Question 1

Temporal precedence is established by showing that changes in the suspected cause occur _____ changes in the outcome.

Accepted Answer

Temporal precedence is a criterion for determining causality, which requires that the cause occurs before the effect.

Question 2

Some recent research has revealed that arguing with your spouse before a big event results in less satisfaction and enjoyment at the respective event. In this experiment, which variable must have occurred first in order to ensure temporal precedence?

Accepted Answer

Temporal precedence requires that the cause occurs before the effect. In this scenario, the argument with the spouse must occur first to potentially affect the level of satisfaction and enjoyment at the event, establishing it as the cause.

Question 3

For a researcher to have confidence in his/her results, the level of internal validity should:

Accepted Answer

High internal validity means that the study is well-designed and the results can be attributed to the variables being tested, rather than other factors, which increases confidence in the results.

Question 4

If you were a researcher interested in examining whether high levels of trait anxiety cause greater interpersonal difficulties with others you would need to conduct a(n):

Accepted Answer

To examine causality, such as whether high levels of trait anxiety cause greater interpersonal difficulties, an experiment is necessary because it allows the researcher to manipulate the independent variable (in this case, levels of trait anxiety) and observe the effect on the dependent variable (interpersonal difficulties), under controlled conditions.

Question 5

An important condition for establishing causation is covariation. This is:

Accepted Answer

Covariation refers to the relationship between two variables where changes in one variable are associated with changes in the other. This is a fundamental concept in establishing causation, as it suggests a possible link between the variables that might be causal if other criteria are also met.

Question 6

Dr. Nash is examining whether various cultural groups implement more authoritarian parenting styles in the discipline of their children than other parenting styles. In an effort to answer this research question, Dr. Nash utilizes a stratified random sample of parents from four different cultural groups and asks these parents to complete a self-report measure on their parenting style. Some groups will be randomly selected to view a video regarding appropriate discipline practices and other groups will just be asked to complete the surveys. In this study, _____ would be considered the independent variable and _____ would be identified as the dependent variable.

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the factor that is manipulated or varied by the researcher to observe its effect on the dependent variable, which is the outcome being measured. In this study, Dr. Nash is examining the effect of cultural group classification on parenting style, making cultural group classification the independent variable and parenting style the dependent variable.

Question 7

The existence of covariation tells us:

Accepted Answer

Covariation indicates that two variables are associated with each other, meaning when one variable changes, the other variable tends to change as well. However, it does not imply causation.

Question 8

A factor other than the intended treatment that may change the outcome variable is known as:

Accepted Answer

An extraneous variable is any variable other than the independent variable that could cause a change in the dependent variable, thus potentially affecting the results of an experiment. These variables are not the focus of the study but could influence the outcome, making it important to control or account for them to ensure the validity of the experiment's conclusions.

Question 9

Each of the following is required in a true experiment, EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

A true experiment requires experimental control to manipulate the independent variable, random assignment to ensure that any differences between and within the groups are not systematic at the outset of the experiment, and temporal precedence to establish a cause-and-effect relationship. However, a pretest and posttest measurement is not strictly required for an experiment to be considered true; it's a design choice that can add to the design's complexity and robustness but is not a necessity for all experimental designs.

Question 10

If you were interested in empirically testing whether the saying, "More money, more problems" is true, which variable would you expect to see change first in order to establish temporal precedence?

Accepted Answer

To establish temporal precedence, which is necessary to determine causality, the cause must precede the effect. Therefore, if you're testing the saying "More money, more problems," you would expect to see money (the presumed cause) change first, before observing any change in problems (the presumed effect).

Question 11

Dr. Kinder is studying _____, and the most appropriate means of answering this research question would be to use an experimental research design.

Accepted Answer

Experimental research designs are best suited for examining cause-and-effect relationships, such as the effect of caffeine on attention. This design allows the researcher to manipulate the independent variable (caffeine) and observe the effect on the dependent variable (attention).

Question 12

If Dr. Ryan, a social psychologist, was investigating the relationship between temperature and participants' moods, an example of an extraneous variable would be:

Accepted Answer

Extraneous variables are those that are not the focus of the study but could affect its outcome. In this case, the time of day (D) could influence participants' moods independently of the temperature, making it an extraneous variable. Choices A and B are not extraneous because they directly relate to the independent variable (temperature), and C is related to the dependent variable (mood).

Question 13

Internal validity is a characteristic of which type of study?

Accepted Answer

Internal validity refers to the extent to which a study can demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship between variables, which is a hallmark of experimental research. In experiments, researchers manipulate one variable (the independent variable) and observe the effect on another variable (the dependent variable), while controlling for other potential confounding variables. This control allows for stronger claims of causality, hence higher internal validity, compared to observational studies, correlations, and interviews, where such manipulation and control are not possible.

Question 14

Assume you are studying the effect of retinal light exposure on the human blinking response. In designing this study, you need to identify the experimental variable being manipulated. Which is likely the experimental variable being manipulated in this study?

Accepted Answer

The experimental variable being manipulated is the retinal light exposure, as it is the factor being changed to observe its effect on the blinking response.

Question 15

Dr. Burgess is studying _____, and the most appropriate means of answering this research question would be to use a nonexperimental research design.

Accepted Answer

Nonexperimental research designs are best suited for studying relationships between variables where manipulation of variables is not feasible or ethical. The relationship between extraversion and the number of friends is a naturalistic inquiry into how personality traits correlate with social outcomes, making it ideal for a nonexperimental approach. Other options involve variables that could be manipulated in an experimental design to establish causality.

Question 16

Distinguish which of the following is NOT a benefit that experimental designs offer over nonexperimental designs?

Accepted Answer

Experimental designs often have limited generalizability compared to some nonexperimental designs because they are conducted under controlled conditions that may not reflect real-world settings.

Question 17

Dr. Berry is interested in understanding whether eating carbohydrates impacts energy level and distance swum during swim meets. In her study, _____ is manipulated and _____ is measured.

Accepted Answer

In this study, the ingestion of carbohydrates is the variable that Dr. Berry manipulates to see its effect on the energy level and distance swum, which is the variable being measured.

Question 18

Wanda is a dance teacher who wants to investigate whether room color affects students' memories of complex choreography. She teaches two identical classes, one in a blue room and one in a red room. In this study, the independent variable is _____, whereas the dependent variable is _____.

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the one that is changed or controlled in a scientific experiment to test the effects on the dependent variable. In this case, Wanda is changing the room color (independent variable) to see its effect on students' memories of complex choreography (dependent variable).

Question 19

An experimenter _____ the independent variable and _____ the dependent variable.

Accepted Answer

In an experiment, the experimenter manipulates the independent variable to see how it affects the dependent variable, which they then measure to assess the impact of those manipulations.

Question 20

In an experiment examining whether taking care of a plant leads to greater longevity in an elderly nursing home population, taking care of a plant would be considered the _____ variable and longevity of life would be considered the _____ variable.

Accepted Answer

In this experiment, taking care of a plant is the independent variable because it is the condition being manipulated or changed by the researchers to observe its effect on the outcome. Longevity of life is the dependent variable because it is the outcome being measured to see if it changes in response to the manipulation of the independent variable.

Quiz 8: Two-Group Design: Texting: I Cant Get You Out of My Mind