Question 1

A correlational study is used to examine the relationship between two variables but cannot determine whether it is a cause-and-effect relationship.​

Accepted Answer

A correlational study is used to establish the degree of relationship between two variables, but it cannot determine the causation or direction of the relationship.

Question 2

If a researcher measures two individuals on an ordinal scale,then it is impossible to determine how much difference exists between the two people.​

Accepted Answer

Ordinal scales only provide information on the relative ranking or order of the measurements, not the amount of difference between them.

Question 3

The goal for an experiment is to demonstrate that changes in one variable are responsible for causing changes in a second variable.​

Accepted Answer

This statement describes the purpose of a cause-and-effect experiment, which is to establish a causal relationship between two variables by manipulating one and observing the effect on the other while controlling for extraneous factors. The goal is to show that the independent variable (the one being manipulated) is responsible for changes in the dependent variable (the one being measured).

Question 4

A correlational study typically uses only one group of participants but measures two different variables (two scores)for each individual.​

Accepted Answer

A correlational study indeed focuses on discovering whether there is a relationship between two variables, and this is typically done by measuring both variables in the same group of participants to see how they relate to each other.

Question 5

Students in an introductory art class are classified as art majors and non-art majors.This is an example of measurement on a nominal scale.​

Accepted Answer

Nominal scales are used for classification purposes and do not have any numerical value or order. In this case, students are classified into two categories: art majors and non-art majors, without any specific ranking or value assigned to each category.

Question 6

A recent report concluded that college graduates have higher life-satisfaction scores than individuals who do not receive college degrees.For this study,graduating versus not graduating is an example of a quasi-independent variable.

Accepted Answer

A quasi-independent variable is one that cannot be randomly assigned, such as gender, age, or in this case, educational attainment. While not everyone in the study had the same level of education, the researchers were still able to compare the two groups and draw conclusions about their life satisfaction scores. Therefore, graduating versus not graduating is an example of a quasi-independent variable.

Question 7

Constructs are external attributes or characteristics that can be directly observed to describe and explain behavior.​

Accepted Answer

Constructs are internal attributes or characteristics that cannot be directly observed but are inferred from observable behaviors.

Question 8

For statistical purposes,there usually is not much difference between scores from an interval scale and scores from a ratio scale.​

Accepted Answer

Both interval and ratio scales are types of continuous scales that allow for quantitative measurement and statistical analysis, with the main difference being the presence of an absolute zero on ratio scales. For many statistical procedures, this distinction does not significantly affect the analysis.

Question 9

A high school gym teacher records how much time each student requires to complete a one-mile run.This is an example of measuring a continuous variable.​

Accepted Answer

Time to complete a one-mile run can vary continuously, so it is an example of a continuous variable.

Question 10

In an experimental study,individuals in a control condition receive the experimental treatment.​

Accepted Answer

The control group is established to provide a baseline against which the experimental group can be compared. The control group does not receive the experimental treatment, while the experimental group does. This is known as the independent variable. Therefore, individuals in a control condition do not receive the experimental treatment.

Question 11

A researcher interested in vocabulary development obtains a sample of three-year-old children to participate in a research study.The average score for the group of 20 is an example of a parameter.​

Accepted Answer

The average score for the group of 20 three-year-old children is an example of a statistic, not a parameter. A parameter refers to a numerical value that describes a population, while a statistic refers to a numerical value that describes a sample. In this case, the sample is the group of 20 children, and the average score is a statistic that reflects the vocabulary development of that particular sample. A parameter, on the other hand, would refer to the average vocabulary development of all three-year-old children in the population.

Question 12

Classifying people into two groups on the basis of gender is an example of measurement on an ordinal scale.​

Accepted Answer

Classifying people into two groups based on gender is not an example of measurement, but rather a categorization. Ordinal scale involves measurement where the data can be placed in order or ranked based on certain characteristics, such as rating someone's satisfaction on a scale from 1 to 5. Gender is not a characteristic that can be measured on an ordinal scale.

Question 13

The average score for a population is an example of a statistic.

Accepted Answer

The average score for a population is an example of a parameter, not a statistic. Parameters describe characteristics of populations, while statistics describe characteristics of samples.

Question 14

A recent report concluded that children with siblings have better social skills than children who grow up as an only child.This is an example of an experimental study.​

Accepted Answer

The statement is not an example of an experimental study as it is a conclusion of a report and not a result of manipulating variables and comparing outcomes.

Question 15

Using the average score to describe a sample is an example of inferential statistics.​

Accepted Answer

Using the average score to describe a sample is an example of descriptive statistics, which summarizes or describes the characteristics of a data set. Inferential statistics involves using data from a sample to make inferences or predictions about a larger population.

Question 16

The participants in a research study are classified as high,medium,or low in self-esteem.This classification involves measurement on a nominal scale.​

Accepted Answer

The classification of participants as high, medium, or low in self-esteem involves measurement on an ordinal scale, as it implies a ranking or order among the categories.

Question 17

Recording the number of students who are absent each day at a high school would be an example of measuring a discrete variable.​

Accepted Answer

A discrete variable can only take on specific, whole numbers (e.g. the number of students absent). It is not a continuous variable that can take on any value within a range.

Question 18

A researcher is interested in the average income for registered voters in the United States.The entire group of registered voters is an example of a population.​

Accepted Answer

This is true as the group of registered voters in the US is a population, which refers to the entire group of individuals or objects being studied.

Question 19

To determine how much difference there is between two individuals,you must use either an interval or a ratio scale of measurement.​

Accepted Answer

Interval and ratio scales are the only scales that allow for meaningful interpretation of the difference between two measurements. Nominal and ordinal scales only allow for categorization and ranking.

Question 20

If a researcher measures two individuals on a nominal scale,it is impossible to determine which individual has the larger score.​

Accepted Answer

Nominal scales do not have any inherent order or direction, so it is not possible to say which individual has a "larger" score. The categories or labels used in nominal scales are simply used to differentiate between different groups or characteristics.

Quiz 1: Introduction to Statistics

A correlational study is used to examine the relationship between two variables but cannot determine whether it is a cause-and-effect relationship.​

If a researcher measures two individuals on an ordinal scale,then it is impossible to determine how much difference exists between the two people.​

The goal for an experiment is to demonstrate that changes in one variable are responsible for causing changes in a second variable.​

A correlational study typically uses only one group of participants but measures two different variables (two scores)for each individual.​

Students in an introductory art class are classified as art majors and non-art majors.This is an example of measurement on a nominal scale.​

A recent report concluded that college graduates have higher life-satisfaction scores than individuals who do not receive college degrees.For this study,graduating versus not graduating is an example of a quasi-independent variable.

Constructs are external attributes or characteristics that can be directly observed to describe and explain behavior.​

For statistical purposes,there usually is not much difference between scores from an interval scale and scores from a ratio scale.​

A high school gym teacher records how much time each student requires to complete a one-mile run.This is an example of measuring a continuous variable.​

In an experimental study,individuals in a control condition receive the experimental treatment.​

A researcher interested in vocabulary development obtains a sample of three-year-old children to participate in a research study.The average score for the group of 20 is an example of a parameter.​

Classifying people into two groups on the basis of gender is an example of measurement on an ordinal scale.​

The average score for a population is an example of a statistic.

A recent report concluded that children with siblings have better social skills than children who grow up as an only child.This is an example of an experimental study.​

Using the average score to describe a sample is an example of inferential statistics.​

The participants in a research study are classified as high,medium,or low in self-esteem.This classification involves measurement on a nominal scale.​

Recording the number of students who are absent each day at a high school would be an example of measuring a discrete variable.​

A researcher is interested in the average income for registered voters in the United States.The entire group of registered voters is an example of a population.​

To determine how much difference there is between two individuals,you must use either an interval or a ratio scale of measurement.​

If a researcher measures two individuals on a nominal scale,it is impossible to determine which individual has the larger score.​

A correlational study is used to examine the relationship between two variables but cannot determine whether it is a cause-and-effect relationship.

If a researcher measures two individuals on an ordinal scale,then it is impossible to determine how much difference exists between the two people.

The goal for an experiment is to demonstrate that changes in one variable are responsible for causing changes in a second variable.

A correlational study typically uses only one group of participants but measures two different variables (two scores)for each individual.

Students in an introductory art class are classified as art majors and non-art majors.This is an example of measurement on a nominal scale.

Constructs are external attributes or characteristics that can be directly observed to describe and explain behavior.

For statistical purposes,there usually is not much difference between scores from an interval scale and scores from a ratio scale.

A high school gym teacher records how much time each student requires to complete a one-mile run.This is an example of measuring a continuous variable.

In an experimental study,individuals in a control condition receive the experimental treatment.

A researcher interested in vocabulary development obtains a sample of three-year-old children to participate in a research study.The average score for the group of 20 is an example of a parameter.

Classifying people into two groups on the basis of gender is an example of measurement on an ordinal scale.

A recent report concluded that children with siblings have better social skills than children who grow up as an only child.This is an example of an experimental study.

Using the average score to describe a sample is an example of inferential statistics.

The participants in a research study are classified as high,medium,or low in self-esteem.This classification involves measurement on a nominal scale.

Recording the number of students who are absent each day at a high school would be an example of measuring a discrete variable.

A researcher is interested in the average income for registered voters in the United States.The entire group of registered voters is an example of a population.

To determine how much difference there is between two individuals,you must use either an interval or a ratio scale of measurement.

If a researcher measures two individuals on a nominal scale,it is impossible to determine which individual has the larger score.