Question 1

If a measure is _______, then it is also _______.
A) reliable, valid
B) valid, reliable
C) internally consistent, valid
D) free of observer bias, valid

Accepted Answer

A measure must be reliable (consistent results) to be valid (accurately measuring what it is intended to measure).

Question 2

The problem of observers seeing what they expect to see is called
A) observer bias
B) random observer error
C) subject bias
D) demand characteristics

Accepted Answer

Observer bias occurs when researchers or observers see what they expect to see, potentially influencing the outcome of the study.

Question 3

Which of the following is the most severe threat to a measure's validity?
A) observer bias
B) failure to calculate inter-observer reliability coefficients
C) failure to use instruments
D) random observer error

Accepted Answer

Observer bias is the most severe threat to a measure's validity because it can lead to systematic errors in the data.

Question 4

Participants in a study may be influenced by hints given about what is expected of them. These hints are called
A) placebo effects
B) social desirability bias
C) demand characteristics
D) observer bias

Accepted Answer

Demand characteristics refer to cues or hints in a study that suggest to participants what behavior is expected of them, potentially influencing their actions.

Question 5

Which technique is more effective for reducing observer bias than for reducing random observer error?
A) using instruments
B) using multiple-choice tests
C) making raters blind
D) training raters

Accepted Answer

Making raters blind is more effective for reducing observer bias because it prevents raters from being influenced by their expectations or knowledge about the subjects or conditions being observed.

Question 6

The case of Clever Hans ("the mathematical horse") is an example of
A) random observer error
B) observer bias
C) subject bias
D) fraud

Accepted Answer

The answer of The case of Clever Hans ("the mathematical...

Question 7

When observing behavior, one way to avoid the effects of subject bias is to:
A) hide the observer
B) take careful notes
C) make friends with the observed
D) record only selected details

Accepted Answer

Hiding the observer can help reduce subject bias because the subjects are less likely to alter their behavior if they are unaware they are being observed.

Question 8

All but one of the following techniques were mentioned as methods of reducing observer bias. Which is it?
A) using scientific instruments
B) simplifying the observers' task
C) making observers blind
D) using multiple observers

Accepted Answer

The answer of All but one of the following techniques...

Question 9

There is some evidence to suggest that the pattern of cues evident in a research procedure may convey the researcher's hypothesis to participants, who may react by trying to confirm the hypothesis in the way that they respond to the conditions. The pattern of cues referred to here is known as
A) pretesting effects
B) demand characteristics
C) experimenter bias
D) participant clues

Accepted Answer

Demand characteristics refer to the cues in a research setting that may convey the hypothesis to participants, leading them to alter their behavior to align with the perceived expectations.

Question 10

Participant biases may be reduced by using ______ observation.
A) unstructured
B) structured
C) unobtrusive
D) obtrusive

Accepted Answer

Unobtrusive observation reduces participant biases because it involves observing subjects without their awareness, minimizing the influence of the observer on their behavior.

Question 11

If participants lie or exaggerate to make themselves look good, the study has been affected by:
A) demand characteristics
B) observer bias
C) social desirability bias
D) random participant error

Accepted Answer

Social desirability bias occurs when participants alter their responses to be viewed more favorably by others, often to align with social norms or expectations.

Question 12

When an investigator correlates scores from a new measurement instrument to an existing instrument of the same construct, the investigator is trying to determine the new measure's
A) reliability
B) convergent validity
C) internal consistency
D) discriminant validity

Accepted Answer

Convergent validity is the degree to which a new measure correlates with an existing measure of the same construct.

Question 13

A measure with internal consistency
A) accurately predicts future performance
B) correlates with other tests of the same construct
C) appears to measure what it claims to measure
D) appears to have a high level of split-half reliability

Accepted Answer

Internal consistency refers to the extent to which all parts of a test contribute equally to what is being measured, and split-half reliability is a method used to assess this consistency.

Question 14

If you establish that a measure of lust does not correlate highly with a measure of liking, you have taken a step toward establishing the measure's
A) content validity
B) criterion validity
C) discriminant validity
D) internal consistency

Accepted Answer

Discriminant validity is demonstrated when a measure does not correlate too highly with measures from which it is supposed to differ, such as lust and liking in this case.

Question 15

If you establish that a measure of lust does not correlate highly with a measure of social desirability, you have taken a step toward establishing the measure's
A) content validity
B) criterion validity
C) discriminant validity
D) internal consistency

Accepted Answer

Discriminant validity is demonstrated when a measure does not correlate highly with measures from which it should be distinct, such as social desirability in this case.

Question 16

When students judge a midterm exam, they are looking at the test's
A) convergent validity
B) discriminant validity
C) content validity
D) internal consistency

Accepted Answer

Content validity refers to the extent to which a test measures the entire range of material it is supposed to cover, which is what students are assessing when they judge a midterm exam.

Question 17

The known groups technique is used to establish a measure's
A) convergent validity
B) discriminant validity
C) content validity
D) internal consistency

Accepted Answer

The known groups technique is used to establish a measure's convergent validity. Convergent validity is the extent to which a measure correlates with other measures of the same construct. The known groups technique involves comparing the scores of two or more groups that are known to differ on the construct being measured. If the measure has convergent validity, then the scores of the two groups will be significantly different.

Question 18

A professor of a continuing education course called "Becoming rich" is correlating final exam scores with students' income five years after graduation. This professor is trying to establish that the final exam has
A) convergent validity
B) discriminant validity
C) content validity
D) internal consistency

Accepted Answer

Convergent validity is demonstrated when a test correlates well with a measure that it is theoretically expected to correlate with. In this case, the professor is trying to show that the final exam scores correlate with students' income, which is a related outcome, thus establishing convergent validity.

Question 19

A professor of a continuing education course called "Becoming rich" is correlating final exam scores with students' SAT scores. This professor is trying to establish that the final exam has
A) convergent validity
B) discriminant validity
C) content validity
D) internal consistency

Accepted Answer

The answer of A professor of a continuing education course...

Question 20

The broadest type of validity, in that it includes all the others, is ______ validity.
A) convergent
B) construct
C) content
D) discriminant

Accepted Answer

Construct validity is the broadest type of validity because it encompasses all other types of validity. It assesses the extent to which a measure captures the underlying construct it is intended to measure.

Quiz 5: Measuring and Manipulating Variables: Reliability and Validity

If a measure is _, then it is also _.

The problem of observers seeing what they expect to see is called

Which of the following is the most severe threat to a measure's validity?

Participants in a study may be influenced by hints given about what is expected of them. These hints are called

Which technique is more effective for reducing observer bias than for reducing random observer error?

The case of Clever Hans ("the mathematical horse") is an example of

When observing behavior, one way to avoid the effects of subject bias is to:

All but one of the following techniques were mentioned as methods of reducing observer bias. Which is it?

There is some evidence to suggest that the pattern of cues evident in a research procedure may convey the researcher's hypothesis to participants, who may react by trying to confirm the hypothesis in the way that they respond to the conditions. The pattern of cues referred to here is known as

Participant biases may be reduced by using ______ observation.

If participants lie or exaggerate to make themselves look good, the study has been affected by:

When an investigator correlates scores from a new measurement instrument to an existing instrument of the same construct, the investigator is trying to determine the new measure's

A measure with internal consistency

If you establish that a measure of lust does not correlate highly with a measure of liking, you have taken a step toward establishing the measure's

If you establish that a measure of lust does not correlate highly with a measure of social desirability, you have taken a step toward establishing the measure's

When students judge a midterm exam, they are looking at the test's

The known groups technique is used to establish a measure's

A professor of a continuing education course called "Becoming rich" is correlating final exam scores with students' income five years after graduation. This professor is trying to establish that the final exam has

A professor of a continuing education course called "Becoming rich" is correlating final exam scores with students' SAT scores. This professor is trying to establish that the final exam has

The broadest type of validity, in that it includes all the others, is ______ validity.