Question 1

Smaller cross-sections that are used to draw conclusions about the entire population are called
A)samples.
B)partial sets.
C)data units.
D)frequency distributions.

Accepted Answer

Smaller cross-sections are typically selected from the entire population in order to gather information about the population as a whole, and these cross-sections are known as samples.

Question 2

Regarding samples,which of the following statements is FALSE?
A)Samples are cross-sections of a population.
B)Samples are used to draw conclusions about larger groups.
C)Inferential statistics are often applied to samples.
D)Samples are often too difficult to obtain for research.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false as obtaining samples is a fundamental aspect of research and there are various methods available to obtain them, such as random sampling or stratified sampling. While obtaining representative and sufficient samples may pose some challenges, it is not true that samples are often too difficult to obtain for research.

Question 3

Inferential statistics are used for
A)generalization from small samples.
B)drawing conclusions.
C)decision making based on limited data.
D)all of these.

Accepted Answer

Inferential statistics are used for generalizing conclusions from a sample data to a larger population, drawing conclusions about the population based on limited data, and making decisions based on statistical analysis. Therefore, all of these options are correct.

Question 4

A psychologist is interested in the effectiveness of a new method for teaching math to third graders.She is testing it on several third grade classes.In this example,the population is
A)all third graders.
B)grade school students.
C)third graders in the classes tested.
D)the teaching method.

Accepted Answer

The population in this study is all third graders as this is the group of individuals that the psychologist is interested in studying. The other options (B, C, D) are not the population because they do not represent the entire group of individuals the psychologist is interested in studying.

Question 5

A researcher studies the effects of a new therapy on a small group of depressed individuals in the hopes of generalizing these findings for use with all depressed people.This researcher is using _______ statistics.
A)descriptive
B)normative
C)inferential
D)random

Accepted Answer

The researcher is trying to make conclusions about the entire population of depressed people based on a small sample. Inferential statistics is used to make this kind of generalization. Descriptive statistics only describe the sample data, normative statistics is not a type of statistical analysis, and random refers to the selection process of participants and is not a type of statistical analysis.

Question 6

Representativeness as it refers to a sample means
A)the sample is as large as the population.
B)the sample group reflects the characteristics of the larger population.
C)each member of the sample has an equal chance of being picked.
D)the sample group is equally divided between males and females.

Accepted Answer

Representativeness in regards to a sample means refers to the extent to which the sample group reflects the characteristics of the larger population. A representative sample is one that accurately represents the population being studied. It is not necessary for the sample to be as large as the population, for each member to have an equal chance of being picked, or for the sample group to be equally divided between males and females.

Question 7

A small,randomly-selected part of a larger population that accurately reflects characteristics of the whole population is a _______ sample.
A)representative
B)correlational
C)significant
D)variant

Accepted Answer

A representative sample is a small, randomly-selected part of a larger population that accurately reflects characteristics of the whole population. This is the best choice because it accurately describes what is being asked for. The other options (correlational, significant, variant) do not accurately describe a sample that reflects characteristics of a larger population.

Question 8

Researchers usually cannot use populations when doing their studies because
A)populations are not representative of a sample.
B)it is usually impractical or impossible.
C)statistical methods are only applicable to sample groups.
D)the requirement of randomness cannot be met.

Accepted Answer

It is usually impractical or impossible for researchers to use populations for their studies due to various factors such as cost, time constraints, accessibility, and logistics. Therefore, researchers often use samples that are representative of the population to draw conclusions about the population as a whole.

Question 9

A researcher wants to find out if a new math program is superior to the old math program that is used to teach college algebra at a community college.She selects 400 students from the total student body of 4,000 students to participate in this study.The 400 students would be considered the
A)sample.
B)experimental group.
C)population.
D)control group.

Accepted Answer

The 400 students selected for the study are a subset of the total student body of 4,000 students, making them a sample. The researcher would compare the performance of the sample in the new math program to the performance of a separate sample of students in the old math program. The experimental group would be the group of students in the new math program, and the control group would be the group of students in the old math program. However, the population would be the entire student body of 4,000 students.

Question 10

Of the 4,000 students at Meridian Community College,250 were randomly selected to be surveyed regarding their views on the on-line learning classes.The students who were randomly selected and surveyed would constitute the
A)population.
B)experimental group.
C)representative sample.
D)control group.

Accepted Answer

The random selection of 250 students from the 4,000 total students at Meridian Community College constitutes a representative sample of the population. Therefore, option C is the best choice. The other options (experimental group, control group) are not relevant in this situation because there is no intervention being tested or controlled.

Question 11

A sample is
A)a measure of central tendency.
B)a measure of variability.
C)the same as the z-score or standard deviation.
D)a portion of a population.

Accepted Answer

A sample is a subset of a larger population that is used to represent that population in statistical analyses. Samples are often used in research studies to gather data that can be generalized to the population from which the sample was drawn. Samples can be selected from a population using various methods, such as random sampling, purposive sampling, or convenience sampling. Samples can also be stratified or clustered to ensure that all groups within the population are adequately represented in the sample.

Question 12

Of the 4,000 students at Meridian Community College,300 were surveyed regarding their views on the menu at the college cafeteria.All of the students at Meridian Community College would be the
A)sample.
B)experimental group.
C)population.
D)control group.

Accepted Answer

The entire group of 4,000 students at Meridian Community College is the population in this scenario, as they are the group being studied. The 300 students who were surveyed are a sample of the population. The terms experimental group and control group typically refer to groups in a scientific experiment or study, and do not apply to this situation.

Question 13

A very important aspect of representative samples is that their members are
A)chosen by random selection.
B)chosen on the basis of central tendency.
C)chosen on the basis of equal variability.
D)significant members of the population.

Accepted Answer

Representative samples must be chosen by random selection in order to avoid sampling bias and ensure that every member of the population has an equal chance of being included in the sample. Central tendency and variability are not relevant factors in selecting representative samples. Additionally, while it is important that sample members are significant members of the population, this alone does not guarantee representativeness.

Question 14

A major requirement for a sample to be used in psychological research is that it be
A)statistically supportive.
B)significant.
C)practical.
D)representative.

Accepted Answer

A representative sample is needed in psychological research to ensure that the findings can be generalized to the larger population with confidence. A statistically supportive or significant sample may provide evidence for the specific hypothesis being studied, but it may not be relevant to the larger population, making the findings less useful in practice. Practical considerations may also be important, but they are not as critical as having a representative sample.

Question 15

Dr.Little is interested in studying the effects of a new medication on children with asthma between the ages of six and 12.She gets permission to try the medication on asthma patients in several hospital clinics.In this example,the sample includes children
A)of all ages with asthma.
B)with asthma between the ages of 6 and 12.
C)with asthma between the of ages six and 12 from the clinics where Dr.Little does her study.
D)with asthma of all ages who do not receive medication.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dr.Little is interested in studying the effects...

Question 16

In your research study,you find that a small group of students who completed a computer tutorial on problem- solving skills scored significantly higher in their college algebra class than those who did not.Thus,the statistics that allow us to generalize these findings to other college algebra students are called _______ statistics.
A)graphical
B)inferential
C)descriptive
D)ordinate

Accepted Answer

Inferential statistics allow us to make generalizations or inferences from a sample to a larger population. In this case, the sample is the small group of students who completed the computer tutorial on problem-solving skills, and we are making an inference about the larger population of college algebra students based on their scores.

Question 17

When a psychologist wishes to generalize results to an entire population,he or she would use _______ statistics.
A)descriptive
B)inferential
C)holistic
D)correlational

Accepted Answer

When a psychologist wants to generalize results to an entire population, they use inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics only summarize the data at hand, while correlational statistics examine the relationship between variables in a sample. Holistic statistics is not a recognized term in statistics.

Question 18

An entire set of subjects,objects,or events belonging to a particular category is called a
A)population.
B)sample.
C)cross section.
D)universal set.

Accepted Answer

The answer of An entire set of subjects,objects,or events belonging...

Question 19

The political science class randomly selected 150 adults from the community in order to obtain their opinions on the upcoming presidential race.This group of 150 people would be considered the
A)representative sample.
B)experimental group.
C)population.
D)control group.

Accepted Answer

The class randomly selected 150 adults from the community, which is an attempt to obtain a sample that is representative of the larger population of adults in the community. Therefore, the best choice is A, representative sample. B, experimental group, and D, control group, do not apply to this situation. C, population, refers to the entire group of individuals that the researchers are interested in studying, which in this case would be all the adults in the community, not just the 150 individuals selected.

Question 20

For his research study,Dr.Safar wants to make sure that his sample is a representative one.The most effective way for him to do this is to
A)use random selection.
B)calculate the correlation coefficient.
C)make sure that the standard deviation is low.
D)use a scatter diagram.

Accepted Answer

Random selection ensures that each member of the population has an equal chance of being included in the sample, which helps to eliminate bias and increase the representativeness of the sample. Calculating the correlation coefficient, checking the standard deviation, and using a scatter diagram are all useful tools for analyzing data, but they do not directly impact the representativeness of the sample.

Quiz 81: Understanding Descriptive and Inferential Statistics for Psychological Research

Smaller cross-sections that are used to draw conclusions about the entire population are called

Regarding samples,which of the following statements is FALSE?

Inferential statistics are used for

A psychologist is interested in the effectiveness of a new method for teaching math to third graders.She is testing it on several third grade classes.In this example,the population is

A researcher studies the effects of a new therapy on a small group of depressed individuals in the hopes of generalizing these findings for use with all depressed people.This researcher is using _______ statistics.

Representativeness as it refers to a sample means

A small,randomly-selected part of a larger population that accurately reflects characteristics of the whole population is a _______ sample.

Researchers usually cannot use populations when doing their studies because

A researcher wants to find out if a new math program is superior to the old math program that is used to teach college algebra at a community college.She selects 400 students from the total student body of 4,000 students to participate in this study.The 400 students would be considered the

Of the 4,000 students at Meridian Community College,250 were randomly selected to be surveyed regarding their views on the on-line learning classes.The students who were randomly selected and surveyed would constitute the

A sample is

Of the 4,000 students at Meridian Community College,300 were surveyed regarding their views on the menu at the college cafeteria.All of the students at Meridian Community College would be the

A very important aspect of representative samples is that their members are

A major requirement for a sample to be used in psychological research is that it be

Dr.Little is interested in studying the effects of a new medication on children with asthma between the ages of six and 12.She gets permission to try the medication on asthma patients in several hospital clinics.In this example,the sample includes children

When a psychologist wishes to generalize results to an entire population,he or she would use _______ statistics.

An entire set of subjects,objects,or events belonging to a particular category is called a

The political science class randomly selected 150 adults from the community in order to obtain their opinions on the upcoming presidential race.This group of 150 people would be considered the

For his research study,Dr.Safar wants to make sure that his sample is a representative one.The most effective way for him to do this is to