Question 1

In a genetic linkage study, which piece of information would be important?
A) whether behavior changes when individuals are exposed to a particular chemical or diet
B) whether the experimenter knows who is in the experimental group
C) the nationwide prevalence of the disorder under study
D) identifying family members who have the same disorder as the proband

Accepted Answer

Identifying family members who have the same disorder as the proband is crucial in a genetic linkage study because it helps researchers understand how the disorder might be inherited within families, indicating a potential genetic link.

Question 2

In an attempt to determine the effectiveness of a training program for children with Asperger's syndrome, Bock (2007) used which idiographic approach?
A) single-participant experiment
B) multiple-baseline study
C) case study
D) correlational study

Accepted Answer

Bock (2007) utilized a multiple-baseline study as an idiographic approach to assess the effectiveness of a training program for children with Asperger's syndrome. This method involves observing changes over time in different contexts or subjects, allowing for the evaluation of interventions without requiring a control group.

Question 3

Experiments with large groups of subjects reflect the ____, whereas single-subject studies reflect the ____.
A) idiographic orientation; longitudinal orientation
B) scientific method; armchair approach
C) cross-cultural approach; nomothetic orientation
D) nomothetic orientation; idiographic orientation

Accepted Answer

Experiments with large groups of subjects aim to identify general laws that apply to many individuals, reflecting the nomothetic orientation. Single-subject studies focus on the detailed understanding of an individual, reflecting the idiographic orientation.

Question 4

Dr. Cummins publishes an article describing a man who abused alcohol for 25 years before becoming abstinent after having a religious conversion experience. This article illustrates a ____.
A) nomothetic study
B) field study
C) case study
D) single-participant experiment

Accepted Answer

The article described by Dr. Cummins focuses on an individual's unique experience, which is characteristic of a case study. Case studies provide detailed insights into a single case, often used in psychology to explore complex issues in depth.

Question 5

Measurable heritable characteristics like brain abnormalities, attention processing deficits, or eye movements that give clues about specific genes involved in psychological disorders are called ____.
A) endophenotypes
B) iatrogenic effects
C) base rates for a behavior
D) genetic linkages

Accepted Answer

Endophenotypes are measurable components unseen by the unaided eye along the pathway between disease and distal genotype. They can include any measurable biological, psychological, or cognitive factor that provides a closer link to the genetic underpinnings of disease than the disease phenotype itself.

Question 6

Carmen has been diagnosed with major depression. Her twin sister Consuelo does not have the disorder. When asked if their parents suffer from major depression, researchers are likely to reduce bias in reporting by ____.
A) interviewing the twins together at the same time
B) interviewing each twin at least twice and at different points of time
C) refraining from contacting their parents
D) refraining from administering a psychological assessment

Accepted Answer

Interviewing each twin at least twice and at different points in time helps to reduce bias in reporting by allowing for consistency checks and reducing the influence of temporary factors on their responses.

Question 7

Idiographic research is most effective ____.
A) in laboratory studies with nonhuman subjects
B) at showing clear cause-and-effect relationships
C) in applied clinical work
D) when large numbers of participants are used

Accepted Answer

Idiographic research focuses on understanding the unique aspects of individuals, making it particularly effective in applied clinical work where individual differences are crucial for diagnosis and treatment.

Question 8

"There are many assets to using a field study," said the graduate student. "First, you're dealing with correlation, so you can draw conclusions about the direction of causality. Second, you have a high degree of control over confounding variables. Third, because you're dealing with a contrived situation, you're bound to have poor external validity. And fourth, your presence might influence the subjects' behavior." Which part of the graduate student's thinking was accurate ?
A) Because it's a correlational study, one can draw conclusions about causality.
B) This type of study affords a high degree of control over confounding variables.
C) Because this type of study is contrived, it will result in poor external validity.
D) The experimenters' presence can influence the subjects' behavior.

Accepted Answer

Field studies often involve natural environments where the experimenter's presence can indeed influence the subjects' behavior. This is a recognized concern in such research. The other statements are inaccuracies regarding field studies: they do not allow for conclusions about causality due to their correlational nature, they typically offer less control over confounding variables compared to laboratory studies, and they are not contrived, which actually tends to enhance their external validity.

Question 9

A source of error that is of particular concern for researchers studying genetically linked disorders is ____.
A) the difficulty involved in finding probands
B) the difficulty of getting family members of probands to participate in the research
C) accurate reporting of whether people related to the probands are sick or well
D) getting funding to carry out the research

Accepted Answer

Accurate reporting of whether people related to the probands are sick or well is crucial because misreporting can lead to incorrect conclusions about genetic links and the heritability of disorders.

Question 10

A characteristic of all endophenotypes is that they are ____.
A) associated with a person's physical environment
B) inheritable
C) manifest only in an individual who has the disorder
D) detectable on brain scans

Accepted Answer

Endophenotypes are inheritable traits or characteristics that are not directly observable but can be identified through genetic, biochemical, neurophysiological, or neuroanatomical markers. They are considered to bridge the gap between the genetic basis of a disorder and its overt symptoms, making them inheritable but not necessarily manifest only in individuals with the disorder or detectable on brain scans. They are also not solely associated with a person's physical environment, as they have a genetic component.

Question 11

Kira is involved in a research study consisting of four phases. First, her behavior is monitored under baseline conditions. Then her mother gives her rewards for specific behaviors. In the third stage, she goes back to baseline, and in the fourth, her mother again rewards her. What kind of research is this?
A) a single-participant experiment
B) longitudinal
C) correlational
D) a field study

Accepted Answer

This research is a single-participant experiment because it focuses on observing the effects of manipulated variables (rewards) on Kira's behavior across different phases, with her as the sole participant.

Question 12

The case study and the single-participant experiment are two examples of ____.
A) epidemiological research
B) experimental studies
C) the nomothetic-orientation approach
D) the idiographic-orientation approach

Accepted Answer

The case study and the single-participant experiment focus on detailed investigations of a single subject or case, aligning with the idiographic-orientation approach, which emphasizes the unique aspects of individuals.

Question 13

Unlike the case study, the single-participant experiment ____.
A) cannot determine cause-and-effect relationships
B) is based on the nomothetic research orientation
C) is better able to assess cause-and-effect relationships
D) is a correlational design

Accepted Answer

Single-participant experiments are designed to assess cause-and-effect relationships by manipulating variables and observing the effects on the individual participant, unlike correlational designs or broader nomothetic approaches that might not focus on individual causality.

Question 14

Martin and Matthew are identical twins. Matthew has obsessive-compulsive disorder, but Martin does not. In a biological research study, who would be the proband?
A) Martin
B) Matthew
C) Martin and Matthew's mother
D) Martin and Matthew's older sister

Accepted Answer

The proband in a genetic or medical study is the individual from whom the study is initiated, often because they exhibit the specific trait or disorder being studied. In this case, Matthew, who has obsessive-compulsive disorder, would be the proband because the study would likely be focused on understanding the genetic or environmental factors contributing to his condition.

Question 15

Dr. Quillen treats a chronic smoker by first recording the number of cigarettes smoked daily, then offering monetary rewards for each day that one fewer cigarette is smoked. Because the client's own behavior serves as a control, this kind of study is called a(n) ____.
A) analogue study
B) single-participant experiment
C) correlational study
D) case study

Accepted Answer

This is a single-participant experiment because it involves manipulating an independent variable (monetary rewards) to see its effect on a dependent variable (number of cigarettes smoked) in a single individual, with the individual's behavior serving as its own control.

Question 16

Which type of study is especially valuable for studying rare phenomena and for evaluating the course of a disorder and its treatment?
A) field
B) case
C) nomothetic
D) correlational

Accepted Answer

Case studies are particularly valuable for studying rare phenomena because they allow for an in-depth examination of a single instance or a small number of instances, providing detailed insights into the course of a disorder and the effects of treatment that might not be observable in larger, more generalized studies.

Question 17

A particular concern about the usefulness of single-subject designs is ____.
A) researcher bias
B) whether they provide information about cause and effect
C) their internal validity
D) their external validity

Accepted Answer

Single-subject designs often face concerns regarding their external validity, which refers to the extent to which the results can be generalized to other subjects, settings, and times. This is because these studies typically focus on the responses of a very small number of individuals, or even just one individual, making it challenging to apply the findings more broadly.

Question 18

A researcher has identified seventy individuals with a relatively rare psychological disorder. These individuals are asked to identify blood relatives, who are contacted by the researcher to see if they have the same disorder. What kind of research study is being performed?
A) an epidemiological survey
B) a genetic linkage study
C) a historical study
D) a correlational case study

Accepted Answer

This is a genetic linkage study because it involves identifying individuals with a specific disorder and then tracing and examining their blood relatives to see if they share the same disorder, aiming to find genetic links or patterns.

Question 19

Which of the following best illustrates a field study?
A) Caregivers of people with heart conditions are observed and interviewed at home.
B) Mice are observed before and after they are deprived of sleep.
C) A group of people are tested for intelligence when they are 20, 30, and 40 years old.
D) The brain wave patterns of autistic children are compared with those of nonautistic children.

Accepted Answer

A field study involves observing and sometimes interacting with subjects in their natural environment, without manipulating the environment. Option A, observing and interviewing caregivers at home, fits this definition as it involves studying people in their real-life setting.

Question 20

To better understand bulimia among college students, a researcher lives in a female freshman dorm for the fall semester to observe and interview students about their stresses, attitudes, and eating behaviors. A limitation of this field study is ____.
A) that it is too tightly controlled
B) the fact that it is actually a longitudinal study
C) the possibility that the researcher's presence influenced behavior
D) that it will have little external validity

Accepted Answer

The presence of the researcher could influence the behavior of the participants, a phenomenon known as the Hawthorne effect, thus potentially limiting the study's naturalistic observations.

Quiz 4: Research Methods for Studying Mental Disorders

In a genetic linkage study, which piece of information would be important?

In an attempt to determine the effectiveness of a training program for children with Asperger's syndrome, Bock (2007) used which idiographic approach?

Experiments with large groups of subjects reflect the , whereas single-subject studies reflect the .

Dr. Cummins publishes an article describing a man who abused alcohol for 25 years before becoming abstinent after having a religious conversion experience. This article illustrates a ____.

Measurable heritable characteristics like brain abnormalities, attention processing deficits, or eye movements that give clues about specific genes involved in psychological disorders are called ____.

Carmen has been diagnosed with major depression. Her twin sister Consuelo does not have the disorder. When asked if their parents suffer from major depression, researchers are likely to reduce bias in reporting by ____.

Idiographic research is most effective ____.

A source of error that is of particular concern for researchers studying genetically linked disorders is ____.

A characteristic of all endophenotypes is that they are ____.

The case study and the single-participant experiment are two examples of ____.

Unlike the case study, the single-participant experiment ____.

Martin and Matthew are identical twins. Matthew has obsessive-compulsive disorder, but Martin does not. In a biological research study, who would be the proband?

Dr. Quillen treats a chronic smoker by first recording the number of cigarettes smoked daily, then offering monetary rewards for each day that one fewer cigarette is smoked. Because the client's own behavior serves as a control, this kind of study is called a(n) ____.

Which type of study is especially valuable for studying rare phenomena and for evaluating the course of a disorder and its treatment?

A particular concern about the usefulness of single-subject designs is ____.

A researcher has identified seventy individuals with a relatively rare psychological disorder. These individuals are asked to identify blood relatives, who are contacted by the researcher to see if they have the same disorder. What kind of research study is being performed?

Which of the following best illustrates a field study?

To better understand bulimia among college students, a researcher lives in a female freshman dorm for the fall semester to observe and interview students about their stresses, attitudes, and eating behaviors. A limitation of this field study is ____.