Macmillan Quizzes

_____ bias is the tendency to view events and people in ways that fit how we want and expect them to be.

Confirmation

_____ validity can be thought of as the degree to which the manipulation impacts what it intends to manipulate.

Construct

Which is NOT an ethical safeguard in psychology research?

Federal Research Board review of all research.

Which statement is true of social psychology?

Human beings can never be truly objective as they conduct research.

Darwin's theory of evolution was particularly useful because it provides new information about the reasons that humans and other animals have developed in the ways they have developed. This demonstrates which strength of a good theory?

It explains observations.

Sandra has been trying to understand why her last relationship failed. In her social psychology class she read a section of the text on romance. She found a theory that helped her understand why her relationship may have ended in disaster. This demonstrates which strength of a good theory?

It explains observations.

Pedro creates a new theory that sheds light on phenomena he never imagined with his original theory. This demonstrates which strength of a good theory?

It generates new questions.

Tasha is an experimental physicist. She creates a theory on the origin of black holes. Her research stimulates a new field of research. This best explains which strength of a good theory?

It generates new questions.

Maria creates a theory that when applied can help identify barriers to receiving vaccinations. This demonstrates which strength of a good theory?

It has practical value.

A theory must specify clear relationships between variables that help us understand the processes through which particular events in the world occur. This best explains which strength of a good theory?

It organizes observations.

Sierra has been studying the effects of stigmatization on job performance for a number of years. She has recently developed a theory that integrates all of these findings. This demonstrates which strength of a good theory?

It organizes observations.

Theories create order out of chaos and simplify the vast array of facts around us. This demonstrates which strength of a good theory?

It organizes observations.

Dr. Jackson creates a theory that receives significant scientific attention. Several new research studies are conducted to test the specific aspects of the theory. This best explains which strength of a good theory?

It provides directions for research.

Is safety more important than freedom? This BEST illustrates which limitation of social psychology?

Not all questions can be answered scientifically.

Sarah sees a therapist who states that her anxiety problems are due to deeply repressed feelings. Her therapist probably comes from which school of thought?

Psychoanalytic

Raquel notices that she gets better grades on exams that take place in colder weather. Thus, there is a negative correlation between temperature and her test grades. What does this tell you about the two variables?

The correlation does not imply the two variables have a causal relationship

Dr. Franken spent decades of his career trying to get various religious rivalries to get along, but only had limited success. What does this demonstrate about social psychology?

The science of social psychology is limited.

Which major historical event helped foster the development of social psychology because many people questioned how normal members of society could commit such atrocities?

World War II

An in-depth observation of a small sample or single individual is an example of which research method?

a case study.

Sam is in an experiment where he unknowingly drinks the same coffee from two different cups. One cup is labeled with a brand name of coffee and the other cup is labeled with an off-brand of coffee. Sam claims his favorite coffee in the study is the "name brand" coffee because it tasted better. What could lead Sam to make this inaccurate statement?

a priori causal theories

What is the term for preexisting theories, acquired from culture or factors that are particularly prominent in conscious attention at the moment?

a priori causal theories

Theories deal with _____ conceptual variables.

abstract

Manipulation of the experiment means that:

all variables are controlled for, except the one being tested.

Kathy recently ended her several-month-long relationship with Jon. He is devastated, and tries to logically think through all of the factors that would have made her break up with him. This logical process of Jon acting like an intuitive scientist is called _____ theory.

attribution

What is the term for the view that people act as intuitive scientists when they observe other people's behavior and infer explanations as to why those people acted the way they did?

attribution theory

During a lecture Dr. Harrison speaks against all research that focuses on wishes, feelings, and the unconscious mind. It is MOST likely that Dr. Harrison adheres to the _____ perspective.

behaviorism

Jamar realizes that he avoids an intersection because he previously got into an accident at that location. This would be evidence of which perspective?

behaviorism

What area of psychology is in direct opposition to psychoanalysis?

behaviorism

Janelle is a highly ethical researcher who tries her best to remain objective. However, all humans are _____, and their personal feelings and opinions impact their research.

biased

The core assumption that behavior is strongly influence by social _____ is evidenced by Fritz Heider's observation that people's causal explanations of others' actions play a significant role in determining their behavior.

cognition

Dr. Brown begins his social psychology class by drawing the metaphor of human beings as information processors. Which social psychological perspective does Dr. Brown MOST likely follow?

cognitive

Social _____ is an example of how behavior depends on a socially constructed view of reality.

comparison

The repetition of a study with different operationalizations of the crucial variable but yielding similar results is called _____ replication.

conceptual

Theories that are able to account for a wide variety of observations are said to have _____ power.

conceptual

Julie is participating in an experiment on teams and cooperation with Miguel. Unbeknownst to Julie, Miguel is actually working for the experimenters. Miguel is an example of a(n) _____.

confederate

What can be thought of as the degree to which the manipulation impacts what it intends to manipulate?

construct validity

Dr. Patel conducts research by posting an electronic survey that asks questions about job satisfaction and salary and then looks at the relationship between the two based on the responses. This is an example of _____ research.

correlational

Geraldo conducts a study where students come into his lab and fill out questionnaires on personality and general mental ability and he then looks at the relationship between the two based on the responses. This is an example of _____ research.

correlational

If Jenny performed a study where she examined if violent crimes were more likely to occur in warmer climates it would be an example of a(n) _____ study.

correlational

If a research finding showed that extraverted individuals were more likely to have success in job interviews, it MOST likely came from a(n) _____ study.

correlational

A(n) _____ story is an explanation for the purpose of a study that is different from the true purpose.

cover

Maria MOST likely comes from the _____ perspective because she focuses on the influence of one's social network on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

cultural

In order to create the psychological states necessary to research what a social psychologist is trying to investigate in an experiment, _____ can be required.

deception

The aspects of a study that give away its purpose or communicate expectations about how the participant is likely to behave are _____ characteristics.

demand

Marco is examining a new cancer drug's effectiveness at reducing the number of cancer cells in a person's body. In this example, the number of cancer cells is the _____ variable.

dependent

Rashad wants to know how extraversion impacts one's number of friends. In this example, the number of friends is the _____ variable.

dependent

Consistent preferences, ways of thinking, and behavioral tendencies that manifest across varying situations and over time are:

dispositions

Maria argues that humans are only social creatures because it is an adaptation that increased the species chances of survival. Maria MOST likely adheres to the _____ perspective.

evolutionary

The ______ perspective is a view that humans are a species of animal and that their social behavior is a consequence of particular evolved adaptations.

evolutionary

Joan believes human behaviors are a result of the basic nature of the self and the core human motives. Joan most likely prescribes to which major social psychology perspective?

existential

Jordan MOST likely comes from the _____ perspective. She focuses on the cognitive, affective, and behavioral consequences of basic aspects of the human condition such as the knowledge of mortality, the desire for meaning, and the precarious nature of identity.

existential

What is the term for a study in which the researcher takes active control and manipulates one variable to investigate its effect on another variable?

experiment

Unlike the correlational method, the _____ method allows a researcher to examine cause and effect.

experimental

An issue with social psychology is the number of studies that rely on a college sample. This may strongly impact the _____ validity of these studies.

external

Ensuring findings generalize to other populations, settings, and context relates to _____ validity.

external

Once internal validity has been established, then a researcher can start to focus on _____ validity.

external

Janice is doing a study on medical error by making direct behavioral observations within hospitals. This is an example of _____ research.

field

Jenna is studying consumer behavior in malls. She places different types of signs within stores and tracks how these signs impact product purchases. This is an example of _____ research.

field

Mara is studying bullying in elementary school. She works with several schools in her region to measure bullying within the actual classroom. This is an example of _____ research.

field

The text describes stereotypes as a doubly threatening situation because their performance not only impacts how they are perceived, but also how their _____ is perceived.

group

A theory is only scientifically useful to the extent that it creates _____ that can be tested for its fit with reality.

hypotheses

After developing a relevant theory, a researcher will next develop a(n) _____ that describes the expected relationship between the variables of the study.

hypothesis

Which statement is NOT true regarding harming participants. It might be unethical to inflict pain on participants:

in all circumstances

Aliyah wants to know how extraversion impacts one's number of friends. In this example, extraversion is the _____ variable.

independent

Dr. Goldstein is looking at how stereotypical names associated with various races will impact the likelihood of a person's getting a job interview. He sends out 500 identical resumes where he only changes the name of the applicant between "David Smith" and "Jerome Brown." He then counts the number of job interviews offered to each name. In this example, the name is the _____ variable.

independent

Participants must usually provide which item before they are able to begin an experiment?

informed consent

A social psychologist who believes social behaviors are unlearned and uninfluenced by experience, similarly to how a fish knows how to swim, would believe behavior is based on:

instinct

The famous Milgram experiment had participants go to the campus of Yale University to complete the shock experiment. This is an example of _____ research.

laboratory

Human knowledge is _____. Scientists will never know all answers, and human knowledge is not infinite.

limited

In _____ studies two variables are measured at multiple points in time.

longitudinal

One benefit of a(n) _____ study is that it helps examine how variables change over time.

longitudinal

Guinevere conducts research using brain scans and heart rate monitors. Which psychological perspective does Guinevere MOST likely come from?

neuroscience

Someone from which social psychological perspective would be MOST likely to use brain scans and heart rate monitors in their research?

neuroscience

Technological advances have been particularly beneficial to which field of social psychology?

neuroscience

The _____ perspective is the study of the neural processes that occur during social judgment and behavior.

neuroscience

Which aspect of harm could it be argued was violated in Milgram's shock study?

no lasting mental harm to the participant

Which term refers to a specific, concrete method of measuring or manipulating a conceptual variable?

operation definition

A(n) _____ definition entails a specific, concrete method of measuring or manipulating a conceptual variable.

operational

A(n) ______ situation would increase the probability of limiting the mental resources being expended.

ordinary

Theories help us _____ the many observations around us. This means theories often provide a more abstract and general way of describing these observations.

organize

A good theory should explain a wide range of observations with a relatively small number of basic principles. Thus, a good theory is _____.

parsimonious

Cameron is studying fraternity drinking behavior by having fraternity partygoers take breath alcohol tests to determine their level of intoxication. MOST likely, Cameron's operational definition of drinking is based on:

physiological measures.

A good theory should have _____ applications that help researchers and the broader community solve pressing problems and improve the quality of life.

practical

Someone from the _____ perspective would be MOST likely to say human behavior is due to repressed desires for sex and aggression.

psychoanalytic

A theory should generate new _____.

questions

Dr. Khan is designing a research study on the effects of sleep deprivation of memory. His study involves two experimental groups. He makes sure each participant has the same probability of becoming a member of each group. This strategy of making sure each group is as similar as possible on all relevant variables is called:

random assignment.

If different studies, each flawed in one way or another, with possible confounds operating, yield consistent results, the probability that an alternative explanation is responsible for the results is:

reduced.

A theory must specify clear _____ between variables that help us understand the processes through which particular events in the world occur.

relationships

If different researchers get consistent results from testing a hypothesis, the results are said to be:

reliable.

A behaviorist would say that a behavior followed by a desirable outcome is likely to _____.

reoccur

What is the process of developing, testing, and refining theories to understand the determinants of social behaviors called?

scientific method

Marcia feels like she knows Alex very well. Yet, around his group of friends, Marcia is shocked by how differently he behaves than when he is with her alone. Marcia did not account for the power of the _____ on behavior.

situation

Behavior is a joint product of person-based and _____ influences.

situational

The correlation coefficient shows the direction and _____ of a relationship between two variables.

strength

A new theory does NOT need to be immediately _____. In fact, technology is often developed based on this condition not being met.

testable

According to the text, the "great lesson of social psychology" is the power of:

the situation.

Kiki acts very differently across different environments (e.g., social settings). This is not unusual because people may be influenced by:

the situation.

What does the numerical value of a correlation coefficient tell about the relationship between the two variables?

the strength of the relationship

No one would expect that there is a causal relationship between ice cream sales and drownings. Yet, as ice cream sales go up, then so do drownings. This is an example of:

the third variable problem.