Psychological Research

1.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

A researcher who deceives participants about the goals of the research needs to fully inform them of the true nature of the study later, according to which ethical principle of human experimentation

informed consent

protection from harm

confidentiality

debriefing

2.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

To graphically represent the correlation between two variables, researchers often construct a

standard deviation.

scatterplot.

skewed distribution.

bar graph.

3.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Professor Teruya noticed that the distribution of students' scores on her last biology test had an extremely small standard deviation. This indicates that the

test was given to a very small class of students.

mean test score was lower than the median score.

students' scores tended to be very similar to one another.

students generally performed very well on the test.

4.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

In the hypothesis “Students who study a list of terms in the morning, just after waking up, will recall more terms than students who study the list just before falling asleep,” what is the dependent variable?

number of terms remembered

students

time of day

list of terms

5.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Both the researchers and the participants in a memory study are ignorant about which participants have actually received a potentially memory-enhancing drug and which have received a placebo. This investigation involves the use of

naturalistic observation.

random sampling.

replication.

the double-blind procedure.

6.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

If a result is statistically significant, this means that the

results of the test are positively correlated with another factor.

there is less than a 5 percent likelihood that the results occurred by chance.

scores were 1 standard deviation from the mean.

participants received scores above the 50 percentile.

7.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

If college graduates typically earn more money than high school graduates, this would indicate that level of education and income are

positively correlated.

negatively correlated.

causally related.

independent variables.

8.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Which of the following is true for those assigned to the experimental group in an experiment?

The experimenter exerts the greatest influence on participants' behavior.

The experimental group does not receive the experimental treatment

The experimental group receives the experimental treatment

The operational definition is not applied to their variables.

9.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

When the observed difference between the means of an experimental group and control group are not likely due to chance, researchers conclude that this difference is

positively correlated.

statistically significant.

reliable.

experimentally empirical.

10.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Which of the following correlation coefficients expresses the weakest degree of relationship between two variables?

+0.12

+.75

–0.99

–0.50

11.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Which of the following correlation coefficients expresses the strongest degree of relationship between two variables?

–0.12

-1.00

–0.50

+0.25

12.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

In order to learn about the political attitudes of all students enrolled at Arizona State University, Professor Marlow randomly selected 800 of these students to complete a questionnaire. In this instance, all the students enrolled at Arizona State University are considered to be a(n)

independent variable.

dependent variable.

representative sample.

population.

13.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

A specification of how a researcher measures a research variable is known as a(n)

standard deviation.

operational definition.

replication.

control condition.

14.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Which research method would be most appropriate for investigating the relationship between the religious beliefs of Americans and their attitudes toward abortion?

the survey

experimentation

the case study

naturalistic observation

15.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Researchers use experiments rather than other research methods in order to distinguish between

facts and theories.

hypotheses and operational definitions.

causes and effects.

random samples and representative samples.

16.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

The complete set of cases from which samples may be drawn is called a(n)

control condition.

independent variable.

case study.

population.

17.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Which of the following is true for those assigned to a control group?

The experimental treatment is absent.

The experimenter exerts the greatest influence on participants' behavior.

The operational definition is not applied to their variables.

The research participants are exposed to all the different experimental treatments.

18.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

The biggest danger of relying on case-study evidence is that it

is based on naturalistic

observation.

relies mostly on correlational rather than causational evidence.

may be unrepresentative of what is generally true.

overestimates the importance of operational definitions.

19.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

To assess the effect of televised violence on aggression, researchers plan to expose one group of children to violent movie scenes and another group to nonviolent scenes. To reduce the chance that the children in one group have more aggressive personalities than those in the other group, the researchers should make use of

random assignment.

the double-blind procedure.

naturalistic observations.

replication.

20.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

In a distribution of test scores, which measure of central tendency would likely be the most affected by a couple of extremely high scores?

median

range

mode

mean

21.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

In the hypothesis “Students who study a list of terms in the morning, just after waking up, will recall more terms than students who study the list just before falling asleep,” what is the independent variable?

list of terms

time of day

number of terms remembered

students

22.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Which procedure helps to ensure that the participants in a survey are representative of a larger population?

random assignment

correlation

replication

random sampling

23.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Which of the following statements is most correct about the relationship between correlation and causation?

Both correlations and causations need to be proven with experimental data.

Correlation indicates the possibility of a causal relationship, but it does not prove causation.

If one variable is strongly positively correlated with another variable, the relationship is causal.

if one variable is strongly negatively correlated with another variable, the relationship is not causal.

24.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

What technique do researchers use to reduce the impact of confounding variables?

naturalistic observation

hindsight bias

random assignment

measures of central tendency

25.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

To study the development of relationships, Dr. Rajiv carefully observed and recorded patterns of verbal and nonverbal behaviors among boys and girls in the school yard. Which research method did Dr. Rajiv employ?

the survey

naturalistic observation

experimentation

the case study

26.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Why are researchers so careful about drawing conclusions regarding statistical significance?

Statistical significance determines which research method should be used for a hypothesis.

They want to make sure an observed difference isn't due to chance.

Statistical significance determines which research method should be used for a hypothesis.

Statistical significance is used in case studies, not experiments, so researchers do not have a control group to rely on.

27.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Random sampling is to ________ as random assignment is to ________.

correlational studies; case studies

surveys; experiments

replication; correlation

illusory correlation; control group

28.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

If the correlation between the physical weight and reading ability of children is +0.85, this would indicate that

there is very little statistical relationship between weight and reading ability among children.

low body weight has a negative effect on the reading abilities of children.

better reading ability is associated with greater physical weight among children.

body weight has no causal influence on the reading abilities of children.

29.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

An experiment was designed to study the potential impact of alcohol consumption on emotional stability. A specification of the procedures used to measure emotional stability illustrates

an operational definition.

the dependent variable.

the independent variable.

the double-blind procedure.

30.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

In a study of the effects of alcohol consumption, some participants drank a nonalcoholic beverage that actually smelled and tasted like alcohol. This nonalcoholic drink was a

dependent variable.

independent variable.

placebo.

random sample.

31.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

A correlation coefficient is a measure of the

difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution.

average squared deviation of scores from a sample mean.

statistical significance of a difference between two sample means.

direction and strength of the relationship between two variables.

32.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

If psychologists discovered that wealthy people are less satisfied with their marriages than poor people are, this would indicate that wealth and marital satisfaction are

negatively correlated.

positively correlated.

independent variables.

dependent variables.

33.

Multiple Choice

30 sec

1 pt

Which of the following defines ethical principles that should guide human experimentation?

control group, random sampling, random assignment

volunteer participants only, no deception, incentives for participation

effect size, statistical significance, measures of central tendency, variation

informed consent, protection from harm, confidentiality, debriefing

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