Deck 2: Ethics and Validity

Question 1

Research has ______ validity when it accurately measures and manipulates the variables under study.

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

Answer 1

construct

Question 2

A researcher found that tickling caused subjects to become more aggressive. The researcher then concluded that happiness caused people to be more aggressive. If other researchers argued that tickling was not a manipulation of happiness, they would be questioning the study's

A) construct validity
B) external validity
C) internal validity
D) all of the above

Answer 2

construct validity

Question 3

Which of the following is a threat to construct validity?

A) failing to use a representative sample of subjects
B) misinterpreting subject's behavior
C) failing to debrief subjects
D) failing to make the treatment and no-treatment groups equivalent prior to the introduction of the treatment

Answer 3

misinterpreting subject's behavior

Question 4

Construct validity is a property of research that allows one

A) to generalize results to other subjects and settings
B) to attribute causality
C) to claim appropriate measurement of variables
D) to claim that the hypotheses are correct

Question 5

Research has ______ validity when it accurately identifies cause-effect relationships.

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

Question 6

Internal validity is a property of research that allows one

A) to generalize results to other subjects and settings
B) to attribute causality
C) to claim appropriate measurement of variables
D) to claim that the hypotheses are correct

Question 7

If something other than the treatment is responsible for the effect, there is a problem with the study's

A) construct validity
B) internal validity
C) external validity
D) all of the above

Question 8

Which of the following is a threat to internal validity?

A) failing to use a representative sample of subjects
B) misinterpreting subject's behavior
C) failing to debrief subjects
D) failing to make the treatment and no-treatment groups equivalent prior to the introduction of the treatment

Question 9

A treatment causes subjects in the treatment group to score higher on a certain measure than the nontreatment group subjects. The researcher claims that the measure is a measure of IQ when, in fact, the measure really assesses mood. The researcher repeats the study numerous times, using a wide variety of subjects. The same pattern of results are obtained each time. This study has

A) poor construct validity, poor internal validity
B) poor construct validity, good internal validity
C) good construct validity, poor internal validity
D) good construct validity, good internal validity

Question 10

Whether the results of animal research will apply to people is a question of

A) internal validity
B) external validity
C) construct validity
D) ethical validity

Question 11

External validity is NOT concerned with

A) being sure that the treatment caused an effect
B) generalizability of results to different subjects
C) generalizability of results to different settings
D) generalizability of results to different times

Question 12

Internal validity is to external validity as _______ is to _______.

A) cause; generality
B) generality; cause
C) control; measurement
D) measurement; control

Question 13

Who is responsible for ensuring that research participants receive ethical treatment?

A) the principal investigator
B) the person who actually interacts with research participants
C) both of the above
D) the participant

Question 14

In deciding whether or not to conduct research, the researcher should consider the

A) potential risks to participants
B) potential benefits to participants
C) potential importance of the research results
D) all of the above

Question 15

From a researcher's point of view, which of the following characteristics is absolutely essential before a study is conducted?

A) that the study will have internal validity
B) that the study will have external validity
C) that the study will have construct validity
D) that the study conforms to APA's ethical standards

Question 16

Human participants have the right to

A) know what will happen to them in the study
B) right to refuse to be in the study
C) right to quit the study at any time
D) all of the above

Question 17

In Milgram's famous study on obedience, when the participants wanted to stop shocking a victim, the researcher told them "The experiment requires that you continue." Today, this research probably would not be permitted because the APA's ethics code

A) forbids all deception.
B) supports the participant's right to withdraw from research.
C) forbids research using electrical shocks.
D) encourages research with animals rather than with human participants.

Question 18

A study is unethical if

A) it lacks internal validity
B) participants are told what the study is about
C) it lacks construct validity
D) the potential harm to the participants outweighs the potential gains

Question 19

APA ethical standards govern

A) animal research
B) human research
C) both animal and human research
D) neither animal nor human research

Question 20

The most important difference between psychological research and research in the physical sciences is that psychologists must pay more attention to

A) perceptual distortions
B) observer biases
C) ethical concerns
D) statistical issues

Question 21

According to APA's ethical standards, when a study is finished, the investigator should do all of the following EXCEPT

A) explain the purpose of the study
B) probe participants for signs of harm
C) keep participants' responses confidential
D) tell each participants who else was in the study.

Question 22

To establish internal validity, all a researcher needs to do is have two similar groups and give them different treatments. If the groups behave differently, it must be because of the treatment.

Question 23

As long as a researcher follows APA's ethical guidelines, the researcher can be assured that his or her study is ethical.

Question 24

As long as you have carefully planned it out, it is okay for a student to conduct a pilot study without consulting with his or her professor.

Question 25

Fill in the chart. $\begin{array}{|l|l|l|}\hline \text{Type of Validity }& \text{Definition }& \text{Major Sources of }\\&& \text{Problems}\\\hline \text{ Construct Validity} & & \\& & \\\hline \text{Internal Validity} & & \\& & \\\hline \text{ External Validity} & & \\& & \\\hline\end{array}$

Question 26

Fill in the following table. If the conclusions are true, what kinds of validity did the study have? If the conclusion indicates that the study had internal validity, put a "yes"in the internal validity column. If the conclusion indicates that the study did not have internal validity, put a "no"in that column. If the conclusions do not give you any information about internal validity, leave the column blank.