Question 1

In order to ascertain the main effect of an independent variable, a researcher must use a(n) _____ design.
A)interaction
B)multiple correlation
C)factorial
D)independent groups

Accepted Answer

A factorial design is used to ascertain the main effects of one or more independent variables and their interactions. It allows the researcher to analyze the effect of each independent variable on the dependent variable separately (main effects) as well as the combined effects of two or more independent variables (interaction effects).

Question 2

In a factorial design, a main effect is the effect each _____ variable has by itself.
A)independent
B)dependent
C)correlated
D)situational

Accepted Answer

In a factorial design, independent variables are manipulated to observe their effects on the dependent variable(s). Main effect is the effect of each independent variable on the dependent variable(s) when all other independent variables are held constant. Therefore, the correct answer is A) independent variables.

Question 3

Which of the following is true of factorial designs?
A)It eliminates the possibility of confounding variables.
B)All levels of each independent variable are combined with all levels of the other independent variable.
C)A control group is unnecessary.
D)The simplest factorial design has three independent variables, each having three levels.

Accepted Answer

Factorial designs involve manipulating two or more independent variables simultaneously, with all levels of each independent variable combined with all levels of the other independent variable(s). This allows for the examination of main effects of individual independent variables as well as their interaction effects. While factorial designs help minimize confounding variables, it does not completely eliminate the possibility of them. A control group may or may not be necessary depending on the specific research question or design, and there is no set number of independent variables or levels required for a factorial design.

Question 4

In order to find a curvilinear relationship, the researcher needs to use:
A)factorial designs.
B)three or more levels of the independent variable.
C)more than one dependent variable.
D)a mixed factorial design.

Accepted Answer

In order to find a curvilinear relationship, the independent variable needs to vary at least three times, such as with three levels. This will allow the researcher to observe a U-shaped or inverted U-shaped curve in the data, indicating a curvilinear relationship between the independent and dependent variables. Using factorial designs, multiple dependent variables, or a mixed factorial design may be useful for other research questions, but they are not necessary for identifying a curvilinear relationship.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT true of a study with only one independent variable?
A)Interactions can be studied.
B)Internal validity can be high.
C)A repeated measures design can be used.
D)A between-subject design can be used.

Accepted Answer

Interactions require at least two independent variables to examine how the effect of one variable changes across the levels of another variable. With only one independent variable, interactions cannot be studied.

Question 6

If a researcher believes that a nonmonotonic relationship may exist between two variables, he or she would need to:
A)manipulate two or more independent variables.
B)have a stronger manipulation of the dependent variable.
C)include more than two levels of the independent variable.
D)measure more than one dependent variable.

Accepted Answer

Including more than two levels of the independent variable allows the researcher to observe the shape of the relationship between the variables, which is necessary to identify nonmonotonic relationships (relationships that change direction across the levels of the independent variable).

Question 7

A researcher attempts to study the effect of fear arousal on attitude change. One group experiences no fear while the other group experiences a very high level of fear. Results show no difference in the amount of attitude change in the two groups. Which of the following should have been used in the research?
A)A third group with a moderate level of fear
B)A less reliable measure of attitude change
C)A stronger manipulation of fear
D)A single level of the independent variable

Accepted Answer

Adding a third group with a moderate level of fear could help to determine whether there is a curvilinear relationship between fear arousal and attitude change. It is possible that there is an optimal level of fear that triggers attitude change. The current study did not take this into consideration and thus may have missed this relationship.

Question 8

Internet research by Strassberg and Holty (2003) compared responses to women's Internet personal ads. The researchers presented participants with an ad focusing on different characteristics such as 1) slim and attractive, 2) sensual and passionate, 3) painting and hiking, or 4) financially independent and ambitious. This is an example of a _____ design.
A)factorial
B)matrix
C)multiple
D)non-experimental

Accepted Answer

A factorial design involves manipulating two or more independent variables to determine their separate and combined effects on a dependent variable. In this study, the researchers manipulated the characteristics presented in the personal ads, which represent independent variables, and measured participants' responses, which is the dependent variable. The presentation of different characteristics in the ads creates a 4x1 factorial design.

Question 9

The simplest factorial design is that which has:
A)two independent variables with two levels each.
B)6 conditions and 3 possible main effects.
C)one independent variable with three levels.
D)4 possible interactions and 8 conditions.

Accepted Answer

The simplest factorial design involves two independent variables, each with two levels, creating a 2x2 factorial design. This allows for the examination of the main effects of each independent variable and their interaction effect.

Question 10

Dunn et al. (2005) conducted an experiment of the relationship between exercise and depression. Participants were randomly assigned to either a low or a high intensity workout regime. Some were assigned to work out 3 days a week, while other participants worked out 5 days a week. Identify the independent variable(s) in this study.
A)Energy condition
B)Participants' interest in exercise and health conditions
C)Amount of exercise and frequency of exercise
D)Depression

Accepted Answer

The independent variables in this study are the amount of exercise and the frequency of exercise, as participants were randomly assigned to either a low or high intensity workout regime and either 3 or 5 days a week of exercise. The other answer options (A, B, and D) are not independent variables in this study.

Question 11

Which of the following is the general format for describing factorial designs?
A)Number of levels of first IV × Number of levels of second IV
B)Number of IVs × Total number of levels
C)Number of main effects × Number of interactions
D)Number of conditions of first IV × Number of conditions of second IV

Accepted Answer

The general format for describing factorial designs is by stating the number of levels of the first independent variable (IV) followed by the number of levels of the second IV, often represented as "A × B" where A and B are the levels of the first and second IVs, respectively.

Question 12

A researcher examined judgments of responsibility for an automobile accident by manipulating the type of injuries received (none, mild, or severe) and the time of the accident (7 a.m., 12 p.m., 6 p.m., or 3 a.m.). How many main effects are possible in this study?
A)2
B)4
C)7
D)12

Accepted Answer

Main effects are calculated based on the number of independent variables in a study. Here, there are two independent variables: type of injuries received and time of the accident. Therefore, there are two possible main effects.

Question 13

Which of the following is a reason why a researcher may design an experiment with more than two levels of an independent variable?
A)A design with only two levels of an independent variable cannot provide much information about the exact form of the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.
B)When there are only two levels of an independent variable, the relationship between the independent and dependent variables cannot be described with a straight line.
C)An experiment with only two levels of one independent variable always tends to show that there is a positive relationship between the independent and dependent variables.
D)An experimental design with only two levels of the independent variable can only detect curvilinear relationships between the independent and dependent variables.

Accepted Answer

A researcher may design an experiment with more than two levels of an independent variable because a design with only two levels of an independent variable cannot provide much information about the exact form of the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. By having more levels, the researcher can better understand how the independent variable affects the dependent variable and what patterns or trends may emerge.

Question 14

Factorial designs are often employed because:
A)very few variables tend to affect behavior.
B)they give a greater approximation of real-world conditions.
C)two or three independent variables cannot operate simultaneously.
D)combining all levels of each independent variable with all levels of the other independent variables is not possible.

Accepted Answer

Factorial designs allow for the examination of multiple independent variables and their interactions, providing a greater approximation of real-world conditions.

Question 15

A problem with designing an experiment with only two levels of the independent variable is that:
A)only one dependent variable can be used with this design.
B)curvilinear relationships between variables cannot be detected.
C)this design is more susceptible to confounds than other designs.
D)the results cannot be generalized.

Accepted Answer

With only two levels of the independent variable, it is impossible to test for curvilinear relationships between the variables. Curvilinear relationships require at least three levels of the independent variable to be tested accurately. However, this design is not necessarily more susceptible to confounds and its results can still be generalized. The use of only one dependent variable is also not necessarily a problem.

Question 16

A factorial design involves:
A)manipulating two or more independent variables in a single experiment.
B)specifying the overall effect of a dependent variable.
C)having multiple dependent measures.
D)using one independent variable or factor.

Accepted Answer

A factorial design involves manipulating two or more independent variables in a single experiment. This allows researchers to examine the impact of each independent variable on the dependent variable while controlling for the other independent variable(s). This design is useful for studying interactions between independent variables as well. Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

Question 17

An interaction occurs whenever:
A)the manipulation check indicates a manipulation failure.
B)the effect of one independent variable changes across levels of a second independent variable.
C)both independent variables have an effect.
D)the dependent variable is effectively manipulated in a factorial design.

Accepted Answer

An interaction occurs in a factorial design when the effect of one independent variable on the dependent variable changes across levels of a second independent variable. In other words, the effect of one independent variable depends on the level of the other independent variable, indicating an interaction between the two variables. None of the other options are indicative of an interaction in a factorial design.

Question 18

A researcher manipulates a defendant's appearance (attractive, average, or unattractive) and gender (male or female) to study how these variables affect judgments of criminal behavior. How many interactions are possible in this design?
A)1
B)2
C)3
D)6

Accepted Answer

In this design, there are two independent variables: appearance (3 levels) and gender (2 levels). The possible interaction is between these two variables, which is just 1 interaction.

Question 19

In a study examining the effect of room illumination (low, medium, high) and room temperature (cold, warm, hot) on test performance, how many main effects are possible?
A)2
B)3
C)6
D)9

Accepted Answer

Main effects are the individual effects of each independent variable on the dependent variable. In this study, there are two independent variables (room illumination and room temperature), so there are two main effects possible.

Question 20

In a study examining the effect of room illumination (low, medium, high) and room temperature (cold, warm, hot) on test performance, how many interactions are possible?
A)1
B)2
C)6
D)9

Accepted Answer

There is only one interaction possible between the two factors (room illumination and room temperature) in this study design. An interaction effect examines how the level of one independent variable affects the outcome based on the levels of another independent variable.

Quiz 10: Complex Experimental Designs

In order to ascertain the main effect of an independent variable, a researcher must use a(n) _____ design.

In a factorial design, a main effect is the effect each _____ variable has by itself.

Which of the following is true of factorial designs?

In order to find a curvilinear relationship, the researcher needs to use:

Which of the following is NOT true of a study with only one independent variable?

If a researcher believes that a nonmonotonic relationship may exist between two variables, he or she would need to:

The simplest factorial design is that which has:

Which of the following is the general format for describing factorial designs?

A researcher examined judgments of responsibility for an automobile accident by manipulating the type of injuries received (none, mild, or severe) and the time of the accident (7 a.m., 12 p.m., 6 p.m., or 3 a.m.) . How many main effects are possible in this study?

Which of the following is a reason why a researcher may design an experiment with more than two levels of an independent variable?

Factorial designs are often employed because:

A problem with designing an experiment with only two levels of the independent variable is that:

A factorial design involves:

An interaction occurs whenever:

A researcher manipulates a defendant's appearance (attractive, average, or unattractive) and gender (male or female) to study how these variables affect judgments of criminal behavior. How many interactions are possible in this design?

In a study examining the effect of room illumination (low, medium, high) and room temperature (cold, warm, hot) on test performance, how many main effects are possible?

In a study examining the effect of room illumination (low, medium, high) and room temperature (cold, warm, hot) on test performance, how many interactions are possible?