Deck 2: Psychologys Scientific Method

Question 1

In the context of evaluating theories in psychology,_____ replication means doing a study with different methods or different types of samples.

A)concrete
B)hypothetical
C)conceptual
D)direct

Answer 1

conceptual

Question 2

In the context of psychology's scientific method,the objective description of how a variable is going to be measured and observed in a particular study is referred to as the

A)hypothesis.
B)theory.
C)logical conclusion.
D)operational definition.

Answer 2

operational definition.

Question 3

Allie has developed a theory concerning test grades of high school students.She believes that there is a strong causal relationship between students' levels of happiness and their grades in school.In this scenario,her expectation that happier students get better grades is a _____ derived from her theory.

A)variable
B)bias
C)fact
D)hypothesis

Answer 3

hypothesis

Question 4

In the context of psychology's scientific method,which of the following is true of theories?

A)Theories explain relations between variables on a conceptual level.
B)Theories are educated guesses that derive logically from a hypothesis.
C)Theories cannot explain the occurrences of phenomena.
D)Theories cannot be used to make predictions about future observations.

Question 5

For a research project,Joaquin observes student behavior during a learning task and attempts to form a _____,which is a broad idea or set of closely related ideas that attempts to explain observations and to make predictions about future observations.

A)Theory
B)Variable
C)Statistic
D)Bias

Question 6

After careful observation,Dylan states a hypothesis that spending money on other people leads to greater happiness than spending money on oneself.In accordance with the scientific method,which of the following steps is Dylan most likely to take next?

A)He will choose a confederate who will determine the operational definition.
B)He will examine the prediction through empirical research.
C)He will use longitudinal design to increase research participant bias.
D)He will conduct a correlational research.

Question 7

Dr.Kate proposes that students find it difficult to return to their academic schedules after spring break.Specifically,she predicts that every year there will be more student absences on the Monday following spring break than on the Friday before spring break.The first statement describes the _____,while the second is the _____.

A)design of the study;research method
B)theory;hypothesis
C)hypothesis;operational definition
D)prediction;procedure

Question 8

In the context of psychology's scientific method,a variable is anything that

A)can change.
B)increases experimenter bias.
C)decreases research participant bias.
D)remains constant.

Question 9

_____ is a statistical procedure that summarizes a large body of evidence from the research literature on a particular topic,allowing the researcher to assess the strength of the relationship between the variables.

A)Meta-analysis
B)Replication
C)Substantiation
D)Verification

Question 10

In surveys conducted by Gerald,many adolescents report that they started smoking cigarettes because of peer pressure.While observing adolescent groups,however,Gerald rarely sees adolescents offering each other cigarettes or putting pressure on others to smoke.Gerald predicts that if he conducts further studies on this topic,he will be able to prove that peer pressure is not the primary reason that adolescents start smoking cigarettes.In the context of psychology's scientific method,Gerald is basing his further studies on

A)a demand characteristic.
B)a hypothesis.
C)confounds.
D)third variable problems.

Question 11

Ashton,a biology student,wants to study butterflies using the scientific method.Which of the following scenarios represents a step or steps in the scientific method?

A)While watching the butterflies,Ashton notices a phenomenon in their feeding behavior.
B)Ashton makes a logical educated guess to predict the butterflies' future behaviors.
C)Ashton tests his prediction by recording objective information about the butterflies.
D)All of these answers are correct.

Question 12

Ryan wants to study the level of personal happiness among his students.He devises a self-report questionnaire that measures how highly a student scores his or her life's achievements.Ryan believes that these scores are a good measure of personal happiness.In the context of empirical research,the scores on the questionnaire are representative of the _____ of the study.

A)independent variable
B)hypothesis
C)operational definition
D)theory

Question 13

In the context of psychology's scientific method,a(n)_____ is an educated guess that derives logically from a theory.

A)operational definition
B)fact
C)hypothesis
D)variable

Question 14

In which of the following cases is Dr.Williams establishing an operational definition?

A)Dr.Williams states that his subjects' manual dexterity can be assessed by the number of assigned manual tasks they are able to complete.
B)Dr.Williams determines the efficiency of the newest jets found in the Air Force.
C)Dr.Williams states that his students must recall their earliest childhood memories and use these to understand more about themselves.
D)Dr.Williams has his subjects go online to look up examples of "jealousy."

Question 15

A key aspect of the process of testing hypothesis is

A)confound analysis.
B)conjecture.
C)data analysis.
D)personal opinion.

Question 16

In the context of evaluating theories in psychology,_____ replication means doing a study precisely as it was conducted in its original form.

A)theoretical
B)abstract
C)conceptual
D)direct

Question 17

Dr.Gordon conducts an experiment on one of her clients,Johnny,who displays symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.She postulates that Johnny's hyperactivity will be measured by the number of times he moves about while in the middle of a conversation.In this scenario,Dr.Gordon's postulation is the

A)confederate.
B)independent variable.
C)operational definition.
D)placebo.

Question 18

In the context of psychology's scientific method,theory is defined as

A)anything that can change.
B)the specific expectation for the outcome of a study.
C)a set of closely related ideas that attempts to explain observations.
D)the mathematical procedure used to interpret data.

Question 19

The first step of the scientific method in psychology involves

A)observing some phenomenon in the world.
B)formulating hypotheses and predictions.
C)testing through empirical research.
D)evaluating the theory based on the conclusions drawn.

Question 20

Which of the following methods is used to gain knowledge through the observation of events,the collection of data,and logical reasoning?

A)Coincidental method
B)Empirical method
C)Hypothetical method
D)Conjured method

Question 21

Jacob studies the link between listening to music and happiness.He finds that people who listen to music report that they are happier than people who do not listen to music.Which of the following is most likely to be the correlation coefficient between happiness and listening to music?

A)0.00
B)0.270
C)1.00
D)0.27

Question 22

Meta-analytic results in psychological research are more powerful than the results of a single study because the meta-analytic results

A)combine many findings in the literature.
B)encourage experimenter bias.
C)refrain from obtaining informed consent.
D)use confounders to determine the independent variable.

Question 23

Bradley conducts research to validate his hypothesis that increased job satisfaction leads to greater organizational commitment among employees.He collates the existing data from all of the studies that he can locate on the topic.By looking at the data,he establishes that his hypothesis has been consistently proven correct across the studies.In this scenario,the method of study used by Bradley is

A)direct replication.
B)correlational research.
C)meta-analysis.
D)experimental design.

Question 24

_____ is a type of psychological research that uses surveys,case studies,and interviews to find out the basic dimensions of some variable.

A)Experimental research
B)Descriptive research
C)Correlational research
D)Developmental research

Question 25

Dr.Okawa is interested in studying the effect of neurological trauma on short-term memory.First,he collects detailed information from a small number of individuals who have experienced brain damage.Then,using information provided by medical records,interviews,and observations,Dr.Okawa attempts to create an in-depth portrait of each individual.What type of research method was used in this study?

A)Case study
B)Naturalistic observation
C)Experimental method
D)Surveys

Question 26

Mila,a school principal,wants to know her students' opinions about the food served in the school's cafeteria.To obtain her students' opinions,she devises a set of questions that she asks all her students to answer.In this case,Mila is using a _____ to obtain the opinions of her students.

A)longitudinal experiment
B)double-blind experiment
C)survey
D)case study

Question 27

When psychological researchers use the correlational method to study variables,the degree of relation between two variables is expressed as a numerical value known as

A)correlative conjunction.
B)error variance.
C)correlational coefficient.
D)correlative code.

Question 28

In the context of psychological research methods,which of the following scenarios is an example of the survey method?

A)Dr.Adele observes children as they learn to read.
B)Dr.Gomes studies his patients while they undergo psychological counseling.
C)Dr.Trooper collects children's school grades and test scores.
D)Dr.Frank asks people how many hours of television they watch per week.

Question 29

In the context of psychological research methods,a _____ presents a standard set of questions,or items,to obtain people's self-reported attitudes or beliefs about a particular topic.

A)variable
B)placebo
C)hypothesis
D)survey

Question 30

In psychological research,a correlational study is used to determine

A)cause and effect between variables.
B)the link between variables.
C)the nature of dependent and independent variables.
D)a measure of central tendency.

Question 31

Dr.Klaus conducted a research in psychology that established that the number of hours of study before a test is directly proportional to the performance in the test.In the context of correlational research,it can be said that _____ exists between the two variables.

A)positive correlation
B)negative correlation
C)no correlation
D)cause and effect relation

Question 32

Which of the following statements is true of surveys?

A)They are ineffective when used in correlational research.
B)They are effective when used to study variables that are unconscious,such as a psychodynamic drive.
C)They are useful when information from many people is required.
D)They are not useful when what people think about themselves needs to be measureD.

Question 33

In the context of descriptive research methods in psychology,_____ are performed mainly by clinical psychologists when,for either practical or ethical reasons,the unique aspects of an individual's life cannot be duplicated and tested with other individuals.

A)case studies
B)surveys
C)correlational studies
D)experiments

Question 34

A _____ is an in-depth look at a single individual.

A)case study
B)survey
C)correlational study
D)meta-analysis

Question 35

Professor Milton wants to examine the connection between brain damage and intelligence levels in adults.She wants to know whether brain damage has any connection to intelligence and,if so,what the extent of this connection is likely to be.Which of the following psychological research methods is likely to be most suitable to Professor Milton's needs?

A)case study
B)survey
C)correlational research
D)experimental research

Question 36

Aaron wants to study the association between sleep deprivation and the number of hours spent on computer every day.He is not keen to establish causation,but would like to determine whether and how the increase or decrease in one variable is associated with the increase or decrease in the other variable.Which of the following research methods is likely to be most effective for Aaron's study?

A)survey
B)correlational research
C)experimental research
D)case study

Question 37

A psychological study indicates a strong positive correlation between two variables.This means that

A)as one variable increases,the other decreases.
B)the correlation coefficient is 0.00.
C)one variable causes the other variable to occur.
D)as one variable increases,the other also increases.

Question 38

Which of the following statements is true about using a case study as a method of descriptive research in psychology?

A)A single case study's results are generalizable to the entire population.
B)A case study's subject is unique,with a personal history that no one else shares.
C)A case study is most valuable as the last step of the scientific method.
D)A case study cannot include thorough explorations of particular families or social groups.

Question 39

Derek,an Internet activist,committed suicide.Investigators explored Derek's past interactions on Wordbook,a famous social networking site,to discover any information that might reveal the reasons behind his suicide.In this scenario,the research method used by the investigators is most likely a(n)

A)case study.
B)interview.
C)survey.
D)experiment.

Question 40

Chris makes an observation that the longer a classroom lecture,the lower the attentiveness of students in the class.In the context of correlational research,the length of the lecture and level of attentiveness are said to have a

A)positive correlation.
B)negative correlation.
C)lack of correlation.
D)cause and effect relation.

Question 41

Professor Jacobs believes that sleep deprivation is related to conflicts between roommates.He collects data on the number of hours of sleep and the number of conflicts for a group of college students over the course of a month.He obtains a correlation coefficient of -0.75.In the context of correlational research,which of the following is the most likely conclusion from the results of his study?

A)Seventy-five percent of the conflicts investigated are not related to sleep deprivation.
B)Sleep deprivation causes fewer conflicts.
C)Sleeping too little is associated with more conflicts.
D)Sleep and conflict are not relateD.

Question 42

Professor Jordan has suggested to his students that a strong relationship exists between the number of hours they spend studying and their grade on the final exam.He would like his students to improve their test scores by increasing the time they spend studying.The professor is describing a

A)mean score.
B)negative correlation.
C)positive correlation.
D)standard deviation.

Question 43

A _____ design is a type of correlational study in which variables are measured at a single point in time and then observations from this single measurement are compared.

A)cross-sectional
B)longitudinal
C)latitudinal
D)short-term

Question 44

A _____ design is a special kind of systematic observation,used by correlational researchers,that involves obtaining measures of the variables of interest in multiple waves over time.

A)cross-sectional
B)longitudinal
C)latitudinal
D)short-term

Question 45

In the context of a correlational study,what does the positive or negative sign of a correlation coefficient indicate?

A)cause of the relationship
B)strength of the relationship
C)number of data points
D)direction of the relationship

Question 46

In the context of correlational research,if there is no relationship between two variables,what is the correlation coefficient?

A)+1.00
B)0.00
C)-0.87
D)-0.99

Question 47

Which of the following correlation coefficients is indicative of the strongest relationship between two variables?

A)+0.65
B)0.00
C)-0.87
D)-0.24

Question 48

Longitudinal designs differ from cross-sectional designs in that cross-sectional designs

A)measure the variables in multiple waves over time.
B)measure the variables only once.
C)are primarily used in experimental research.
D)are used to study brain wave abnormalities.

Question 49

Which of the following is a potential problem of using correlational studies in psychological research?

A)They do not enable researchers to establish a causal connection between variables.
B)They do not allow researchers to use just one variable to predict the movement of the other variable.
C)They cannot be used in situations where the issue of ethics is important.
D)They can be used to study the relationship between only two variables.

Question 50

Joshua designs a research study to investigate the relationship between two variables: the size of a person's head and IQ level.He measures each variable without manipulating either of the variables and finds that IQ is higher for subjects with bigger heads.In the context of correlational research,what can Joshua conclude?

A)A large head size causes high IQ.
B)Head size and IQ are negatively correlated.
C)A high IQ causes a large head size.
D)IQ and head size are positively correlateD.

Question 51

Which of the following statements is true of the event-contingent responding method?

A)It asks participants to complete a report each time they engage in a particular behavior.
B)It is designed to predict the impact of natural calamities.
C)It is a method used to track brain wave abnormalities.
D)It is a common method used in descriptive research.

Question 52

What does the magnitude of a correlation coefficient indicate about the variables in a correlational study?

A)size of the variables
B)strength of the relationship between the variables
C)number of data points
D)direction of the relationship between the variables

Question 53

Which of the following statements is true of the experience sampling method (ESM)?

A)It is used to determine the variables in a random assignment project.
B)It is used to conduct experimental research.
C)It is used to assess people in their natural settings.
D)It is used to conduct descriptive research.

Question 54

In correlational research,the "third variable problem" refers to a circumstance in which

A)scatter plots for positive,negative,and zero correlations are the same.
B)correlation between variables equals causation.
C)a variable that has not been measured accounts for the relationship between two other variables.
D)experimenter bias increases the effects of research participant bias.

Question 55

Saundra says that whenever she drinks coffee in the evenings it interferes with her ability to fall asleep.The more coffee she drinks before sleeping,the less sleep she gets.In the context of correlational research,Saundra is describing a _____ between caffeine intake and sleep.

A)negative correlation
B)positive correlation
C)causal relationship
D)lack of relationship

Question 56

Jessica investigates the relationship between caffeine intake and performance on a class test for high school students.Before her sample of students takes an exam,she notes the number of cups of coffee they consumed two hours before the test.She obtains their scores after the test is over.She then calculates the correlation coefficient between the two variables and finds it to be +0.82.Which of the following conclusions should Jessica draw from this value?

A)Higher caffeine consumption is related to higher exam scores.
B)Eighty-two percent of the students consumed caffeine prior to the exam.
C)Caffeine consumption causes higher scores.
D)Caffeine consumption has no association with performance on a test.

Question 57

Bill can predict participants' scores on a particular math test with perfect accuracy by knowing their scores on a specific aptitude test.Higher scores on the math test are closely associated with higher scores on the aptitude test.Which of the following correlation coefficients most likely expresses an accurate relationship between the two tests?

A)-0.99
B)+0.20
C)-0.78
D)+1.00

Question 58

Professor Rodman,a social psychologist,studied the relationship between the severity of injuries in automobile accidents and the use of seat belts.He obtained a correlation coefficient of -0.72.In the context of correlational research,which of the following conclusions will the professor most likely arrive at?

A)Wearing seat belts causes injuries in 72 percent of all accidents.
B)People who wear seat belts sustain less serious injuries in an accident.
C)People who wear seat belts sustain more injuries in an accident.
D)Wearing a seatbelt is not predictive of the type of injury one receives in an accident.

Question 59

Professor Wong measured the intelligence and temperament of a group of preschoolers.He plans to follow the same group of participants over time and collect similar data when the children are in 3rd grade,6th grade,and 9th grade.Which type of research design does this scenario exemplify?

A)sampling design
B)experimental design
C)longitudinal design
D)double-blind experiment

Question 60

Longitudinal research can suggest potential causal relationships because

A)it applies the same techniques used by cross-sectional designs.
B)the variables are measured only once during the course of the study.
C)it is primarily used in experimental and descriptive research.
D)if one variable is thought to cause changes in another,it should at least come before that variable in time.

Question 61

In the context of psychological research methods,_____ research is conducted to determine whether a causal relationship exists between two variables.

A)descriptive
B)correlational
C)experimental
D)observational

Question 62

Dr.Kingston,a psychologist,is examining how a student's reading speed is differently affected by two variables: being tutored by a teacher's assistant and being tutored by a computer-based reading program.In this experiment,which of the following is the dependent variable?

A)the student's reading speed
B)the teacher's assistant
C)the computer-based reading program
D)the grade that the student belongs to

Question 63

Albert,a student researcher,varies the amount of food given to rats in an experiment to measure the effect on their learning behavior.In Albert's study,the amount of food given is the _____ variable.

A)dependent
B)experimental
C)independent
D)third problem

Question 64

If Professor Jung wants to be able to draw cause and effect conclusions from her research,which of the following is the most crucial aspect of her experimental design?

A)naturalistic observation
B)random assignment
C)correlational research
D)cross-sectional design

Question 65

A(n)_____ is a person who is given a role to play in an experimental study so that the social context can be manipulated.

A)confederate
B)experimenter
C)placebo
D)confounder

Question 66

In the context of psychological research methods,a(n)_____ is a carefully regulated procedure in which the researcher manipulates one or more variables that are believed to influence some other variable.

A)experiment
B)correlational study
C)meta-analysis
D)survey

Question 67

A researcher predicted that talking to plants enhances their growth.She gave 24 plants the same amount of water and sunlight.She talked to 12 of the 24 plants daily for 6 weeks and then measured their growth.In this experiment,which of the following is the dependent variable?

A)food,water,and sunlight
B)the plants
C)talking to the plants
D)growth of the plants

Question 68

In the context of experimental research,the logic of random assignment is that

A)if participants in an experiment are assigned to each group by stratification,the actual differences between the groups will sustain over the long run.
B)if participants in an experiment are assigned to each group only by chance,the actual similarities between the groups will sustain over the long run.
C)if participants in an experiment are assigned to each group by stratification,the potential differences between the groups will cancel out over the long run.
D)if participants in an experiment are assigned to each group only by chance,the potential differences between the groups will cancel out over the long run.

Question 69

A researcher tells a group of experimental subjects that they are going to receive "painful" electrical shocks as part of the experiment.He tells another group that they will receive "mild" electric shocks.He asks participants in both groups whether they prefer to wait alone or with others while he sets up the machinery that will deliver the shocks.In this experiment,which of the following is the dependent variable?

A)the use of the term "painful"
B)the use of the term "mild"
C)the participants' choice to wait alone or with others
D)the machinery that delivers the shocks to the participants

Question 70

Participants in an experimental research study listen to a lecture either in a lecture hall filled with natural light or in a lecture hall with no windows and artificial light.Before leaving the lecture halls,the participants fill out a mood survey.What is the independent variable in this study?

A)the participants' responses to the survey questions
B)the number of participants in the experiment
C)the type of light in the rooms
D)the mood survey

Question 71

David Harper,the marketing manager of a large cosmetic company,observes that when the company decreases the price of its premium deodorant brand,there is an increase in the level of sales of the brand.If the company increases the price of its premium brand,there is a decrease in the level of sales of the brand.In the context of experimental research studies,the changes in price represent the

A)independent variable.
B)dependent variable.
C)placebo.
D)confederate.

Question 72

In an experimental study,a properly designed hypothesis will test a theory by predicting the

A)random assignment of the experimental and control groups.
B)changes in the dependent variable in response to changes in the independent variable.
C)amount of social context that will be manipulated by the confederate.
D)participant error and its effect upon the results of the experiment.

Question 73

Researchers' assignment of participants to groups by chance in order to reduce the likelihood that an experiment's results will be due to preexisting differences between groups is known as _____ assignment.

A)correlative
B)meta-analytical
C)random
D)replicative

Question 74

In an experimental study,a(n)_____ is a manipulated experimental factor that the experimenter changes to see what its effects are.

A)third variable
B)correlation coefficient
C)dependent variable
D)independent variable

Question 75

One way to improve effectiveness of random assignment is to

A)start with groups that have known preexisting differences.
B)start with a relatively large pool of people.
C)ensure that all participants of an experiment are similar in all respects.
D)ensure that it is used primarily for descriptive research.

Question 76

Professor Stenson is examining the effects of color on patients' anxiety levels.She randomly assigns patients to either a room painted white or a room painted black,and then she records their blood pressure.In this case,the independent variable is the

A)blood pressure.
B)anxiety level.
C)room color.
D)building type.

Question 77

A history class of 50 students has agreed to be the subject of a research study.Half of the class has been asked to study for the next history test while listening to classical music.The remaining half has been asked to study in a completely silent environment.The test scores of the two groups will be compared at the end of the experiment.In this experiment,which of the following is the dependent variable?

A)the classical music for the first half of the class
B)the silent environment for the second half of the class
C)the reading speed of both groups during the experiment
D)the test scores of both groups at the end of the experiment

Question 78

In the context of experimental research,random assignment of participants is important in order to ensure that

A)independent variables are not restricted.
B)groups have equal and balanced composition.
C)genders and ages are viewed independently.
D)all participants that have specific characteristics are viewed in a single group.

Question 79

Dr. Gillespie conducts an experiment on childhood aggression. She has two groups in her experiment. She places participants into each group by flipping a coin. Heads places them in group A; tails places them in group B. In this experiment, Dr. Gillespie has satisfied the requirement of

A)experimental control.
B)placebo control.
C)blind experimentation.
D)random assignment.

Question 80

When conducting an experiment on time management,Jamie assigns everyone who arrives before noon to the experimental group and everyone who arrives after 12 noon to the control group.In the context of experimental research methods,what is wrong with Jamie's experiment?

A)The experiment is not ethical.
B)Jamie has not used true random assignment.
C)Jamie has introduced a confederate into the experiment.
D)The experiment is deceptive.