Psychology 220

Non experimental Method

Use of measurement of variables to determine whether variables are related to one another. Also called correlational method.

Empiricism

Use of objective, verifiable observations to answer questions and draw conclusions.

Extraneous Variable

Variables in a study other than the variables being investigated. Also see Third Variable.

Participant Variables

A characteristic of the research participant such as gender, age, personality, or ability.

Experimental Method

A method of determining whether variables are related, in which the researcher manipulates the independent variable and controls all other variables either by randomization or by direct experimental control.

Curvilinear Relationship

A relationship in which changes in the values of the first variable are accompanied by both increases and decreases in the values of another variable.

Negative Linear Relationship

A relationship in which increases in the values of the first variable are accompanied by decreases in the values of the second variable.

Positive Linear Relationship

A relationship in which increases in the values of the first variable are accompanied by increases in the values of the second variable.

Theory

A systematic, coherent, and logical set of ideas about a particular topic or phenomenon that serves to organize and explain data and generate new knowledge.

Confounding Variable

A variable that is not controlled in a research investigation. In an experiment, the experimental groups differ on both the independent variable and the confounding variable.

Literature Reviews

A written summary and evaluation of the existing literature on a specific topic.

Meta-Analysis

An analytics technique that allows researchers to draw statistical conclusions from multiple studies of a single research question.

Field Experiment

An experiment that is conducted in a natural setting rather than in a laboratory setting.

Correlation Coefficient

An index of how strongly two variables are related to each other.

True Score

An individual's actual score on a variable being measured, as opposed to the score the individual obtained on the measure itself.

Variable

Any event, situation, behavior, or individual characteristic that varies—that is, has at least two values.

Randomization

Controlling for the effects of extraneous variables by ensuring that the variables operate in a manner determined entirely by chance.

Operational Definition

Definition of a concept that specifies the method used to measure or manipulate the concept.

Experimental Control

Eliminating the influence of an extraneous variable on the outcome of an experiment by keeping the variable constant in the experimental and control groups.

Third-Variable

In descriptions of the relationship between two variables, a third variable is any other variable that is extraneous to the two variables of interest. True experiments control for the possible influence of third variables.

Alternative Explanations

Part of causal inference; a potential alternative cause of an observed relationship between variables.

Covariation of Cause and Effect

Part of causal inference; observing that a change in one variable is accompanied by a change in a second variable.

Temporal Precedence

Part of causal inference; the cause occurs before the effect.

Program Evaluation

Research designed to assess procedures (e.g., social reforms, innovations) that are designed to produce certain changes or outcomes in a target population.

Internal Validity

The certainty with which results of an experiment can be attributed to the manipulation of the independent variable rather than to some other, confounding variable.

Reliability

The degree to which a measure is consistent.

External Validity

The degree to which the results of an experiment may be generalized.

Construct Validity

The extent to which an operational definition of a variable accurately reflects underlying theoretical variable. Applies to both measured and manipulated variable. In the context of measurement, the degree to which a measurement device accurately measures the theoretical construct it is designed to measure.

Falsifiability

The principle that a good scientific idea or theory should be capable of being shown to be false when tested using scientific methods.

Peer Review

The process of judging the scientific merit of research through review by other scientists with the expertise to evaluate the research.

Pseudoscience

The use of seemingly scientific terms and demonstrations to substantiate claims that have no basis in scientific research.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is the subject's response to, and dependent on, the level of the manipulated independent variable.

Which one of the following journal article titles most likely represents an example of a basic research study? a. "The effect of self awareness on a cognitive reasoning task" b. "Buying behavior: The influence of item shelf placement in retail grocery stores" c. "Increasing knowledge of dangers in the home: A tri-state phone survey" d. "A peer tutoring program as a method to increase cultural sensitivity"

a. "The effect of self awareness on a cognitive reasoning task"

Which section of the research article summarizes the hypothesis, the procedure, results, and discussion usually in 120 words or less? a. Abstract b. Introduction c. Method d. Results

a. Abstract

A researcher asks male and female college students to rate the quality of the food offered in the cafeteria versus the food offered in the vending machines. Which one of the following is a participant variable? a. Gender of the participant b. Quality ratings c. The type of food offered d. All of these

a. Gender of the participant

When increases in the values of one variable are associated with increases in the values of a second variable, what type of relationship is present? a. Positive linear b. No relationship c. Negative linear d. Curvilinear

a. Positive linear

The American Psychological Association computer database that stores the contents of Psychological Abstracts is: a. PsycINFO. b. Psychological Abstracts. c. Social Science Citation Index. d. None of these

a. PsycINFO.

Which one of the following statements would be appropriate for the discussion section of a research report? a. The present findings suggest that evaluation of the seriousness of an alcohol-related crash may be influenced by the severity of the injuries received by the victim. b. The participants read an account of an alcohol-related crash in which a victim received mild or severe injuries. c. Drivers who had consumed alcohol had their license suspended an average of six months compared to one month for those who had consumed coffee. d. The average age of participants was 18.7 years.

a. The present findings suggest that evaluation of the seriousness of an alcohol-related crash may be influenced by the severity of the injuries received by the victim.

A researcher had participants eat the same flavored ice cream packaged in a round or square carton. The participants then indicated how much they liked the ice cream. The dependent variable is: a. ice cream rating. b. gender of the participant. c. shape of the carton. d. flavor of the ice cream.

a. ice cream rating.

The problem with using intuition to make conclusions about human behavior is that: a. it is easy to draw erroneous conclusions because our biases affect our perceptions. b. intuitions are never correct, contrary to what people believe. c. it rarely leads to meaningful insight. d. None of these.

a. it is easy to draw erroneous conclusions because our biases affect our perceptions.

A general rule to help detect seudoscience is to be highly ______ when scientific assertions are made by evidence that is _____. a. skeptical; vague b. convinced; vague c. skeptical; reputable d. convinced; reputable

a. skeptical; vague

In which section of a research article would a reader find a description of what was done in the past and why the present study is being conducted? a. Abstract b. Introduction c. Method d. Results e. Discussion

b. Introduction

Which section of a research article includes a description of exactly how the study was designed and conducted? a. Introduction b. Method c. Results d. Discussion

b. Method

People are likely to believe information presented by a speaker who is seen as prestigious, trustworthy, and credible because of a reliance on: a. intuition. b. authority. c. pseudoscientific information. d. informational bias.

b. authority.

A(n) ______ is a statement about the expected relationship between variables. A(n) ______ is a statement about the outcome of a particular experiment. a. prediction; hypothesis b. hypothesis; prediction c. educated guess; law d. law; educated guess

b. hypothesis; prediction

Mr. McDonald finds the lower the price of hamburgers in his restaurant, the more hamburgers he sells. This relationship can best be identified as a _____ relationship. a. positive linear b. negative linear c. curvilinear d. dependent

b. negative linear

When the results of an experiment are consistent with a prediction developed from a theory, we conclude that the theory is: a. proven true. b. supported by the results. c. less likely to be true. d. neither supported nor challenged by the results.

b. supported by the results.

A major problem with using Internet search engines such as Google as a method of obtaining research information is: a. they are difficult to use. b. the credibility of the source and accuracy of the information may be questionable. c. it is too expensive to use. a. All of these

b. the credibility of the source and accuracy of the information may be questionable.

Which one of the following is NOT true of the scientific approach? a. All propositions must be subjected to empirical tests. b. The methods used to gather scientific evidence should be critically evaluated. c. Anything reported by a scientist should be assumed to be accurate. d. Scientific methods and evidence must be described in precise terms.

c. Anything reported by a scientist should be assumed to be accurate.

The experimental method eliminates the third-variable problem by: a. keeping extraneous variables constant. b. randomly assigning participants to groups. c. Both A and B d. Neither A nor B

c. Both A and B

Which one of the following would not be found when you search the PsycINFO abstracting system? a. Author and title of journal article b. Journal reference c. Complete article d. Brief description of contents

c. Complete article

When increases in the values of one variable are associated with both increases and decreases in the values of a second variable, what type of relationship is present? a. Positive linear b. Confounded c. Curvilinear d. Negative linear

c. Curvilinear

Which of the following goals of science is most important for changing behavior? a. Description b. Prediction c. Determination of cause d. Explanation

c. Determination of cause

A researcher finds that people who own more than two cars have bigger homes, more garage space, and make more money than people who own only one or two cars. The researcher's inference that having more than two cars causes people to have homes with bigger garages is lacking which type of causal evidence? a. Temporal precedence b. Covariation of cause and effect c. Elimination of alternative explanations d. Economic instability

c. Elimination of alternative explanations

In what sense does basic research benefit society? a. It keeps scientists employed. b. Its purpose is to provide practical solutions to society's problems. c. It provides knowledge which may be of value at a later time. d. None of these.

c. It provides knowledge which may be of value at a later time.

Which of the following characteristics is true of pseudoscience? a. The hypotheses are testable. b. claims rigorously consider conflicting evidence. c. claims are stated in scientific-sounding terminology and ideas. d. claims are always revised.

c. claims are stated in scientific-sounding terminology and ideas.

The distinction between basic research and applied research is that basic research _____, while applied research _____. a. relies more heavily on the fundamental sciences such as chemistry or biology; relies more heavily on the social sciences such as psychology or sociology b. relies more heavily on the social sciences such as psychology or sociology; relies more heavily on the fundamental sciences such as chemistry or biology c. concentrates on fundamental questions often of a theoretical nature; concentrates on identifying and resolving practical problems d. concentrates on identifying and resolving practical problems; concentrates on fundamental questions often of a theoretical nature

c. concentrates on fundamental questions often of a theoretical nature; concentrates on identifying and resolving practical problems

The scientific meaning of the term "theory" is: a. essentially the same as a hypothesis. b. valid only if the theory can be proven. c. grounded in data from prior research. d. "just an idea."

c. grounded in data from prior research.

The empirical approach to science requires that: a. ideas based on intuition not be examined. b. only knowledge presented by an authority figure be deemed correct. c. knowledge be based on observations. d. All of these.

c. knowledge be based on observations.

The more people in a group that perform a behavior, the more likely a person is to also perform the behavior because it is the "norm" of behavior. This interpretation of group behavior as the "norm" is an example of a _____ variable. a. reliable b. conceptual c. mediating d. operational

c. mediating

Which of the following is least true of an operational definition? It a. allows the researcher to translate the variable into specific techniques used to measure or manipulate a variable. b. forces the researcher to discuss abstract concepts in concrete terms. c. prevents others from replicating one's results. d. allows a variable to be studied empirically.

c. prevents others from replicating one's results.

The advantage of employing the scientific approach over other ways of knowing about the world is that it: a. allows scientists to show that the explanations we make for the actions we observe are always correct. b. allows one to rule out intuition and authority as sources of ideas about behavior. c. provides an objective set of rules for gathering, evaluating, and reporting information. d. allows scientists the opportunity to show the public their findings are always correct.

c. provides an objective set of rules for gathering, evaluating, and reporting information.

You have just read an article in a popular magazine that stated, "People who jog live longer than people who don't jog." As a scientist, you would probably: a. begin jogging. b. accept the statement as true. c. want to see the study that lead to this conclusion. d. None of these.

c. want to see the study that lead to this conclusion.

Which one of the following journal-article titles most likely represents an applied research study? a. "Measurement of reaction times to different colored lights" b. "The influence of a food reward on maze running behavior in kittens" c. "Cognitive factors influencing logical reasoning" d. "Increasing recycling of styrofoam containers: A test at an amusement park"

d. "Increasing recycling of styrofoam containers: A test at an amusement park"

Which one of the following would NOT be found in the introduction of a research report? a. A review of a theory relevant to the research b. A prediction about the results c. A summary of past research d. A description of how participants were selected and assigned to groups

d. A description of how participants were selected and assigned to groups

A researcher observed that people who have a large number of pets also live in houses with more bathrooms than people with fewer pets. Which of the following conclusions might be correct? a. Having a large number of bathrooms causes people to buy more pets. b. Having many pets causes people to buy houses with several bathrooms. c. Some other variable may cause people to buy larger houses and to have more pets. d. All of these

d. All of these

A theory: a. helps organize and explain specific facts. b. guides our observations of the world. c. is used to generate research hypotheses. d. All of these

d. All of these

An operational definition of the variable "anxiety" might be: a. a physiological measure of sweating. b. the score on the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale. c. the number of "um's" and "ah's" in a person's speech. d. All of these

d. All of these

Peer review is an important process in scientific research because it: a. assures that only the best research is published. b. ensures that research with major flaws will not be part of the scientific literature. c. assures that the best ideas are supported by research and allows others to build upon the research, further advancing that field of study. d. All of these.

d. All of these.

Which section of a research article includes the interpretation of a study's findings? a. Introduction b. Method c. Results d. Discussion

d. Discussion

In which section of a research article would a reader find a description of the findings using statistical language? a. Abstract b. Introduction c. Method d. Results e. Discussion

d. Results

To find out how many authors have cited a particular article in the years since it was published, you would consult: a. Psychological Abstracts. b. Annual Review of Psychology. c. Psychological Bulletin. d. Social Science Citation Index.

d. Social Science Citation Index.

To assess the strength of relationship between beer sales and outdoor temperatures, Adolph would want to: a. sell beer only on cold days. b. sell beer only on hot days. c. stop selling beer. d. calculate a correlation coefficient.

d. calculate a correlation coefficient.

When a researcher manipulates temperature of a room in order to examine the effect it has on task performance, the different temperature conditions are referred to as the _____ of the variable. a. subjects b. responses c. reliability d. levels

d. levels

A relationship in which the direction of the relationship changes direction at least once is called a: a. direct b. linear c. monotonic d. nonmonotonic

d. nonmonotonic

The process of clearly identifying how a variable is measured or manipulated is referred to as the _______ of the variable. a. reliability b. validity c. level d. operational definition

d. operational definition

A newspaper reports the results of a correlational study suggesting that an increase in the amount of violence watched on TV by children may be responsible for an increase in the amount of playground aggressiveness they display. However, the parents' aggression may actually be responsible for the increase in playground aggression. In this example, the confounding variable would be the: a. amount of TV watched. b. amount of playground aggression. c. newspaper report. d. parents' aggression.

d. parents' aggression.