Question 1

The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is an example of a __________.
A) projective test
B) physiological measure
C) clinical interview
D) self-report

Accepted Answer

The Thematic Apperception Test is a projective test, which means that it is designed to reveal unconscious aspects of a person's personality or emotions by asking them to interpret ambiguous stimuli.

Question 2

Murray wants to examine stability and change in personality over time. He enlists a group of elementary school children and measures their personality when they are in the first grade, then again when they are in the third grade, and then again when they progress to the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades. What kind of study is Murray conducting?
A) a longitudinal study
B) an archival study
C) an experiment
D) a clinical interview

Accepted Answer

Murray is conducting a longitudinal study as he is studying the same group of individuals over an extended period of time to examine stability and change in their personalities.

Question 3

In a normal distribution, what percentage of people scores within two standard deviations of the mean?
A) 95 percent
B) 60 percent
C) 33 percent
D) 20 percent

Accepted Answer

In a normal distribution, approximately 95 percent of the scores fall within two standard deviations of the mean. This is known as the 95% confidence interval.

Question 4

Which statement is correct regarding responses to the Marlowe-Crowne scale?
A) As a group, Americans born in the 1970s show the same pattern of results on the Marlowe-Crowne as Americans born in the 1940s.
B) Compared to Americans born in the 1940s, those born in the 1970s score higher on the Marlowe-Crowne.
C) Compared to Americans born in the 1940s, those born in the 1970s score lower on the Marlowe-Crowne.
D) Marlowe-Crowne scores for Americans born in the 1940s are unreliable, whereas Marlowe-Crowne scores for Americans born in the 1970s show good internal reliability.

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that social desirability bias, as measured by instruments like the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, has decreased over generations. This suggests that compared to Americans born in the 1940s, those born in the 1970s are less likely to respond in a socially desirable manner, leading to lower scores on the Marlowe-Crowne scale.

Question 5

Using different methods to answer the same research question is called __________.
A) test-retest reliability
B) statistical significance
C) triangulation
D) correlation

Accepted Answer

Triangulation involves using multiple methods to gather and analyze data in order to increase the validity and reliability of research findings. This can include using both qualitative and quantitative methods, as well as multiple data sources and perspectives. Test-retest reliability and correlation are specific statistical measurements, while statistical significance refers to the likelihood that research findings are not due to chance.

Question 6

Which assessment procedure involves asking someone familiar with and close to an individual to complete a questionnaire about that person?
A) clinical interview
B) archival data
C) projective test
D) informant report

Accepted Answer

Informant report involves asking someone who is familiar with and close to an individual to complete a questionnaire about that person. This method is often used to gather information about individuals who may not be able to accurately report on their own behavior, such as children or individuals with cognitive impairments. The information obtained from an informant report can provide a more complete picture of an individual's behavior and functioning.

Question 7

Dr. Bricker wants to find out which part of her volunteers' brains react to seeing unusual information by measuring relative amounts of blood flow to various brain regions. She will most likely collect her data by using __________.
A) archival data
B) a clinical interview
C) fMRI
D) projective tests

Accepted Answer

fMRI is a brain imaging technique that can measure blood flow changes in response to various stimuli, including unusual information. Therefore, using fMRI would likely be the best way for Dr. Bricker to collect data on which part of her volunteers' brains react to seeing unusual information. The other options (archival data, clinical interview, and projective tests) are not appropriate for this type of research question.

Question 8

Mei Ling has a high percentile score on the Marlowe-Crowne questionnaire. What does this indicate?
A) Mei Ling has a higher need for approval than most people do.
B) Mei Ling has a lower need for approval than most people do.
C) Mei Ling has a higher degree of extraversion than most people do.
D) Mei Ling has a lower degree of extraversion than most people do.

Accepted Answer

The Marlowe-Crowne questionnaire is used to measure social desirability bias, which is the tendency of people to respond in a way that is most socially acceptable rather than giving their true opinion. A high percentile score on the questionnaire indicates that Mei Ling has a higher need for approval than most people do, and is therefore more likely to give socially desirable responses.

Question 9

Dr. Smith is designing a study in which 50 people will be administered an experimental drug and 50 people will be administered a placebo. He will make sure that all potential respondents are equally likely to end up in either the experimental or control group. What is this practice called?
A) selective assignment
B) random assignment
C) determined assignment
D) confounding assignment

Accepted Answer

Random assignment ensures that all potential respondents have an equal chance of being assigned to either the experimental or control group, which minimizes any potential confounding variables and increases the internal validity of the study.

Question 10

A research team in Boston, Massachusetts, another team in Mumbai, India, and a third team in Sydney, Australia, are all conducting the same psychological study simultaneously. What is this practice called?
A) many labs approach
B) open practices
C) meta-analysis
D) archival data collection

Accepted Answer

The simultaneous conduct of a psychological study by multiple teams across the globe is called the many labs approach. It involves collaboration among researchers to increase the sample size and generalizability of the results.

Question 11

Which assessment procedure is designed to elicit personality characteristics without directly asking?
A) clinical interviews
B) archival data
C) projective tests
D) informant reports

Accepted Answer

Projective tests are designed to elicit personality characteristics without directly asking. These tests use ambiguous stimuli such as inkblots or pictures, and the individual's interpretation is believed to reflect aspects of their personality. Clinical interviews, archival data, and informant reports all involve more direct questioning or gathering of information.

Question 12

Dr. Caligari is assessing Matteo's physical reactions to stimuli such as bright lights and loud sounds in order to estimate Matteo's degree of openness to experience. Dr. Caligari is using a __________ to collect information.
A) projective test
B) psychological measure
C) retest measure
D) physiological measure

Accepted Answer

Dr. Caligari is assessing Matteo's physical reactions, such as dilation of pupils or changes in heart rate, which are physiological measures used to collect information about one's response to stimuli.

Question 13

A correlation of .95 has been found between levels of extraversion and liking for parties. What can be concluded from this result?
A) Being more extraverted causes people to like parties to a greater extent.
B) Fear of loneliness causes both high levels of extraversion and increased liking for parties.
C) Liking to go to parties causes people to become more extraverted.
D) There is a strong association between extraversion and liking for parties.

Accepted Answer

A high correlation of .95 suggests a strong association between the two variables, indicating that as extraversion levels increase, so does liking for parties. However, correlation does not necessarily imply causation, so it cannot be concluded that one variable causes the other.

Question 14

In a normal distribution, __________ of all people score within one standard deviation of the mean.
A) one-quarter
B) one-third
C) one-half
D) two-thirds

Accepted Answer

In a normal distribution, approximately 68% of all people score within one standard deviation of the mean. This is commonly known as the 68-95-99.7 rule, where approximately 68% of the population falls within one standard deviation of the mean, 95% falls within two standard deviations of the mean, and 99.7% falls within three standard deviations of the mean. Therefore, choice D (two-thirds) is the correct answer.

Question 15

In a study in which college students are pampered (given large amounts of money, subscription television services, and spicy Chinese food) to see whether this treatment will improve their scores in their psychology course, what is the independent variable?
A) whether students were pampered or not
B) students' scores on the next psychology midterm
C) students' previous scores (or baseline) on psychology midterms
D) students' scores on the next midterm minus the baseline score

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the treatment that is being manipulated, in this case, whether students were pampered or not.

Question 16

Before asking people to participate in a research project, an investigator must provide them with a document providing __________.
A) a meta-analysis
B) debriefing
C) open practices
D) informed consent

Accepted Answer

Informed consent is the document that an investigator must provide to participants in a research project. It outlines the purpose and procedures of the study, potential risks and benefits, confidentiality, and the participant's right to withdraw from the study at any time. It also requires participants to provide their voluntary agreement or consent to participate. A meta-analysis is a statistical technique used to combine and analyze data from multiple studies. Debriefing refers to providing participants with information about the purpose and results of a study after they have completed it. Open practices refer to a research approach in which raw data and research materials are made publicly available for other researchers to use and replicate.

Question 17

Under what circumstances would using a clinical interview be a desirable method of gathering information about an individual?
A) when large groups of respondents are being measured simultaneously
B) when internal reliability needs to be established
C) when the person being evaluated is likely to have extreme or disordered levels of a personality characteristic
D) when the researcher is trying to establish discriminant validity for the scale or questionnaire being used

Accepted Answer

Clinical interviews are most useful when assessing individuals who are likely to have extreme or disordered levels of a personality characteristic, such as those with mental illness or developmental disorders. This method allows for a more in-depth and personalized understanding of the individual's unique experiences and symptoms, compared to standardized questionnaires or scales. Clinical interviews may also be useful when assessing complex or nuanced characteristics that are difficult to capture with quantitative measures alone. However, this method can be time-consuming and may require a trained clinician to administer effectively.

Question 18

Annabella is considered a repressive coper. What is Annabella most likely to do when under stress?
A) show her anxiety to the extent to which she feels it
B) exaggerates her anxiety to get attention from others
C) deny her anxiety even though she experiences it
D) hide her anxiety but overeat

Accepted Answer

Repressive copers tend to deny or suppress their emotions, including anxiety, even if they experience it. They may believe that expressing their emotions is a sign of weakness or that others will judge them harshly if they show their emotions openly. Therefore, Annabella is most likely to deny her anxiety even though she feels it.

Question 19

Geraldo scored in the top 10 percent of test takers on a measure of personality. What percentile score corresponds to Geraldo's performance?
A) 10th percentile
B) 45th percentile
C) 50th percentile
D) 90th percentile

Accepted Answer

Geraldo scored in the top 10 percent of test takers, which means his score is higher than 90 percent of the test takers. Therefore, his percentile score is 90th percentile.

Question 20

An extraneous variable that affects the primary variables in a study and makes it appear as if those primary variables are causing one another to happen is called a __________ variable.
A) confounding
B) independent
C) dependent
D) random

Accepted Answer

A confounding variable is an extraneous variable that affects the primary variables being studied and can create a false impression of a cause-and-effect relationship between them. Independent variables are the variables being manipulated in a study, while dependent variables are the variables being measured. Random variables are variables that are inherently unpredictable and cannot be controlled in a study.

Quiz 2: Assessment and Methods

The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is an example of a __________.

In a normal distribution, what percentage of people scores within two standard deviations of the mean?

Which statement is correct regarding responses to the Marlowe-Crowne scale?

Using different methods to answer the same research question is called __________.

Which assessment procedure involves asking someone familiar with and close to an individual to complete a questionnaire about that person?

Dr. Bricker wants to find out which part of her volunteers' brains react to seeing unusual information by measuring relative amounts of blood flow to various brain regions. She will most likely collect her data by using __________.

Mei Ling has a high percentile score on the Marlowe-Crowne questionnaire. What does this indicate?

Dr. Smith is designing a study in which 50 people will be administered an experimental drug and 50 people will be administered a placebo. He will make sure that all potential respondents are equally likely to end up in either the experimental or control group. What is this practice called?

A research team in Boston, Massachusetts, another team in Mumbai, India, and a third team in Sydney, Australia, are all conducting the same psychological study simultaneously. What is this practice called?

Which assessment procedure is designed to elicit personality characteristics without directly asking?

Dr. Caligari is assessing Matteo's physical reactions to stimuli such as bright lights and loud sounds in order to estimate Matteo's degree of openness to experience. Dr. Caligari is using a __________ to collect information.

A correlation of .95 has been found between levels of extraversion and liking for parties. What can be concluded from this result?

In a normal distribution, __________ of all people score within one standard deviation of the mean.

In a study in which college students are pampered (given large amounts of money, subscription television services, and spicy Chinese food) to see whether this treatment will improve their scores in their psychology course, what is the independent variable?

Before asking people to participate in a research project, an investigator must provide them with a document providing __________.

Under what circumstances would using a clinical interview be a desirable method of gathering information about an individual?

Annabella is considered a repressive coper. What is Annabella most likely to do when under stress?

Geraldo scored in the top 10 percent of test takers on a measure of personality. What percentile score corresponds to Geraldo's performance?

An extraneous variable that affects the primary variables in a study and makes it appear as if those primary variables are causing one another to happen is called a __________ variable.