order relationship 
C)  confounding of variables 
D)  elimination of plausible alternative causes

Question 7

Research has indicated that amount of undergraduate research activity predicts measures of later success in the profession of psychology.For this prediction to be possible,undergraduate research activity and later success must be

Accepted Answer

A)  circular. 
B)  qualitative. 
C)  causal. 
D)  correlated.

Question 8

The essential ingredient of scientific observation is

Accepted Answer

A)  precise measurement. 
B)  control. 
C)  prediction. 
D)  application.

Question 9

When two potentially effective independent variables are allowed to covary simultaneously,a __________ has occurred.

Accepted Answer

A)  confounding 
B)  correlation 
C)  dependency 
D)  causal inference

Question 10

When an hypothesis is stated in such a way that the event to be explained becomes the explanation itself (e.g.,the child is distractable because he has attention deficit disorder),the hypothesis is said to be

Accepted Answer

A)  inadequately defined. 
B)  circular. 
C)  appealing to forces not recognized by science. 
D)  redundant.

Question 11

The primary means scientists use to establish control in their observations is to

Accepted Answer

A)  systematically manipulate an independent variable in an experiment. 
B)  train multiple observers. 
C)  establish the accuracy and precision of their measurements. 
D)  observe many dependent variables.

Question 12

A researcher wanted to compare the relative effectiveness of two techniques for reducing anxiety: a drug and a relaxation exercise.The researcher gave the experimental group both the drug and the relaxation exercise.The control group was given neither the drug nor the exercise.The difference between the drug and the relaxation exercise cannot be compared in this experiment because the experiment involves a

Accepted Answer

A)  redundant relationship. 
B)  correlation. 
C)  causal inference. 
D)  confounding.

Question 13

The main difference between physical measurement and psychological measurement is that physical measurement

Accepted Answer

A)  uses humans as the measurement instruments. 
B)  requires multiple observers to assess agreement. 
C)  involves dimensions with agreed-upon standards and instruments. 
D)  is quantitative and nomothetic.

Question 14

The major function of a theory in psychology is to

Accepted Answer

A)  organize empirical knowledge and guide research. 
B)  derive explanations that are independent of the results of experiments. 
C)  formulate definitive explanations for empirical findings. 
D)  develop quantitative and qualitative predictions for the results of future experiments.

Question 15

The most rigorous test of a scientific theory involves

Accepted Answer

A)  precision of prediction. 
B)  generalization. 
C)  falsification. 
D)  the rule of parsimony.

Question 16

Describe the differences between basic and applied research.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the differences between basic and applied...

Question 17

The factors that the researcher controls or manipulates in order to determine their effect on behavior are called the

Accepted Answer

A)  relevant variables. 
B)  independent variables. 
C)  intervening variables. 
D)  dependent variables.

Question 18

An operational definition of a construct is

Accepted Answer

A)  an intervening variable that connects independent and dependent variables. 
B)  a specific procedure for producing or measuring the construct. 
C)  reliable, because it is consistent. 
D)  valid, because it is truthful.

Question 19

The idea that people purchase "green" products in order to achieve higher status by behaving altruistically is

Accepted Answer

A)  a hypothesis. 
B)  a circular argument. 
C)  reliable and valid. 
D)  all of these

Question 20

People's tendency to select news programs that do not challenge their attitudes or beliefs is explained by

Accepted Answer

A)  hypothesis testing. 
B)  confirmation bias. 
C)  controlled observation. 
D)  a skeptical attitude.

Exam 2: The Scientific Method