Question 1

Duncan designed a study to examine whether sunscreen with a higher SPF was able to protect participants from sunburn better than sunscreen with a lower SPF. To test this, he randomly assigned half of his participants to wear a sunscreen with an SPF of 50. The other half were assigned to wear a sunscreen with an SPF of 35. After participants spent five hours in the sun, Duncan compared the level of sunburn across the groups. Which of the following would indicate that his two-group experimental study yielded a significant difference?
A) t(101) = 5.31, p = .09, d = .29
B) t(101) = 8.62, p = .03, d = .67
C) t(101) = 1.61, p = .15, d = .22
D) t(101) = 2.89, p = .72, d = .30

Accepted Answer

In statistical hypothesis testing, a p-value less than .05 is typically considered significant, indicating a significant difference between groups. Choice B has a p-value of .03, which is less than .05, indicating a significant difference.

Question 2

The experiment discussed at the beginning of the chapter identified both an experimental and control group in the examination of the effect of ignoring text messages on participants' levels of distraction during a given task. This experiment would be classified as a:
A) one-group design.
B) two-group design.
C) three-group design.
D) four-group design.

Accepted Answer

The experiment involves both an experimental group (those whose text messages are ignored) and a control group (those whose text messages are not ignored), making it a two-group design.

Question 3

Suppose an experimenter were examining the relationship between texting and driving and found that there was no difference between the experimental and control groups in typical cell phone use, previous texting experience, or driving history. This would serve to:
A) identify weaknesses of the current study that must be reexamined through replication.
B) rule out possible alternative explanations.
C) show that the manipulation of the independent variable did not affect the dependent variable.
D) reveal extraneous variables that can explain the obtained research findings.

Accepted Answer

By ensuring that there was no difference between the experimental and control groups in aspects such as typical cell phone use, previous texting experience, or driving history, the experimenter effectively rules out these factors as alternative explanations for any observed effects on the dependent variable. This strengthens the internal validity of the study by ensuring that differences in the outcome can more confidently be attributed to the manipulation of the independent variable (texting while driving) rather than to these other factors.

Question 4

In designing an experiment, the _____ should be developed before the _____.
A) study design; theory
B) hypothesis; theory
C) study design; research question
D) research question; hypothesis

Accepted Answer

The research question should be developed before the hypothesis, as the hypothesis is a statement that can be tested and is based on the research question.

Question 5

If a personality psychologist was interested in examining the relationship between people's educational level and extraversion, the best operational definition of educational level would be:
A) participants' self-reported IQ.
B) how much time participants spend reading books compared to watching TV.
C) observers' rating of how intelligent participants appeared.
D) the highest degree earned by each participant.

Accepted Answer

The highest degree earned by each participant is a direct and quantifiable measure of educational level, making it the best operational definition among the given options.

Question 6

Costanza conducts a true experiment examining the effect of energy drinks on work performance. Costanza productivity is monitored prior to and after the use of energy drinks. As such, you know that her experiment has _____ internal validity.
A) no
B) low
C) adequate
D) too much

Accepted Answer

A true experiment, where the researcher manipulates an independent variable (in this case, the use of energy drinks) and measures its effect on a dependent variable (here, work performance), while controlling for extraneous variables, typically has adequate internal validity. This is because it allows for the establishment of a cause-and-effect relationship between the variables.

Question 7

Unlike a correlation, the two-group experimental design allows researchers to:
A) examine real life phenomena.
B) investigate naturally occurring relationships.
C) establish a cause-and-effect relationship.
D) study covariation.

Accepted Answer

The two-group experimental design allows researchers to manipulate an independent variable and control for extraneous variables, which helps establish a cause-and-effect relationship.

Question 8

Which of the following is a disadvantage of experimental study designs as compared to nonexperimental study designs?
A) Experiments can only be used to examine phenomena in a research laboratory.
B) Experimental designs focus on why something happens, not how.
C) Experiments establish a cause-and-effect relationship.
D) Experimental designs fail to establish covariation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is a disadvantage...

Question 9

Professor Mateo is designing an experiment to test whether playing music during his exams improves students' grades. The students are unaware that this grade is not part of their cumulative average. Which of the following will increase the mundane realism of his study?
A) conducting the study in his classroom
B) conducting the study in a research laboratory
C) assessing students while taking a practice exam that does not count toward their final grade
D) having students imagine that they are listening to music as they take their exam

Accepted Answer

Assessing students while taking a practice exam that does not count toward their final grade increases the mundane realism of the study because it makes the situation more similar to a real exam setting.

Question 10

In an experiment designed to examine the effect of watching fearful or distressing movies on the risk of heart attacks, participants in the experimental condition would be assigned to:
A) watch horror movies.
B) watch romantic comedies.
C) not watch horror movies.
D) not watch romantic comedies.

Accepted Answer

Participants in the experimental condition, which aims to examine the effect of watching fearful or distressing movies on heart attack risk, would be assigned to watch horror movies, as these are representative of fearful or distressing content.

Question 11

You end up recruiting college students who were readily available, cheap, and easy to use as your participants. Your selection of participants represents a _____ sample.
A) stratified
B) representative
C) convenience
D) random

Accepted Answer

Convenience sampling involves selecting participants because they are easily accessible, available, and willing to participate, which matches the description given.

Question 12

Lucy is using her newfound scientific appreciation to study phenomena in her own life. This week she wants to conduct an experiment to test whether the dryer is shrinking her jeans. In her study, jeans that are washed and then air dried are her _____ condition.
A) control
B) experimental
C) dependent
D) independent

Accepted Answer

The control condition is the standard to which comparisons are made in an experiment. In this case, jeans that are washed and then air-dried serve as the baseline or control condition against which the effect of the dryer (the experimental condition) on the jeans can be compared.

Question 13

Felipe is interested in testing whether people are more likely to take gummy vitamins than regular (hard pill) vitamins. In his study, participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group watches a video of someone having difficulty swallowing and then takes a vitamin.The experimental group is composed of participants who:
A) ingest no vitamins.
B) watch the video and ingest a vitamin.
C) do not watch a video and ingest a vitamin.
D) ingest gummy vitamins only.

Accepted Answer

The experimental group in this study is the one that undergoes the specific condition being tested, which in this case is watching a video of someone having difficulty swallowing before taking a vitamin. This is meant to potentially influence their perception or behavior regarding taking vitamins, making them the group where the effect of the independent variable (watching the video) is observed.

Question 14

Camila is interested in examining whether people who have more frequent access to pictures have better memory. Which of the following represents the null hypothesis for her study?
A) Frequent access to pictures will lead to better memory.
B) Frequent access to pictures will lead to worse memory.
C) Frequent access to pictures will affect memory.
D) Frequent access to pictures will not affect memory.

Accepted Answer

The null hypothesis in a study typically posits that there is no effect or difference as a result of the variable being studied. In this case, option D, which states that frequent access to pictures will not affect memory, directly represents the null hypothesis by suggesting there is no impact of picture access on memory.

Question 15

Jasmine is a health psychologist who is interested in experimentally investigating whether massages increase psychological well-being. In her study, participants are assigned two one of two groups for a period of one-month. The independent variable in Jasmine's study is operationally defined as:
A) the number of massages one has had in their lifetime.
B) the number of massages one receives during the one-month study period.
C) the number of massages one has given in their lifetime.
D) the number of massages one gives during the one-month study period.

Accepted Answer

The independent variable in an experiment is the variable that is manipulated by the researcher to observe its effect on the dependent variable. In Jasmine's study, the variable being manipulated is the number of massages participants receive during the one-month study period, making option B the correct answer.

Question 16

In designing an experimental study, the research question is to the experimental hypothesis as:
A) broad is to narrow.
B) thin is to wide.
C) limited is to boundless.
D) rational is to imaginative.

Accepted Answer

The research question is a broad inquiry that guides the direction of the study, while the experimental hypothesis is a more narrow, specific statement that can be tested directly.

Question 17

Bianca is interested in examining whether traffic is related to aggressive behavior. If she measures aggressive behavior, operationalized as horn blowing frequency, observed on a local highway, rather than in a driving simulator, she would have had greater:
A) internal validity.
B) reliability.
C) independence.
D) mundane realism.

Accepted Answer

Mundane realism refers to how closely a study mirrors real-life experiences. By measuring aggressive behavior (horn blowing frequency) on a local highway instead of in a driving simulator, Bianca's study would more closely replicate the real-world conditions under which drivers exhibit aggressive behavior, thus increasing mundane realism.

Question 18

To experimentally test the adage "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," Anika randomly assigned 50 participants to eat an apple every day for one month and assigned 50 participants not to eat any apples during the month-long study period. At the end of the study, she asked all 100 participants how many apples they ate in a given day. This question served as her:
A) experimental hypothesis.
B) internal validity.
C) manipulation check.
D) mundane realism.

Accepted Answer

The question asked by Anika about how many apples participants ate each day serves as a manipulation check. This is because it verifies whether the experimental manipulation (eating an apple every day vs. not eating any apples) was implemented as intended among the participants.

Question 19

Jace is interested in examining whether productivity is improved when people wear noise-cancelling headphones. To test his hypothesis he decides to bring people into a research laboratory and have them complete an anagram task while either wearing noise-cancelling headphones or not. Jace can _____ the independence and _____ the control of his study by conducting participants one at a time.
A) decrease; increase
B) increase; increase
C) decrease; decrease
D) increase; decrease

Accepted Answer

By conducting participants one at a time, Jace can increase the independence of the observations, as each participant's experience is not influenced by others. He can also increase control over the study environment, ensuring that conditions are consistent for all participants.

Question 20

Which of the following is the typical order of operations for conducting an experiment?
A) interpret your data, conduct the study, develop a hypothesis, and review previous literature
B) conduct the study, interpret your data, review previous literature, and develop a hypothesis
C) develop a hypothesis, conduct the study, interpret your data, and review previous literature
D) review previous literature, develop a hypothesis, conduct the study, and interpret your data

Accepted Answer

The typical order of operations for conducting an experiment starts with reviewing previous literature to understand the current state of knowledge and identify gaps. Next, a hypothesis is developed based on this review. The study is then conducted to test the hypothesis, and finally, the data collected during the study is interpreted to draw conclusions.

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

The experiment discussed at the beginning of the chapter identified both an experimental and control group in the examination of the effect of ignoring text messages on participants' levels of distraction during a given task. This experiment would be classified as a:

Suppose an experimenter were examining the relationship between texting and driving and found that there was no difference between the experimental and control groups in typical cell phone use, previous texting experience, or driving history. This would serve to:

In designing an experiment, the _ should be developed before the _.

If a personality psychologist was interested in examining the relationship between people's educational level and extraversion, the best operational definition of educational level would be:

Costanza conducts a true experiment examining the effect of energy drinks on work performance. Costanza productivity is monitored prior to and after the use of energy drinks. As such, you know that her experiment has _____ internal validity.

Unlike a correlation, the two-group experimental design allows researchers to:

Which of the following is a disadvantage of experimental study designs as compared to nonexperimental study designs?

Professor Mateo is designing an experiment to test whether playing music during his exams improves students' grades. The students are unaware that this grade is not part of their cumulative average. Which of the following will increase the mundane realism of his study?

In an experiment designed to examine the effect of watching fearful or distressing movies on the risk of heart attacks, participants in the experimental condition would be assigned to:

You end up recruiting college students who were readily available, cheap, and easy to use as your participants. Your selection of participants represents a _____ sample.

Lucy is using her newfound scientific appreciation to study phenomena in her own life. This week she wants to conduct an experiment to test whether the dryer is shrinking her jeans. In her study, jeans that are washed and then air dried are her _____ condition.

Camila is interested in examining whether people who have more frequent access to pictures have better memory. Which of the following represents the null hypothesis for her study?

Jasmine is a health psychologist who is interested in experimentally investigating whether massages increase psychological well-being. In her study, participants are assigned two one of two groups for a period of one-month. The independent variable in Jasmine's study is operationally defined as:

In designing an experimental study, the research question is to the experimental hypothesis as:

Bianca is interested in examining whether traffic is related to aggressive behavior. If she measures aggressive behavior, operationalized as horn blowing frequency, observed on a local highway, rather than in a driving simulator, she would have had greater:

Which of the following is the typical order of operations for conducting an experiment?