Research/Statistics Questions (NCE)

A researcher wants to take a survey of public opinion on the topic "Do portrayals of gay and lesbian characters in television and movies influence attitudes of tolerance toward gay and lesbian people in rural America". In developing the questionnaire, the researcher must be careful that the questionnaire reflects_____________. a. Reliability b. Ethical responsibility c. Construct validity d. Discriminate evidence

c. Construct validity Construct validity ensures that the actual research, experiment, or data collection process conforms to theory that is actually being studied. It is important that the researcher creates a questionnaire that is directly related to theory or the topic being researched.

A research project involves the weight measurement of test subjects. Researchers want to be sure that the scales will do the job of measuring the subject's weight in terms of the intention of the research. The researchers are concerned with test_________: a. evidence b. correlation c. validity d. reliability

c. validity Validity tells how well the test does the job. Does the instrument (scale) measure what it is intended to measure? Researchers are always going to be concerned with the test instrument's reliability and the test instrument's validity.

An experiment usually has three kinds of _______________. a. researchers b. hypothesis c. variables d. validity

c. variables An experiment will usually have three kinds of variables; independent, dependent and controlled variables. The independent variable is controlled and manipulated by the researcher; the dependent variable is the variable that is being measured in the experiment and the controlled variable is the variable that remains constant during the experiment.

In a normal distribution ______________ % of scores will be within 1 standard deviation of the mean and ______________% will be within 2 standard deviations of the mean. a. 99.74 - 95.44 b. 95.44 - 68.26 c. 68.26 - 99.74 d. 68.26 - 95.44

d. 68.26 - 95.44 In a normal distribution, 68.26% of the scores will fall within one standard deviation of the mean and 95.44% will fall within two standard deviations of the mean.

Researchers have been observing youths for many years and believe that feelings of isolation and loneliness have increased since the mainstream use of the internet began in the late 1990s. They want to test the null hypothesis that no such change occurred over this time period to the present time. Researchers propose the following statement: "The use of the internet has contributed to increased feelings of isolation and loneliness in youth." What is this? a. Corollary b. Theorem c. Narrative fallacy d. Alternative hypothesis

d. Alternative hypothesis The alternative hypothesis states an actual expectation. It is what the researcher is attempting to demonstrate in an indirect way. If the null hypothesis is rejected, then the alternative hypothesis is accepted.

Which of the following is a hypothesis? a. A law b. An over-exaggeration c. Proof supporting a proposition d. An educated guess

d. An educated guess A hypothesis is an educated guess or proposed explanation based on limited evidence to explain phenomena. A hypothesis is a catalyst to further research or experimentation in order to test the hypothesis.

The probability level of 0.05 means: a. That if you do the experiment 100 times, 95 of 100 times you will get the same results b. 95% of the participants will benefit from the experiment c. There is a 5% chance of the differences between the control and experimental groups being due to chance d. Both a and c

d. Both a and c If your probability value is less than 0.05, it is said to be "statistically significant."

A researcher completes his study and finds that decreases in the number of reported close friends are tied to increasing rates of depression in adolescent males. When he writes his report, he notes the relationship between the variables, but adds that this does not necessarily suggest that the depression is a direct result of few friendships. This represents which of the following: a. Occam's Razor b. Falsifiability c. Replicability d. Correlation versus causation

d. Correlation versus causation A correlation between two variables does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. Occam's Razor doesn't really apply because we don't know for certain that the simplest answer is the correct one.

A ____ study examines multiple people of differing ages at once, while a _____ study examines the same study participants at different points of time. a. Longitudinal; developmental b. Developmental; Longitudinal c. Longitudinal; Cross-Sectional d. Cross-Sectional; Longitudinal

d. Cross-Sectional; Longitudinal A cross-sectional study looks at multiple people of differing ages at once. A longitudinal study follows the same group of people over time. Both are types of developmental research.

Which scale has no true zero point and cannot rank order variables? a. Ordinal b. Ratio c. Interval d. Nominal

d. Nominal Nominal scales can provide labels only. There is no ability to compare or quantify the variables. Interval scales offer equality of units, as do ratio scales.

Many argue that the concept of research dates back as far as: a. 400 BC b. 1850s c. 1920 d. 1950

a. 400 BC The idea of using research to determine correlations and causations dates back to Aristotle.

What is the median of the following data set: 41, 50, 33, 8, 75? a. 41 b. 50 c. 33 d. 8

a. 41

A positively-skewed distribution looks like: a. A "hill" on the left of the graph and a long 'tail' on the right b. A "hill" on the right of the graph and a long 'tail' on the left c. A bell curve d. A flattened bell curve

a. A "hill" on the left of the graph and a long 'tail' on the right A positively-skewed distribution occurs when there is a grouping on the left of the scale, and the 'tail' points right, in a positive direction. A negatively-skewed distribution has its 'tail' pointing left.

You are studying the effect of a particular medication, at different doses, on the symptoms of depression. Medication doses are: a. An independent variable b. A dependent variable c. A confounding variable d. An extraneous variable

a. An independent variable variable that is manipulated, i.e. changing doses in this case.

Standard deviation means: a. How many scores vary from the average score b. How many negative scores versus positive scores c. How much data falls outside of normal distribution d. The measure of width of the bell curve

a. How many scores vary from the average score The standard deviation is an indication of how tightly data is clustered around the mean or "average" set of data in a bell curve. In a bell curve, if most of the data represents a normal distribution and are tightly bunched together the bell curve is steep and the standard deviation (or distance between) is relative small. If the data is more spread out and the bell curve is flat, that means that the standard deviation (distance between) is relatively large. A large standard of deviation means that your data probably includes a wide range of values.

A Type I error: a. Is when the researcher rejects the null hypothesis when the null hypothesis is true b. Is when the researcher accepts the null hypothesis when the null hypothesis is false c. Is a beta error d. None of the above

a. Is when the researcher rejects the null hypothesis when the null hypothesis is true Answer b describes a Type II error. A Type II error is also called a beta error; while a Type I error is called an alpha error.

Your client tells you he has a PhD in pharmacy. You know that people with higher education levels tend to end up in jail less than those with lower educational levels. This is an example of a: a. Negative correlation b. Positive correlation c. Paired correlation d. There is no correlation

a. Negative correlation Negative correlation occurs when variables are inversely related, and one variable moves in one direction with the second variable moving in the opposite direction. There is no such thing as a "paired correlation" and there is indeed a correlation (i.e. relationship pattern) here, even though they are inversely related.

In a double-blind study: a. Neither the researchers nor the research subject knows what treatment the research subject is receiving b. The researcher knows, but the research subject does not c. The researcher does not know, but the research subject does d. Both the researchers and the research subject know which research treatment the research subject is receiving

a. Neither the researchers nor the research subject knows what treatment the research subject is receiving In a double-blind study, both parties are blind. In a single-blind study, one party (usually the researcher) knows what treatment the research subject is receiving.

Which type of variables are the following: race, color, gender and city? a. Nominal b. Ordinal c. Ratio d. Interval

a. Nominal Nominal variables allow us to categorize and classify, but do not us to rank or compare them, as with ordinal and interval variables, respectively.

A researcher is studying a group of preschoolers in the afternoon after their nap from the corner of the room. The preschoolers are very much aware of the guest in the classroom and are absolutely fixated on her presence. In order to prevent the Hawthorne Effect, the researcher should have: a. Observed the students from behind the two-way mirror in the observation room b. Scheduled to observe students in the morning instead of the afternoon c. Introduced herself as a parent and interact with the students d. Ask the teachers to answer a questionnaire about student behavior at the end of the day

a. Observed the students from behind the two-way mirror in the observation room If the researcher wants to prevent the Hawthorne Effect, she will have to observe the students from behind a two-way mirror in the observation room in order to witness them in their natural environment. The Hawthorne Effect says that when subjects are being observed or monitored that they will react by improving or modifying their behavior which prevents the observer from witnessing the subject's natural behavior in their organic environment.

Studying behavior under controlled conditions to test a hypothesis, looking at cause and effect and making predictions is called: a. Quantitative research b. Qualitative research c. Subjective research d. Parsimonious research

a. Quantitative research Quantitative research involves being very objective, creating controls and

Which of the following is not a measure of central tendency? a. Range b. Mean c. Median d. Mode

a. Range Range is not a measure of central tendency; it is a measure of variability, along with standard deviation. Mean, median and mode are the measures of central tendency.

Which of the following is not a type of sampling used in research? a. Selected b. Cluster c. Quota d. Random

a. Selected Selected sampling is not a type of sampling used in research. Cluster sampling is used to in situations when it is not possible to find a list of all possible participants. Quota sampling is used a specific number of cases is necessary and random sampling allows that each member of the population has equal chance of being included in the study.

A researcher is working with a group of "emotional eaters" to test a hypothesis that, "The subjects who incorporate daily meditation lose more weight than people who do not." The researchers had to order a brand new scale to measure subjects during the research because the old scale broke. Now the researchers are concerned about the accuracy of the new scale. The researchers are concerned about: a. Test reliability b. Correlation coefficients c. Z- scores d. Criterion-related validity

a. Test reliability The researchers are concerned with the reliability of the test instruments ability to measure consistently - the reliability of the new scale to measure weight accurately each and every time. There is already an unsystematic error as result of the unexpected breaking of the original scales. The researchers are realistic to be concerned about the new scale, especially if it measures one or two pounds off than the original scale. Researchers are always concerned with the reliability of their test instruments. Reliability means consistency. No assessment instrument is perfect but reliability is an indicator of how consistent a test instrument is in research.

A group of student researchers are struggling to achieve parsimony in order to report their research findings. Parsimony means: a. The easiest and simplest explanation b. The most thorough and detailed explanation c. A general theoretical explanation d. A succinct and systematic explanation

a. The easiest and simplest explanation In research, researchers strive to achieve the easiest, simplest and least complicated explanations of their research findings.

What are inferential statistics used for when studying populations? a. To make generalizations about populations b. To describe a group that is being studied c. To summarize data to show patterns d. To provide a measure of a spread of scores

a. To make generalizations about populations There are two types of statistics, descriptive and inferential. Descriptive statistics are used to describe the group that is being studied. Inferential statistics are techniques that allow us to make generalizations or inferences about a population by analyzing or observing a sample of that population. Researchers use the sample populations in order to make general assumptions about larger or the entire population that the sample represents.

The greater the emphasis on internal validity, the more research will be dominated by a majority culture bias. a. True b. False

a. True It is external validity, the ability for research results to be generalized to other people or settings, that reduces culture bias, not internal validity. Internal validity only addresses the quality of the study, or how well it was run.

In a qualitative research study, subjectivity is expected. a. True b. False

a. True Qualitative research studies relationships and patterns and often uses interviews and observations as tools, thus subjectivity is expected.

The A z score is the same as a standard deviation. a. True b. False

a. True The A z score or standard deviation describes how much a score deviates from the mean.

Setting the acceptable level of error too high can result in: a. Type I errors b. Type II error c. Both type I and type II errors d. None of the above

a. Type I errors Type I errors occur when the level of error is set too high. Conversely, Type II errors can occur if the level of error is lowered.

A researcher administered a questionnaire to a group of high school students. After collecting and reviewing the completed questionnaires the researcher noticed that a majority of the group of students did not follow the directions when filling out the questionnaire. This is an example of: a. Unsystematic error in the instrument b. Consequence of social learning theory c. True variance d. Reliability

a. Unsystematic error in the instrument Unsystematic errors in the instrument are unexpected or unknown influences that affect or vary results. This is the reason why most test manuals insist that directions are followed exactly the way they are written or prescribed so that everyone taking the test has the same understanding and interpretation to reduce the likelihood of error variance. Reliability is a pre-requisite to test validity. If a test has too many unsystematic errors then it will not be able to measure anything consistently.

The independent variable is plotted on the _____ axis. a. X b. Y c. T d. Z

a. X The independent variable is plotted on the x-axis and the dependent variable is plotted on the y-axis. T and Z are not axis but scores.

Type 1 error is to ______ as Type 2 error is to _______. a. alpha; beta b. beta; alpha c. null; void d. void; null

a. alpha; beta Type 1 error is also known as an alpha error and a type 2 error is known as a beta error. Both involve the null hypothesis. Type 1 errors reject the null when it is true. Type 2 errors accept the null when it is false.

In order to evaluate the impact of a particular medication on headaches, the investigators placed participants in 3 groups. The first group received no intervention. The second group received a pill, but it contained no actual medication. The third group received the medication. The first group is considered the _____________. a. control group b. experimental group c. independent variable group d. bias group

a. control group The first group received no intervention and therefore is the control group. Groups two and three each received a level of intervention and are experimental groups.

You look at study results and find four figures: -.3, -.8, .4, .7. Which number is associated with the strongest correlation? a. -.3 b. -.8 c. .4 d. .7

b. -.8 The negative sign does not indicate there was no correlation. It merely indicates that the correlation was negative.

Which of the following has the strongest correlation? a. .70 b. -.85 c. -.10 d. .25

b. -.85 The positive and negative signs do not reflect the strength of the correlation; merely whether the variables have a positive or a negative correlation.

What is the most common probability of making a Type 1 error? a. .01 b. .05 c. .10 d. .50

b. .05 If the researcher rejects the null hypothesis, he will be making an error 5% of the time.

What is the factorial notation for a problem where one variable has two aspects and a second variable has three aspects? a. 2x2x1 b. 2x3 c. 1x1 d. 2x2

b. 2x3 The factorial notation is written based on the number of aspects, or levels, for each variable.

What is the mean of: 33, 44, 43, 50, 29, 43, rounded to the nearest whole number? a. 43 b. 40 c. 21 d. 44

b. 40

What is the median of the following number set: 29, 33, 43, 44, 50? a. 44 b. 43 c. 21 d. 50

b. 43

What is the mode of the following number set: 33, 44, 43, 50, 29, 43? a. 44 b. 43 c. 21 d. 50

b. 43

Joannie is a part of a research experiment monitoring energy level and depression. She becomes pregnant and tells you that she has been very fatigued. Her tiredness is: a. A dependent variable b. An intervening variable c. A correlate d. All of the above

b. An intervening variable variables that may alter the outcome of a research experiment. They are difficult to control for. Other examples include motivation and boredom.

Several researchers want to propose a study that compares Hip Hop music as a contributing factor of misogynistic attitudes towards women by urban male youths. This type of study is called___________. a. Quantitative Experiment b. Correlational Research c. Observational Study d. Quasi Experiment

b. Correlational Research Correlational research is the study of how two or more things are closely related to each other or how one thing causes the other. A correlation is the relationship between two variables. For example: Hip Hop music (variable 1) and the misogynistic attitudes (variable 2) are compared against each other to see if there is a relationship or if one causes the other.

Correlation involves: a. Determining cause and effect b. Determining relationships between variables c. The manipulation of the independent variable d. The manipulation of the dependent variable

b. Determining relationships between variables Correlations reveal a relationship between two variables. With correlation, there is no manipulation of the independent variables. The variables are merely measured.

A counseling student is taking a course in "Counseling Appraisals." The student had total of four exams during the semester. The first exam he scored a 96; the second exam, 84; the third exam, 76; and the fourth exam a 94. You want to compare his final grade to other students in the class. How do you find the mean? a. By an educated guess b. Determining the average of his exam scores c. By dropping the lowest test score d. Grading on a curve

b. Determining the average of his exam scores You can determine this student's final grade by determining the average of his exam scores. By adding the four exam scores and dividing them by the number of exams equals the student's final grade "average" or mean. His final grade average or mean would be 87.5. You would check the distribution of the final averages of the other students and note whether the student's average is within normal distribution or lies above or below the mean.

Variance is the square root of standard deviation. a. True b. False

b. False Variance is standard deviation squared, and standard deviation is the square root of variance.

A null hypothesis: a. Hypothesizes a difference between the experimental group and the control group b. Hypothesizes that there is no difference between the experimental group and control group c. Is not a hypothesis d. None of the above

b. Hypothesizes that there is no difference between the experimental group and control group A null hypothesis refutes any difference between an experimental and a control group. An experimental hypothesis hypothesizes a difference between the two (answer a).

What is the middle value in a list of values in numerical order? a. Mean b. Median c. Mode d. Average

b. Median

What is the most common correlation coefficient? a. Spearman g b. Pearson r c. Spearman rho d. Factorial design

b. Pearson r It is used for interval and ratio data. The Spearman g is an intelligence measure. The Spearman rho is used for ordinal data measures. Factorial design is used to determine the effects of multiple independent variables.

Correlative studies have revealed that income increases with education level. This is an example of a: a. Negative correlation b. Positive correlation c. Paired correlation d. There is no correlation

b. Positive correlation A positive correlation exists when both variables move in the same direction; in this case, income rises as educational level rises.

_________ is theoretic in nature and is used to gain knowledge and understanding about a subject or individuals, groups, or populations. a. Hypothesis b. Psychological research c. Psychoanalytic Theory d. Psychological Dissonance

b. Psychological research Psychological research is theoretic in nature and is used to gain knowledge and understanding about a subject or individuals, groups, or populations. Research is the attempt to establish facts and or to reach a conclusion about something in a scientific or systematic manner. Research is the act and method of studying something as objectively, consistently, thoroughly and systematically as possible in order to increase knowledge or understanding of phenomena or behavior. The purpose of research is to gain awareness, knowledge and understanding. Psychological research does not necessarily serve as a treatment or a solution to resolve a problem.

A good example of normal distribution on a bell curve would be: a. Scores from a Strong Inventory b. Scores from an IQ Test c. Scores from a Projective Test d. Scores from a Free Choice Test

b. Scores from an IQ Test If scores from an IQ Test are given to a population where most of the population sample scores fall within the range of normal or middle range of intelligence, then only a few scores would fall either above normal as well as a few scores falling below normal.

A researcher wants to test a new drug for ADHD. He gives one patient the new drug and the other patient a simple sugar pill. The patient who took the sugar pill reports increased and better ability to focus and concentrate even though he was not given the new drug. This is an example of: a. The Hawthorne Effect b. The Placebo Effect c. Social Learning Theory d. Type II error

b. The Placebo Effect The placebo effect is when a researcher administers a fake treatment or an ineffective substance in order to compare the results to the actual test substance or treatment. When the subjects report that they were affected or experience improved results as a result of taking the unknowingly "fake treatment," it is referred to as the placebo effect or placebo response. During the placebo effect the subject believes in their mind that they received the actual treatment and therefore have unconsciously convinced themselves that the substance or treatment was effective and that they experienced improvements when in reality it was not effective because it was the fake substance or treatment and their mind only convinced them that it was.

What are the mode and mean of the following data set: 1, 8, 1, 9, 1, 4, 4? a. The mode is 9 and the mean is 4 b. The mode is 1 and the mean is 4 c. The mode is 4 and the mean is 9 d. The mode is 7 and the mean is 1

b. The mode is 1 and the mean is 4

ANOVA stands for: a. Analogy of Variance b. Another Version of An Assessment c. Analysis of Variance d. A Needs Variation Analogy

c. Analysis of Variance technique that allows a researcher to study more than two populations at a time. Where inference statistics allow a researcher to compare two populations, that same procedure cannot be applied to the study of three or more populations. The researcher would have to use ANOVA if they want to make multiple comparisons.

A researcher wants to distinguish his data by gender and assigns the numbers; 1 = males and 2 = females. This assignment is referred to as: a. Normal curve b. Normal distribution c. Norm-referenced instruments d. Nominal scale

d. Nominal scale A nominal scale is a scale of measurement that assigns numbers to name or represent an exclusive group. In this case, the researcher has assigned numbers to represent the variables in order to distinguish one gender group from another. Even though the researcher has assigned numbers to the two different gender groups, the numbers themselves hold no numerical value nor do they reflect any relationship to the variable.

Both the effects of a placebo and a nocebo are: a. Psychoanalytic b. Pathological c. Pre-meditated d. Psychogenic

d. Psychogenic The effects of a placebo and a nocebo are psychogenic, which means the results that the subjects report experiencing whether they were positive from the placebo or negative from the nocebo were caused not by the fake treatment or substance administered but by the psychological state of the subject.

In order to ethically conduct research with human subjects the researcher must first: a. Identify healthy viable candidates for research b. Raise money to offer human subjects a participation stipend c. Develop a survey to identify appropriate candidates for research d. Receive permission from the Institutional Review Board

d. Receive permission from the Institutional Review Board Before a researcher can conduct research or experiments on human subjects the researcher must obtain permission from an Institutional Review Board (IRB). An IRB or an Independent Ethics Committee or a Research Ethics Board, is a committee who is responsible for approving, monitoring and reviewing any social science research that involve human beings. The IRB will conduct a risk-benefit analysis of the proposed research in order to determine whether or not the research is appropriate and can move forward. The purpose of the IRB or Ethics Board is to review the process in order to assure that during the entire time of the research, the rights and welfare of all human participants are protected.

A researcher wants to study the effects of "sexual images in the media" and the negative impact on African-American male and female relationships. What is the operational variable? a. African-American Males b. African-American Females c. The hypothesis d. Sexual images in the media

d. Sexual images in the media "Sexual images in the media" is the operational variable. An operational value refers to how the researcher will define and measure the specific value used in the study. If the researcher is concerned about how sexual images in the media are negatively impacting relationships between African-American males and females, the researcher has to be clear about what he or she is identifying and defining as "Sexual images in the media." The researcher can describe "Sexual images in the media," as sexually charged and explicit images of heterosexual women, men and sex acts in film, television, radio, music and social media. The researcher will attempt to study how these operational variables negatively impact African-American male and female relationships.

The best way to prove the validity of research results is: a. To publish the results. b. To discount external factors. c. To show the lack of contradictory evidence. d. To have replicated studies achieve the same results.

d. To have replicated studies achieve the same results. The best way to prove the validity of research is to replicate the study. If the replicated study yields the same results as the original study, it can be concluded that the original research was valid.

In the Stanley Milgram studies, the 'learner' was ___________. a. the experimenter b. a research participant c. a decoy d. a confederate

d. a confederate Milgram's research on Obedience to Authority used a confederate as the learner. This allowed Milgram to have additional control over the experiment.

A researcher is attempting to determine if the color of a classroom facilitates reading. After she establishes a baseline reading score for each child, the reading area is painted in several classrooms. In this research, the independent variable is the _________ and the dependent variable is the _________. a. reading scores; color of the room b. reading scores; children c. color of the room; children d. color of the room; reading scores

d. color of the room; reading scores The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated and the dependent variable is the one that is measured. In this case, the independent variable is the color of the room and the dependent variable is the reading scores.

You administer a new set of test questions to 5 students in your Introduction to Psychology class and you discover that 5 of your questions have an item difficulty index of 1.0. This means that for those 5 items: a. no one answered the questions. b. no one answered the questions correctly. c. no two individuals answered the questions the same way. d. everyone answered the questions correctly.

d. everyone answered the questions correctly. Item difficulty index is determined by taking the number of test takers and dividing it by the number of correct answers for an item. In this example, 5 people took the test, 5 people answered correctly for each item, giving those 5 items an index of 1.0.

When a test reflects concurrent validity, the predictions or test results can be interpreted________________. a. in the future b. in the past c. in sequence d. immediately

d. immediately When a test reflects concurrent validity there is no time lag in prediction results. The results are produced immediately or can be interpreted in the here and now.

Median is to ______________ as mode is to ____________. a. barrier; type b. center; style c. divider; method d. middle; most

d. middle; most

Which of the following scores is considered a 'standard' score? a. f b. r c. t d. z

d. z The z-score is considered the standard score, reflecting the standard deviation. A t-score has a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10, and an f statistic is a relational measure to an ANOVA. "r" is not a score but a correlation coefficient.

Most scores on a distribution fall within ____ standard deviations. a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4

c. 3 Most scores fall within 3 standard deviations. Sixty-eight percent of scores will fall within 1 standard deviation and 95% of scores fall within 2 standard deviations. Ninety-nine percent of scores will fall within 3 standard deviations.

ANOVA is: a. A two-way analysis of the variance b. Used when more than one level of a single independent variable is used c. A one-way analysis of variance d. Both b and c

c. A one-way analysis of variance ANOVA refers to a one-way analysis. MANOVA is a two-way ANOVA.

Researchers are attempting to measure subjects for depression and suicidal risk. The researchers are creating an assessment instrument using questions regarding self-esteem. What risk do researchers have to be aware of? a. That subjects may be on medication which may impact their response to questions. b. The test may end up measuring self-esteem instead of depression and suicide risk. c. The test may cause suicide ideations. d. The subjects may not truthfully answer the test.

b. The test may end up measuring self-esteem instead of depression and suicide risk. The researchers run the risk that the test may end up measuring self-esteem instead of depression and suicide risk. This is true even though self-esteem may be a variable related to depression and suicide risk. A test instrument may measure something consistently but end up not measuring what it was designed to measure.

In 1940, Dr. Kenneth and Dr. Mamie Clark conducted the famous "Doll Experiment" which studied children's attitude about race. They published a research article on the subject in which over 60 years later modern-day researchers were able to duplicate the experiment. The ability to duplicate an experiment is based on: a. Researchers hearing about the prior experiment and being able to reproduce the experiment to the best of their ability. b. There being sufficient details reported in research journals to replicate procedures used in the original experiments. c. Experiments being simple enough that anyone can duplicate them. d. The ability of researchers to interview those who conducted the prior experiments.

b. There being sufficient details reported in research journals to replicate procedures used in the original experiments. Research articles should include enough detail for future researchers to be able to replicate the experimental procedures recorded in the original journals.

Dr. Buck's research has 2 independent variables. In order to complete his analysis, Dr. Buck will need to utilize a ____ ANOVA. a. One-way b. Two-way c. Three-way d. F statistic

b. Two-way For each independent variable in the study, the number of ANOVAs must match. A study with two independent variables requires a two-way ANOVA. Three independent variables require a three-way ANOVA. An F statistic is a component of ANOVA.

Which of the following words does not belong? a. Confounding b. Valid c. Extraneous d. Invalid

b. Valid Confounding and extraneous variables make research results invalid.

Researchers believe that video games contribute to violent attitudes in male youths. The ______________ states that there is absolutely no correlation between video games and violent attitudes in male youths. a. Social Learning Theory b. null hypothesis c. statistical analysis d. narrative fallacy

b. null hypothesis The null hypothesis is an essential part of any research design and is always meant to be tested whether directly or indirectly. It is when the researcher rejects or attempts to disprove or "nullify" a hypothesis. The null hypothesis is all about the prediction of a relationship between the variables. A null hypothesis predicts the absence of relationship between the variables (video games and violent attitudes). A researcher cannot reject a hypothesis without replacing it with an alternative hypothesis. The alternative hypothesis is what the researcher really believes might be going on.

Dr. Sing has produced exciting results in his first research study and he is anxious to see what his colleagues say. Two of his colleagues have attempted to repeat his research, but they have not reached the same conclusions. At the moment, Dr. Sing's study has poor______________. a. validity b. reliability c. outcomes d. veracity

b. reliability Dr. Sing's research is struggling with reliability, which if not resolved, will likely impact the validity of the study.

Which of the following is an acceptable probability level for tests in social science? a. 0.10 b. 0.001 c. 0.05 d. 0.20

c. 0.05 Having a probability level of 0.05 means that there is a five percent chance that the differences between the control and experimental groups are due to chance.

What is the range of the following number set: 33, 44, 43, 50, 29, 43? a. 43 b. 7 c. 21 d. 44

c. 21 50-29= 21.

You are currently researching your hypothesis that emotional intelligence plays a greater role in individual success than academic intelligence. You submit an assessment to a large group of 100 subjects. You now have 100 assessment scores and need to evaluate them. What is one thing that you must do? a. Figure out how many subjects dominate in the area of emotional intelligence. b. Figure out how many subjects dominate in the area of academic intelligence. c. Figure out what the measure of central tendency is for the scores. d. Figure out how many subjects have an equal amount of emotional intelligence and academic intelligence

c. Figure out what the measure of central tendency is for the scores. The first thing that you want to figure out is the measure of central tendency. The measure of central tendency is the measurement of data that tells you where the middle of the scores lies. There are three common measures of central tendency; the mean, the average of all the data combined; the median, the middle score in a distribution of scores; and the mode, the most frequent scores represented in the distribution of scores.

Which of the following is not a threat to internal validity? a. Maturation b. Instrument decay c. Generalizability d. Differential mortality

c. Generalizability Generalizability is an external validity concern, not an internal validity threat. All of the other answer choices are internal validity threats.

Which of the following are not included as a concept in deductive reasoning? a. Minor premise b. Obvious conclusion c. Medium premise d. Major premise

c. Medium premise Aristotle discussed the use of a major premise, a related minor premise and an obvious conclusion as a part of deductive reasoning.

Normal distribution means: a. There is nothing strange or unique about the data b. The data can be placed where ever the researcher sees fit c. Most of the data falls within the average range d. Most data fits at the very top of the bell curve

c. Most of the data falls within the average range Normal distribution means that most of the data falls within the range of average within the bell curve and the remaining data will fall within the above average range or within the below average range.

In order to evaluate the impact of a particular medication on headaches, the investigators placed participants in 3 groups. The first group received no intervention. The second group received a pill, but it contained no actual medication. The third group received the medication. Using an imitation pill with the second group allowed the investigators to control for the ______________. a. Hawthorne effect b. Rosenthal effect c. Placebo effect d. Halo effect

c. Placebo effect The placebo effect is the idea that just the belief that you are doing something or taking something will make you feel better.

Using deductive reasoning to gain knowledge has been called: a. Qualitative research b. Quantitative research c. Syllogism d. Cross section research

c. Syllogism Knowledge can be gained from a particular relationship by following downward from general to specific. For instance: people with depression are sad. Sally is sad. Sally has depression.

There are dangers in having the researcher know which treatment the subject is receiving. Which of the following research errors has nothing to do with the researcher? a. The Halo effect b. The Rosenthal effect c. The Hawthorne effect d. A sampling error from obtaining a small sample size

c. The Hawthorne effect The Hawthorne effect occurs because a research subject knows he is a part of a research experiment. For instance, workers might work harder if they know they are part of an experiment and think they are being individually monitored, not as a result of the independent variable. The Halo effect is when the researcher evaluates an unrelated trait (one not being evaluated for research) and allows this rating to influence the researcher's rating of another trait. The Rosenthal effect occurs when the researcher has an expectation, which affects the research outcome. Obtaining a biased sample as a result of a small sample size occurs because a sample should be representative of the entire population. The smaller the sample size, the more chance it has of not accurately representing the entire population.

Lowering the significance level ______ Type 1 errors and _____ Type 2 errors. a. increases, increases b. increases, decreases c. decreases, increases d. decreases, decreases

c. decreases, increases Type 1 and type 2 errors have a negative correlation; as one increases the other decreases. When the significance level is lowered, Type 1 errors decrease, and therefore, Type 2 errors increase.

Bacon used inductive reasoning in 1600. Inductive reasoning ______________. a. disallows the use of existing knowledge b. is the preferred way of gaining knowledge c. draws general conclusions from specific knowledge d. All of the above

c. draws general conclusions from specific knowledge Inductive reasoning takes specific existing knowledge and makes general conclusions.

Marekea is designing a research study. She wants to complete a laboratory study where she can control as many variables as possible, but she is concerned that her findings may not reflect what occurs in a natural setting. In technical terms, Marekea is concerned about the _____ of her study. a. test-retest reliability b. internal validity c. external validity d. confounding variables

c. external validity refers to the extent to which researchers can generalize their findings from a research study to real world settings

When a distribution is displayed graphically, the _________will always be the highest point on the graph. a. mean b. median c. mode d. range

c. mode In graph form, the mode will always be the highest plot on the graph as it is the most frequently repeated number in the plot.

Researchers want to study the effects of Hip Hop music on the attitude of urban male youths but need to identify a ____________________ before they can proceed with their research. a. specific genre of Hip Hop music b. duration of study c. sample population d. professional journal for article submission

c. sample population The sample population is the population or group of interest that the researchers want to study. A population is a group of people that researchers are testing the theory about or making assumption about. A sample is a representation of the population but just in a smaller size since it would be impossible to sample an entire population. The sample group is not as large as the entire population but still should be a pretty good representation of the group that the researchers are interested in studying.