Deck 5: Measurement Concepts

Question 1

Which of the following values of Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient indicates the strongest relationship?

A) -0.72
B) +1.21
C) +0.70
D) -0.09

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Research that examines the relationship between a measure and the criterion behaviour at the same time is assessing which type of validity?

A) Face
B) Divergent
C) Concurrent
D) Convergent

Answer 2

C

Question 3

When a measure is not related to other variables that it theoretically should not be related to,this measure is said to have _____ validity.

A) face
B) reliable
C) convergent
D) discriminant

Answer 3

D

Question 4

You are constructing a test of knowledge of research methods.In doing so,you use your textbook for this class to devise 100 true-false questions on various aspects of research methods.Without conducting any research,you can be most certain of which validity of this test?

A) Construct
B) Face
C) Criterion
D) Divergent

Question 5

Which one of the following is a method for assessing the reliability of a measure?

A) Determine whether or not people lie when giving answers to the question.
B) Use the measure twice on the same person under similar circumstances.
C) Ask probing questions to see if individuals truly understand what is being asked.
D) Vary the test items from one participant to another to determine the amount of error inherent in the measure.

Question 6

To assess the reliability of a measure,Amy administers different versions of the same test to the same individuals at two points in time.This procedure would be an example of _____ reliability.

A) test-retest
B) version
C) alternate forms
D) split-half

Question 7

______ and _______ validity focus on assessing whether the items in a measure actually represent the meaning of the construct being measured.

A) Convergent;predictive
B) Face;content
C) Content;convergent
D) Concurrent;convergent

Question 8

_____ is an indicator of reliability in which the researcher calculates the correlation of each item with every other item.

A) Test-retest
B) Split-half
C) Cronbach's alpha
D) Pearson product-moment coefficient

Question 9

When a scale designed to measure honesty actually measures a person's honesty,the scale is said to have

A) reactivity.
B) reliability.
C) construct validity.
D) consistency.

Question 10

A difference between an interval scale and a ratio scale is

A) an interval scale has equal intervals;a ratio scale does not.
B) a ratio scale has equal intervals;an interval scale does not.
C) an interval scale has an absolute zero point;a ratio scale does not.
D) a ratio scale has an absolute zero point;an interval scale does not.

Question 11

Toney is developing a questionnaire to measure an individual's anxiety in new situations.If the items on the questionnaire are each intended to directly assess the various aspects of the clinical definition of anxiety,then measure is said to have

A) reactivity.
B) correlational validity.
C) convergent validity.
D) content validity.

Question 12

A reliability coefficient determined by the correlation between scores on half of the items on a measure with scores on the other half of the measure is an example of _____ reliability.

A) test-retest
B) item-total
C) alternate half
D) internal consistency

Question 13

Which of the following values of Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient indicates the weakest relationship?

A) +0.23
B) +0.07
C) -0.09
D) -0.99

Question 14

One way to increase the reliability of a measurement scale is to

A) calculate a correlation coefficient.
B) increase the number of items within the measurement scale.
C) decrease the number of items within the measurement scale.
D) be sure there is variability between true score and measurement error.

Question 15

A measure is reactive if the measurement

A) is unobtrusive.
B) occurs in a laboratory setting.
C) changes the behaviour being studied.
D) is unreliable.

Question 16

Louie is attentive to customers when his supervisor is present but inattentive when his supervisor is gone.Louie's behaviour is an example of

A) unobtrusive behaviour.
B) sensitizing behaviour.
C) attentive behaviour.
D) reactivity.

Question 17

Which type of reliability assesses reliability using responses at only one point in time?

A) Internal consistency
B) Test-retest
C) Alternate forms
D) Interrater

Question 18

Face validity refers to whether or not the measure

A) yields the same score for the same participant across different circumstances.
B) correlates positively with other measures of the same variable.
C) correlates negatively with other measures of the same variable.
D) appears to measure what it is supposed to measure.

Question 19

If a measure is reliable,then you should find a

A) high positive correlation coefficient between scores on the measure.
B) low positive correlation coefficient between scores on the measure.
C) correlation coefficient of zero.
D) low negative correlation coefficient between scores on the measure.

Question 20

_____ and ______ reliability measure the same individuals at two different points in time.

A) Item-total;split-half
B) Split-half;odd-even
C) Alternate forms;item-total
D) Test-retest;alternate forms

Question 21

If you had been asked to rate a new movie on a "thumbs up" scale with 3 thumbs up as academy-award material,2 thumbs up as television-quality,and 1 thumb up as straight-to-DVD,you would be employing a(n)_______ scale of measurement.

A) nominal
B) ordinal
C) interval
D) ratio

Question 22

You are developing a measure of skills needed for the successful performance of a job.You include items the job supervisor feels are relevant for the job.What type of validity would this procedure best represent?

A) Face
B) Convergent
C) Divergent
D) Concurrent

Question 23

If research finds that candidates who score high on a medical college admissions test do better in medical school than those who score low on this test,we would say the test has _____ validity.

A) concurrent
B) convergent
C) discriminative
D) predictive

Question 24

Richard and Jacqueline are movie reviewers for the local newspaper.Both have just watched the same movie.Both assign the movie 5 out of 5 stars.Based on their ratings,we might conclude that there is

A) high reactivity.
B) high interrater reliability.
C) low reactivity.
D) low interrater reliability.

Question 25

Two researchers observe aggressive behaviours displayed by preschool children.One observer records a large number of aggressive acts displayed within a one-hour period while a second observer records relatively few aggressive acts.Based on these results,we might conclude that there is

A) high reactivity.
B) high interrater reliability.
C) low reactivity.
D) low interrater reliability.

Question 26

Correlating the total score of the first twenty questions on a test with the total score of the last twenty questions on a test is an example of what type of reliability?

A) Test-retest
B) Alternate-forms
C) Item-total
D) Internal consistency

Question 27

When a measure relates consistently to other measures of the same concept it shows ____ validity.

A) convergent
B) divergent
C) face
D) internal

Question 28

Scales that measure physical dimensions-such as number of items correct,amount of alcohol consumed,and time to respond-would be an example of a(n)_______ scale.

A) nominal
B) ordinal
C) interval
D) ratio

Question 29

A food critic rates restaurants according to the quality of food,service,and atmosphere.She assigns 4 forks for excellent,3 for good,2 for fair,and 1 fork for poor.This measure is an example of a(n)_____ scale.

A) nominal
B) ordinal
C) interval
D) ratio

Question 30

A Human Resources director believes that people who regularly use math as part of their job will have higher math test scores than people who do not regularly use math professionally.The director would be most concerned with what type of validity?

A) Face
B) General
C) Divergent
D) Concurrent

Question 31

Researchers have identified style of leadership as relationship- or task-oriented.This categorization of leadership style represents a(n)_____ measurement scale.

A) nominal
B) ordinal
C) interval
D) ratio

Question 32

Which of the following would not be an example of an interval scale of measurement?

A) A measure of temperature using the Fahrenheit scale
B) A measure of temperature using the Celsius scale
C) Measuring the time it takes to run 100 yards
D) A measure of an individual's introversion

Question 33

Imagine you know the true length of a board to be 24 inches.Measuring the board 10 times with Instrument A,you find the measures vary from 19 to 28 inches.Using Instrument B,you find the measures vary from 23 to 25 inches.You can conclude that Instrument A has _____ than Instrument B.

A) a greater amount of true score
B) more reliability
C) more reactivity
D) more measurement error

Question 34

A researcher has devised an Interpersonal Skills Test that consists of a type of ruler that shows a person's shoe size.This test probably has ________ and ________.

A) high reliability;high validity
B) low reliability;low validity
C) high reliability;low validity
D) low reliability;high validity

Question 35

Finding students who have had formal voice training to be more successful in singing auditions than those who have not would be demonstrating which type of validity?

A) Face
B) Concurrent
C) Divergent
D) Convergent

Question 36

Judy finds a high correlation between her measure of intimacy and the Zaltzman measure of intimacy.Judy's finding would be an example of which type of validity?

A) Face
B) Convergent
C) Divergent
D) Discriminant

Question 37

The reliability of a test can be assessed by employing techniques that measure individuals at only one point in time.Which of the following is not one of these techniques?

A) Alternate forms
B) Split-half
C) Odd-even
D) Item-total

Question 38

Categorizing automobiles as American-made or Foreign-made would be an example of a(n)_____ scale.

A) nominal
B) ordinal
C) interval
D) ratio

Question 39

Jack finds his measure of math ability is not related to a person's language skills.This finding illustrates which type of validity?

A) Predictive
B) Face
C) Discriminant
D) Convergent

Question 40

Toby finds that his measure of honesty has a high correlation with Hooper's measure of honesty.This finding would be an example of _____ validity.

A) convergent
B) discriminant
C) face
D) internal

Question 41

A researcher has developed a measure of a person's ability to detect colours.He finds the measure is not related to a person's spelling ability.This finding would illustrate what type of validity?

A) Convergent
B) Discriminant
C) Reliable
D) Face

Question 42

The value of Cronbach's alpha is based on an average of

A) the values obtained for test-retest and split half correlations.
B) all inter-item correlations coefficients and the number of items in the measure.
C) the scores from tests given to different individuals.
D) the correlation between scores on a shortened version and a longer version of the measure.

Question 43

Your car speedometer fluctuates between 15 and 90 miles per hour as you are driving on a freeway at a constant speed.As a measure of speed,your car speedometer is low in

A) reliability.
B) face validity.
C) reactivity.
D) measurement error.

Question 44

Which of the following indicators provides information about each individual item's correlation with other items?

A) Test-retest and alternate forms
B) Alternate forms and split-half
C) Split-half and test-retest
D) Cronbach's alpha and item total correlations

Question 45

Every measured score is thought to have two components.In a score from a reliable measure,which component should be relatively low?

A) Validity
B) Reliability
C) True score
D) Measurement error

Question 46

When you read about the reliability of a measure,the correlation coefficient is usually called a

A) true score.
B) measurement error.
C) reliability coefficient.
D) reactivity measure.

Question 47

Any measure can be thought of as comprising two components.These components are

A) reliability and validity.
B) true score and error.
C) situational and response.
D) internal and external.

Question 48

When you took an I.Q.test last week,your score was 112.This week,taking the same test,your I.Q.was 96.This I.Q.test appears to lack

A) validity.
B) reliability.
C) reactivity.
D) generalizability.

Question 49

In alternate forms reliability,different versions of the same test are given to _____ at _____ in time.

A) different individuals;one point
B) different individuals;two points
C) the same individuals;one point
D) the same individuals;two points

Question 50

To assess the reliability of a measure,one should _____ the measures.

A) directly observe the amount of true score in
B) directly observe the amount of measurement error in
C) systematically study the variables in
D) calculate the correlation coefficient between scores on

Question 51

You have just received a new digital tape measure.When you measure the same board four times,you find the measure fluctuates from 4 to 8 inches.Your new tape measure can be said to be low in

A) reactivity.
B) validity.
C) reliability.
D) externality.

Question 52

The more _____ in a measure,the smaller the variability of scores in the measure.

A) true score
B) measurement error
C) reliability
D) validity

Question 53

You take your temperature with a thermometer three times over a 20-minute period and observe the following measurements: 98,106,and 89 degrees.You should conclude that the _____ of the thermometer is _____.

A) validity;high
B) validity;low
C) reliability;high
D) reliability;low

Question 54

The more _____ in a measure,the greater the variability of scores in the measure.

A) true score
B) measurement error
C) reliability
D) validity