Statistics of the Social Sciences Final Exam

A researcher measures deviant behavior in a sample of 12 children from abusive homes (Sample B). Which sample is associated with larger degrees of freedom? A. Sample B B. Each sample has equal degrees of freedom C. There is not enough information to answer this question D. Sample A

A. Sample B

Moller and Krahe (2009) studied German teenagers over a period of 30 months, they found that the amount of video game playing engaged in when the study started was related to aggression 30 months later. Which of the following best summarizes these findings? A. Aggression causes increased video game playing B. Video game playing and aggression are related C. Video game playing causes increases in aggression D. German teenagers spend a lot of time playing video games

B. Video game playing and aggression are related

A population is generally defined as: A. A single number or group of numbers that organize, summarize, and communicate a group of numerical observations B. Using data to make general estimates about the overall group of interest C. The entire group of interest about which we want to make conclusions D. A subset, or smaller collection, of observations from the overall group of interest

C. The entire group of interest about which we want to make conclusions

Using APA format, which value is typically given in parentheses when reporting the results for the test? A. The value of the test statistic B. The level of significance C. The estimated standard error D. The degrees of freedom

D. The degrees of freedom

A researcher reports that mean ratings of liking for some food are 0.8+- 2.4 (M+-SD). If the null hypothesis was that the mean equals 0, then what is the test using estimated Cohen's d? A. D= 0.33; medium effect size B. D= 3.00; large effect size C. There is not enough information to answer this question D. 0.33; small effect size

A. D= 0.33; medium effect size

The z-distribution ________ has a standard deviation of ___________ A. Sometimes; 0 B. Always; 1 C. Sometimes; 1 D. Always; 0

B. Always; 1

Which of the following will decrease the value of the mean? A. Inserting a data point exactly equal to the mean B. Inserting a data point below the mean C. Removing a data point below the mean D. None of these

B. Inserting a data point below the mean

Which of the following identifies a large effect size for a t-test? A. W^2 B. T= 2.32 C. D= .25 D. N^2= .25

B. T= 2.32

A percentile point is: A. The range of values contained in each interval of a grouped frequency distribution B. The value of a core on a measurement scale below which a specified percentage of scores in a distribution fall C. A summary display that distributes the sum of percentage across a series of intervals D. An interval with no defines upper or lower body

B. The value of a core on a measurement scale below which a specified percentage of scores in a distribution fall

A professor compares final exam scores in his psychology class to final exam grades in another comparable professor's class. Assuming that the population variance of exam scores is unknown, what type of t-test is appropriate for analyzing differences between those classes A. There is not enough information to answer B. Two-independent samples t-test C. One-way ANOVA D. One-samples t-test

B. Two-independent samples t-test

The statement "It is hypothesized that men and women will differ on a reaction time measures" best illustrates a : A. Null hypothesis B. Two-tailed test C. Z-test D. One-tailed test

B. Two-tailed test

"Elementary school children spent significantly more time reading the presence of a teacher than when the teacher was absent, t(7) = 2.804, p < .05 (w^2 = 0.46)." What are the degrees of freedom in this test? A. 7 B. 6 C. 8 D. 5

C. 8

A sample is generally defined as: A. The entire group of interest about which we want to make conclusions B. A single number or group of numbers that organize, summarize, and communicate a group of numerical observations C. A subset, or smaller collection, of observations from the overall group of interest D. Using data to make general estimates about the overall group of interest

C. A subset, or smaller collection, of observations from the overall group of interest

A researcher studies year in college, first through fourth year, and its relation to academic motivation. To get the most detail out of her measures, the assesses each student in both the fall and the spring semesters of each of their four years in school. She finds that students have increasingly higher motivation from their first to fourth year, with a trailing off in the last semester. What is the dependent variable in this study? A. Year in school B. Time of the year in which the assessment was completes C. Academic motivation D. Semester in school

C. Academic motivation

The range, a measure of variability A. Includes only two values in its computation, regardless of the number of scores in a distribution B. Is the difference between the largest (L) and smallest (S) value in a set of data C. All of these D. Is the most informative when used to describe data sets without outliers

C. All of these

The t-distribution is similar to the z-distribution except: A. It is characterized by "thicker" tailed compared with the z-distribution B. It is associated with greater variability C. All of these are correct D. It is associated with scores being more likely in the tails of the distribution

C. All of these are correct

The variable that is manipulated or observed in order to determine its effects on another variable is the __________ variable A. Scale B. Dependent C. Independent D. Confounding

C. Independent

If a distribution of scores has a mean of 90 and a standard deviation of 10, then a score of 70 has a z-score that is ___________ standard deviation(s) ____________ the mean A. 1; below B. 1; above C. 2; above D. 2; below

D. 2; below

In a normal standard curve, approximately ____________ percent of scores fall within 1 standard deviation from the mean A. 34 B. 46 C. 95 D. 68

D. 68

The process of standardization involves the conversation of raw scores to _________ scores A. Normal B. Linear C. Nonlinear D. Standard

D. Standard

The _____________ is an inferential statistic used to determine the number of standard deviations in a t-distribution that a sample mean deviates from the mean value or mean difference stated in the null hypothesis A. T-distribution B. Standard error C. Degrees of freedom D. T-statistic

D. T-statistic

The ___________ is an arithmetic mean of multiple sets of scores of disproportionate sizes. A. Median B. Mean C. Mode D. Weighted mean

D. Weighted mean

To compare two scores that are measured on different scales, one needs to transform the scores into: A. Standard deviations B. Population parameters C. Means D. Z-scores

D. Z-scores

A person's grade point average (GPA) on a scale from 0 to 4.0 is a(n) _________________ variable. A. Nominal B. Interval C. Ratio D. Ordinal

C. Ratio

Computing a one-samples t-test is appropriate when: A. All of these are correct B. The population variance os unknown C. Participants are assigned to only one group D. Participants are observed one time

A. All of these are correct

Dr. Baker designed an experimental study to assess potential differences between science students and art students on a math reasoning abilities test. She found a mean difference in math performance between science and art students. On average, art students performed higher on the math reasoning test when compared to the science students. Dr. Bakers findings support which hypothesis? A. Alternative B. Null C. Statistical D. Eperimental

A. Alternative

Which of the following terms best describes the mean, median, and mode, respectively? A. Average, middle, and most B. Most, average, and middle C. Average, most, and middle D. Middle, most, and average

A. Average, middle, and most

The test statistic for a related samples t-test makes tests concerning a single sample of: A. Difference scores B. Raw scores C. Original Data D. Participant Scores

A. Difference scores

The critical value(s) associated with a p-level of 0.05 for a two-tailed hypothesis test using the z-statistic is(are): A. -1.96 and 1.96 B. 1.96 C. 1.65 D. -1.65 and 1.65

A. -1.96 and 1.96

In a variant of the Coke/Pepsi Challenge, tasters try to identify regular and diet versions of these popular beverages under "blind" conditions in which they cant see the two products. How many levels are there to the independent variable? A. 2 B. 1 C. 4 D. 8

A. 2

A researcher selects a sample of 32 participants who are assigned to participate in a study with one group. What are the degrees of freedom (df) for this test? A. 31 B. 32 C. There is not enough information to answer D. 30

A. 31

A variable that consists of separate specific categories for which there are no values between categories is: A. A discrete variable B. A confounding variable C. A ratio variable D. A continuous variable

A. A discrete variable

The Consideration of Future Consequences scale is intended to measure the extent to which an individual considers the future when making immediate choices. If the scale is a reliable measure, we would expect that: A. A person's score on the scale would be relatively stable from day to day. B. People with lower scores on the scale would have a greater tendency to consider future consequences C. A person's score on the scale might change from day to day D. People with higher scores on the scale would have a greater tendency to consider future consequences

A. A person's score on the scale would be relatively stable from day to day.

A descriptive statistic is generally defined as: A. A single number or group of numbers that organize, summarize, and communicate a group of numerical observations B. Using data to make general estimates about the overall group of interests C. The entire group of interest about which we want to make conclusions D. A subset, or smaller collection, of observations from the overall group of interest

A. A single number or group of numbers that organize, summarize, and communicate a group of numerical observations

A professor distributes frequencies into the following categories: absent, tardy, present. In this example, what type of data are distributed? A. All of these B. Qualitative data C. Nominal data D. Ungrouped data

A. All of these

Elaine scored in the 80th percentile on an exam. How does Elaine's scores compare to all other students who also took the exam? A. Elaine scored higher than 80% of all others who took the exam B. Of all those who took the exam, only 80% of them completed it C. Elaine scored lower than 80% of all others who took the exam D. Elaine would score the same grade on the exam 80% of the time

A. Elaine scored higher than 80% of all others who took the exam

A graphical display for grouped frequency distributions with continuous data is called a: A. Histogram B. Scatter plot C. Box plot D. Bar plot

A. Histogram

A z-score is a measure of: A. How far away the mean score is in terms of standard deviations B. The strength of the relationship between two variables C. How far away from the mean a score is in terms of inches D. The strength of the relationship between a score and its mean

A. How far away the mean score is in terms of standard deviations

If a researcher rejects the null hypothesis when the null hypothesis is in fact true, the researcher has: A. Made a Type 1 error B. Made a Type 2 error C. Fallen prey to the confirmation bias D. Made an illusionary correlation

A. Made a Type 1 error

A researcher who fails to reject the null hypothesis when the null hypothesis is in fact false has: A. Made a Type 2 error B. Made a Type 1 error C. Made an illusionary correlation D. Fallen prey to the confirmation bias

A. Made a Type 2 error

A person's political affiliation is a(n) _______________ variable A. Nominal B. Ratio C. Ordinal D. Interval

A. Nominal

The ________ curve forms a symmetrical and mathematically defined bell-shaped pattern A. Normal B. Standard C. Nonlinear D. Unstandardized

A. Normal

A statement that postulates that there is no difference between population is a: A. Null hypothesis B. Alternative hypothesis C. Negative statement D. Positive sttement

A. Null hypothesis

A professor compares scores on a competency exam among students at two times during a single semester. What type of t-test is most appropriate for this study? A. Related-samples t-test B. One-sample t-test C. There is not enough information to answer this question D. Two-independent samples t-test

A. Related-samples t-test

A researcher conducts a study and concludes that a new behavioral health treatment program significantly reduces one's risk for disease compared with risk levels in the general population (d=-0.64) Interpret the size of this effect A. Risk levels in the population shifted 0.64 standard deviations below the mean B. 64% of the new treatment can be accounted for by the risk levels C. 64% of the variability in risk level can be accounted for by the new treatment D. Risk levels in the population shifted 0.64 standard deviations above the mean

A. Risk levels in the population shifted 0.64 standard deviations below the mean

A measure of the average distance of scores from the mean is called the: A. Standard deviation B. Sum of squares C. Variance D. Range

A. Standard deviation

Which of the following can be used to estimate the median? A. The 50th percentile of a cumulative percentage distribution B. The mode C. The 50th percentile of a relative percentage distribution D. The mean

A. The 50th percentile of a cumulative percentage distribution

A measure of the average squared distance of scores from the mean is called the: A. Variance B. Standard deviation C. Sum of squares D. Range

A. Variance

The statement, "100 college-aged students participated in a study examining the relationship between gender and depression," is an example of a(n) ________________________ A. Population B. Sample C. Inferential statistic D. Descriptive statistic

B. Sample

Hsee and Tang (2007) reported the results of a study?????? happiness scale (from 1 to 7) just before taking a midterm exam. On this scale, 1 corresponded to very unhappy and 7 to very happy. On average, the students rated their happiness as a 6.18. In this study, which of these would require an inferential statistic? A. The average rating of happiness at 6.18 B. The conclusion that college students, on average, are rather happy prior to taking midterm exams. C. The 195 college students who completed the happiness scale D. The conclusion that these 195 college students are rather happy prior to taking this midterm exam

B. The conclusion that college students, on average, are rather happy prior to taking midterm exams.

All other things being equal, as the sample size increases, what happens to the critical value for a related samples t-test (or for any t-test, for that matter) A. The critical value does not change B. The critical value decreases C. It depends on the value of the test statistic D. The critical value increases

B. The critical value decreases

A researcher asks a sample of brothers and sisters to rate how positive their family environment was during childhood. In this study, the difference in ratings between each brother and sister pair were compared. The type of design described here is called a: A. Repeated measures design B. Matched samples design C. Repeated measures ANOVA D. Both repeated measures and match samples designs

B. Matched samples design

The _____________ is the sum of all scores (in a sample or a population) divided by the number of scores. A. Median B. Mean C. Mode D. Range

B. Mean

The ___________ is the value that occurs most often or at the highest frequency in a distribution. A. Mean B. Mode C. Median D. Range

B. Mode

In a student election, five people run for student body president. The votes are tailed to create a list of candidates from most popular to least popular. The number of votes is then removed so that the candidates are only presented from most to least popular. In this example, it is a(n) ___________ variable. A. Interval B. Ordinal C. Ratio D. Nominal

B. Ordinal

The Beck Depression Inventory scale is intended to measure depression levels, with higher scores indicating higher levels of depression. If the Beck test is a valid measure of depression, we would expect that: A. A person's score on the inventory would not be related to his or her level of depression B. People who get higher scores on their inventory would be more depressed than people who get lower scores C. The results of the inventory could not be consistently replicated D. People who get higher scores on the inventory would be more depressed than people who get lower scores

B. People who get higher scores on their inventory would be more depressed than people who get lower scores

In a normal standard curve, approximately ____________ percent of scores fall within 2 standard deviations from the mean A. 68 B. 95 C. 48 D. 34

B. 95

A variable for which there are an infinite number of values between and two points on the scale is: A. A discrete variable B. A confounding variable C. A ratio variable D. A continuous variable

B. A confounding variable

Which of the following is consistent with the empirical rule? A. 99.7% of all scores lie within 3 standard deviations of the mean B. All of these C. 68% of all scores lie within 1 standard deviations of the mean D. 95% of all scores lie within 2 standard deviations of the mean

B. All of these

Which of the following is a type of graphical display often used to summarize qualitative, discrete data? A. Histogram B. Bar plot C. Scatter plot D. Mosaic plot

B. Bar plot

Which measure of effect size is most commonly reported with a t-test? A. Omega-squared (w^2) B. Coehn's d C. Eta-squared (n^2) D. T-statistic

B. Coehn's d

A key difference between a t-statistic and a z-statistic is that the standard error is ___________ to compute a t-statistic A. Removed B. Estimated C. Replaced D. Placed in the numerator

B. Estimated

Random assignment refers to a situation in which: A. The experimenter randomly determines whether to use a single-blind or double-blind B. Every participant in the study has a equal chance of being assigned to any confidential level of the independent variable C. Every person in the study has an equal chance of being selected for participation in the study D. Participants self-select into a particular condition in the study

B. Every participant in the study has a equal chance of being assigned to any confidential level of the independent variable

A Type 1 error is a __________ as a Type 2 error is to a ____________ A. True negative; true positive B. False positive; false negative C. False negative; false positive D. True positive; true negative

B. False positive; false negative

A weight-management researcher was interested in whether the size of a person's breakfast could deter overall food consumption throughout the rest of the day. Because of the detailed attention needed to accurately interview participants about their eating, he works with the high-calorie group and has his assistant interview the low-calorie group. What is the independent variable in this study? A. Weight loss experienced in the day B. The low- and high-calorie breakfasts C. The calories consumed D. The researcher conducting the interviews

B. The low- and high-calorie breakfasts

A person with a z-score of 0 would have a raw score equal to: A. The lowest score in the distribution of raw scores B. The mean of the distribution of raw scores C. The highest score in the distribution of raw scores D. Zero

B. The mean of the distribution of raw scores

A(n) ____________is a level of the ___________ that receives a manipulation A. Independent variable; experimental group B. experimental group; independent variable C. Independent variable; control group D. Control group; independent variable

B. experimental group; independent variable

The __________ level is the probability used to determine the critical values, or cutoffs, in hypothesis testing A. Z B. O C. P D. M

C. P

A cumulative percentage summary that indicates the percentage of scores at or below a given value is called a: A. Cumulative frequency B. Relative frequency C. Percentile rank D. Relative percentage

C. Percentile rank

A(n) ___________ is the percentage of scores with values that fall below a specified score in a distribution A. Relative frequency B. Percentile point C. Percentile rank D. Interval

C. Percentile rank

The z-distribution __________ has a meaning of __________ A. Sometimes; 0 B. Sometimes; 1 C. Always; 0 D. Always; 1

C. Always; 0

One rejects the null hypothesis when the test statistic falls in which area if the distribution? A. Region of determination B. Critical value C. Critical region D. Probability region

C. Critical region

Which of the following is an example of a distribution with no variability? A. Distribution A: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 B. DIstribution B: 3, 3, 3, 3, 33, and 3 C. Distribution C: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, and 5 D. Distribution D: 3, 5, 4, 4, 5, and 3

C. Distribution C: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, and 5

In a study of the effects of humor on memory, Stephen Schmidt (1994) had participants read either humorous sentences or non-humorous sentences; he later tested the participants memory for the sentences. Identify the null hypothesis for the study. A. There is no difference in memory for humorous and non-humorous sentences B. Participants have a poor memory for all of the sentences C. Humorous sentences are better remembered than non-humorous sentences D. Participants remember, on average, 3.5 sentences

C. Humorous sentences are better remembered than non-humorous sentences

Bar plots are similar to histograms, except: A. The bar plot summarizes quantitative data B. The bar plot summarizes continuous data C. The bar displayed in the graph do not touch D. All of the above

C. The bar displayed in the graph do not touch

An elementary school teacher is researching the relation between sugar consumption and activity level in preschool children. The teacher gives 30 preschool children 0 milligrams, 20 milligrams, or 50 milligrams of sugar (sucrose) in a breakfast drink. She then observes their behaviors for 30 minutes during their morning outdoor play period, coding their activity level. What is the dependent variable in this example? A. All preschool children B. The amount of sucrose C. The preschool children D. Activity level

D. Activity level

Which of the following is an advantage for selecting related samples compared to selecting independent samples in behavioral research? A. Selecting related samples can be more practical B. Selecting related samples minimizes standard error C. Selecting related samples increases power D. All of these are correct

D. All of these are correct

A statement that postulates that two populations are different from one another is a(n) __________ hypothesis. A. Null B. Illusory C. Control D. Alternative

D. Alternative

The outcome variable that we would expect to change with changes in the independent variable is the ______________ varible A. Independent B. Scale C. Confounding D. Dependent

D. Dependent

The mean would best be used to describe which of the following variables? A. Model of a car B. Rankings C. Gender D. Distance traveled (in miles)

D. Distance traveled (in miles)

Why do researchers typically study samples rather than populations? A. Entire populations are too variable to study B. Samples are more representative than their respective populations C. Results obtained from a sample are more accurate than results based on a population D. Entire populations can be too costly to study or impossible to access

D. Entire populations can be too costly to study or impossible to access

Grouped data are distributed into _________________, whereas ungrouped data are distributed into __________________. A. Categories; Intervals B. Intervals; Statistics C. Statistics; Intervals D. Intervals; Categories

D. Intervals; Categories

Inferential statistics allows researchers to: A. Summarize data observations for a sample B. Summarize numerical observations for a population C. Make inferences about a sample of interest given observations taken on a larger population D. Make inferences about a population of interest given observations taken on a smaller sample

D. Make inferences about a population of interest given observations taken on a smaller sample

A medical researcher interested in asthma symptoms wanted to know how symptoms were affected in dry vs. humid conditions. The researchers recruited 18 asthma patients to spend four weeks under two conditions: 1) sleeping with a dehumidifier for two weeks to create a "dry" environment and 2) sleeping with a humidifier for the remaining two weeks to create a "humid" environment. Patients were asked to rate their symptoms at regular intervals using a scale from "0=No symptoms" to "20=Maximum asthma symptoms." The change in asthma symptoms from dry to humid conditions was mean 5.82, showing a reduction of symptoms in humid conditions. What was the descriptive statistic in this study? A. Eighteen asthma patients B. Four weeks, with two under each condition C. The two sleeping conditions: 1) dry, 2) humid D. Mean change in responses on the scale of 5.82 on average

D. Mean change in responses on the scale of 5.82 on average

The _____________ is the middle value in a distribution of scores that are listed in ascending order. A. Range B. Mean C. Mode D. Median

D. Median

Variables are: A. The value, attitudinal, or behavioral characteristics for a given individual B. Specific values (in whole numbers) that represent an individual's category membership C. Hypothetical ideas that have been developed to describe and explain human behavior D. Observations of physical, attitudinal, or behavioral characteristics that can take on different values

D. Observations of physical, attitudinal, or behavioral characteristics that can take on different values

A researcher conducts a study measuring the obesity rate in a small community to the known obesity rate in the US. Assuming that the population variance is unknown, what type of t-test is appropriate for this study? A. One-way ANOVA B. There is not enough information to answer C. Two-independent samples t-test D. One-sample t-test

D. One-sample t-test

The median would best be used to describe which of the following variables A. Gender B. Ethnicity C. Brand name D. Rankings

D. Rankings

A research design in which participants are observed more than once is called a: A. Both matched pairs and matched samples designs B. Matched pairs design C. Matched samples design D. Repeated measures design

D. Repeated measures design

Which type of mean is used to describe a portion of individuals in a given population? A. Restricted mean B. Trimmed mean C. Population mean D. Sample mean

D. Sample mean

Which of the following is the best explanation for why the standard deviation is almost always reported with the mean? A. This is not true; the standard deviation is rarely reported with the mean B. The standard deviation is also a measure of central tendency, so it is important to report this value with the mean C. The mean and standard deviation estimate basically the same thing, so these values are typically reported together D. The standard deviation measures the spread of scores from the mean, so it is important to know both the mean and the standard deviation, when presenting data

D. The standard deviation measures the spread of scores from the mean, so it is important to know both the mean and the standard deviation, when presenting data

A correlation measures the relationship between (among) _______ or more variables. A. Three B. Four C. Five D. Two

D. Two

The phrase "statistically significant" means that the research result was: A. Not important B. Likely due to chance C. True D. Unlikely to have occurred by chance

D. Unlikely to have occurred by chance

The estimated standard error in the t-statistic uses the ____________ to estimate the ____________ when the population variance is unknown A. Population variance; sample variance B. Degrees of freedom; sample size C. Standard error; sample variance D. sample variance; population variance

D. sample variance; population variance