Question 1

If two variables change consistently in relation to each other, they are said to.
A)covary
B)be independent
C)represent equivalent groups
D)be random samples

Accepted Answer

Covariation refers to the extent to which two variables are related to each other, meaning that they increase or decrease together in a consistent manner. Therefore, if two variables change consistently in relation to each other, they are said to covary.

Question 2

A(n) allows a researcher to estimate the possibility of chance differences between groups.
A)independent variable
B)statistical hypothesis test
C)population parameter
D)sample statistic

Accepted Answer

Statistical hypothesis tests allow researchers to determine the likelihood of chance differences between groups by comparing the observed data to a null hypothesis (i.e. the idea that there is no difference between groups) and calculating a p-value, which represents the probability of getting results as extreme or more extreme than those observed if the null hypothesis were true. If the p-value is sufficiently small (typically <0.05), the researcher rejects the null hypothesis and concludes that there is likely a true difference between groups.

Question 3

When an observed difference between two groups on the dependent variable is attributed to the effect of the independent variable through statistical hypothesis testing, then we know that.
A)it is unlikely that the difference would occur by chance alone
B)the raw data have been refined
C)the groups were not equivalent before the independent variable was introduced
D)it is likely that the difference would occur by chance alone

Accepted Answer

If the observed difference between the two groups on the dependent variable is statistically significant, then we can conclude that it is unlikely to have occurred by chance alone. This is the basis of statistical hypothesis testing, where we assume a null hypothesis (that there is no difference between the groups) and an alternative hypothesis (that there is a difference between the groups), and use statistical methods to determine the likelihood of obtaining the observed result if the null hypothesis is true. If the probability (p-value) of obtaining the observed result is very low (typically less than 0.05), we reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis, concluding that the observed difference is due to the effect of the independent variable. Therefore, option A is the best choice.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes an experiment?
A)The dependent variable is manipulated and then the independent variable is measured.
B)The independent variable is manipulated and then the dependent variable is measured.
C)The independent and dependent variables are measured at the same time.
D)The dependent variable is measured first and then the independent variable is measured.

Accepted Answer

In an experiment, the independent variable is manipulated by the researcher, while the dependent variable is measured. Therefore, option B, where the independent variable is manipulated and then the dependent variable is measured, best describes an experiment.

Question 5

A measurement obtained from a participant in an experiment is called a(n).
A)independent variable
B)parameter
C)score
D)statistic

Accepted Answer

A measurement obtained from a participant in an experiment is referred to as a score. The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated by the researcher, while a parameter is a numerical summary of a population. A statistic is a numerical summary of a sample.

Question 6

An experiment that creates two or more groups uses a(n) design.
A)across-subjects
B)equal-subjects
C)within-subjects
D)between-subjects

Accepted Answer

The between-subjects design involves creating two or more groups and assigning participants to only one of those groups. This allows for comparisons between the groups to be made.

Question 7

People who participate in research studies often are called.
A)parameters
B)data
C)subjects or participants
D)associates

Accepted Answer

The term "subjects" or "participants" is commonly used to refer to individuals who participate in research studies. "Parameters" refer to specific values or characteristics that are being measured or studied, while "data" refers to the information that is collected during a research study. "Associates" is a more general term that does not specifically apply to individuals participating in research studies.

Question 8

The term equivalent groups means that.
A)the independent variable affects all groups equally
B)the dependent variable is the same among all groups
C)only chance factors influence differences among groups after the independent variable has been manipulated
D)the groups of participants do not differ in any systematic way prior to the manipulation of the independent variable

Accepted Answer

Equivalent groups are groups of participants that do not differ in any systematic way prior to the manipulation of the independent variable. This is important in experimental research because it allows researchers to infer that any differences found between the groups after the manipulation of the independent variable are due to the independent variable itself and not to other preexisting factors.

Question 9

The correlation coefficient may range in value from.
A)-10.00 to +10.00
B)0.00 to +10.00
C)0.00 to +100
D)-1.00 to +1.00

Accepted Answer

The correlation coefficient is a measure of the strength and direction of the linear relationship between two variables. The value of the correlation coefficient always falls between -1.00 and +1.00, with a value of -1.00 indicating a perfect negative correlation, a value of +1.00 indicating a perfect positive correlation, and a value of 0.00 indicating no correlation. Therefore, the best choice is D since it covers the correct range of values for the correlation coefficient.

Question 10

A is a number indicating the relatedness of two sets of scores and the direction of the relationship.
A)research hypothesis
B)population parameter
C)correlation coefficient
D)descriptive statistic

Accepted Answer

The correlation coefficient is a statistic that measures the degree and direction of the relationship between two sets of scores. It ranges from -1 to +1, with negative values indicating a negative relationship and positive values indicating a positive relationship. Therefore, choice C is the best option.

Question 11

An experimenter created two different groups of participants and gave each group a different instructional program on the anatomy of the eye. After the instructional program each group was given a multiple choice test to assess their knowledge of the eye. In this experiment, the instructional program condition was the variable.
A)independent
B)dependent
C)subject
D)extraneous

Accepted Answer

In this experiment, the instructional program is being manipulated by the experimenter, meaning it is the independent variable. The multiple choice test scores are being measured as the outcome, making them the dependent variable. The subject refers to the participants in the experiment, and extraneous variables are any factors that may interfere with the results but are not intentionally manipulated by the experimenter.

Question 12

If a researcher used an experiment to test two different methods of teaching geometry, then the dependent variable could be the.
A)teaching methods
B)gender of the students
C)geometry test scores obtained by participants
D)correlation coefficient

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable in this experiment would be the geometry test scores obtained by participants, as this is the variable that is affected by the independent variable (the two different methods of teaching). The teaching methods would be the independent variable in this scenario. Gender and correlation coefficient are not relevant variables in this specific experiment.

Question 13

A between-subjects experiment uses two or more groups.
A)equal
B)population
C)nonequivalent
D)equivalent

Accepted Answer

In a between-subjects experiment, equivalent groups are used to ensure that any differences in the dependent variable are due to the independent variable and not pre-existing differences between groups.

Question 14

In an experiment, a research hypothesis is a.
A)predicted relationship between an independent and a dependent variable
B)statement of a sample value
C)prediction of a population parameter
D)prediction of how a dependent variable will affect an independent variable

Accepted Answer

A research hypothesis is a statement predicting the relationship between an independent and a dependent variable in an experiment. The other options (B, C, and D) are not accurate descriptions of a research hypothesis.

Question 15

Groups of subjects that are not expected to differ in any systematic way before the independent variable is presented in an experiment are called groups.
A)equal
B)equivalent
C)population
D)between-subjects

Accepted Answer

Equivalent groups are groups that are similar before any independent variable is introduced in an experiment. This ensures that any observed differences between the groups can be attributed to the independent variable and not to pre-existing group differences. The other options are either too general (population) or too specific (between-subjects, which refers to a specific experimental design).

Question 16

A(n) is a statement of the expected or predicted relationship between two or more variables.
A)dependent variable
B)research hypothesis
C)independent variable
D)correlation coefficient

Accepted Answer

A research hypothesis is a statement that predicts the relationship between two or more variables. It is often tested through research studies to determine if the predicted relationship is supported by the data.

Question 17

A(n) experiment uses two or more equivalent groups.
A)between-subjects
B)across-subjects
C)within-subjects
D)equal-subjects

Accepted Answer

This type of experiment where two or more equivalent groups are used is known as a between-subjects design. In this design, different groups of participants are assigned to each condition or treatment being compared, and the results are compared between these groups.

Question 18

A psychologist finds that performance on learning a poem decreases as room temperature increases above 72°F. In this instance, learning of the poem and room temperature.
A)are independent
B)covary
C)are both independent variables
D)do not vary

Accepted Answer

Performance on learning a poem and room temperature covary, meaning that as one increases, the other decreases. Therefore, they are not independent of each other. However, only room temperature can be considered an independent variable, as it is the factor that is being manipulated or controlled. Learning the poem is the dependent variable, as it is the outcome being measured based on changes in the independent variable.

Question 19

A chance difference refers to.
A)a difference between equivalent groups that occurs because of random variation
B)differences between equivalent groups due to the effect of the independent variable
C)the fact that equivalent groups will be exactly equal in all ways
D)the fact that statistics differ from each other

Accepted Answer

A chance difference refers to a difference between equivalent groups that occurs because of random variation. In other words, it is a result of chance rather than any systematic factor such as the independent variable.

Question 20

An experimenter created two different groups of participants and gave each group a different instructional program on the anatomy of the eye. After the instructional program each group was given a multiple choice test to assess their knowledge of the eye. In this experiment, the multiple choice test used to assess the participant's knowledge
Was the variable.
A)independent
B)dependent
C)subject
D)extraneous

Accepted Answer

The multiple choice test is being used to measure the effect of the different instructional programs, so it is the dependent variable.

Quiz 1: Making Sense of Variability: an Introduction to Statistics

If two variables change consistently in relation to each other, they are said to.

A(n) allows a researcher to estimate the possibility of chance differences between groups.

When an observed difference between two groups on the dependent variable is attributed to the effect of the independent variable through statistical hypothesis testing, then we know that.

Which of the following best describes an experiment?

A measurement obtained from a participant in an experiment is called a(n) .

An experiment that creates two or more groups uses a(n) design.

People who participate in research studies often are called.

The term equivalent groups means that.

The correlation coefficient may range in value from.

A is a number indicating the relatedness of two sets of scores and the direction of the relationship.

If a researcher used an experiment to test two different methods of teaching geometry, then the dependent variable could be the.

A between-subjects experiment uses two or more groups.

In an experiment, a research hypothesis is a.

Groups of subjects that are not expected to differ in any systematic way before the independent variable is presented in an experiment are called groups.

A(n) is a statement of the expected or predicted relationship between two or more variables.

A(n) experiment uses two or more equivalent groups.

A psychologist finds that performance on learning a poem decreases as room temperature increases above 72°F. In this instance, learning of the poem and room temperature.

A chance difference refers to.