AP Psych Unit 2

Which of the following statements is most correct about the relationship between correlation and causation? a. Correlations are statistical relationships, causations are logical relationships. b. if one variable is strongly negatively correlated with another variable, the relationship is not causal. c. If one variable is strongly positively correlated with another variable, the relationship is causal. d. Correlation indicates the possibility of a causal relationship, but it does not prove causation. e. Both correlations and causations need to be proven with experimental data.

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

Evelyn wants to know how consistent her bowling scores have been during the past season. Which of the following measures would be most relevant to this specific concern? a. standard deviation b. scatterplot c. correlation coefficient d. median e. mean

standard deviation

Which of the following is a measure of the degree of variation among a set of events? a. standard deviation b. median c. mean d. scatterplot e. correlation coefficient

standard deviation

In a group of five individuals, two report annual incomes of $10,000, and the other three report incomes of $14,000, $15,000, and $31,000, respectively. The mode of this group's distribution of annual incomes is a. $80,000. b. $10,000. c. $15,000. d. $31,000. e. $16,000.

$10,000

Six different high school students spent $10, $13, $2, $12, $13, and $4, respectively, on entertainment. The mode of this group's entertainment expenditures is a. $12. b. $9. c. $11. d. $13. e. $10.

$13

Which of the following correlations between annual income and education level would best enable you to predict annual income on the basis of level of education? a. +0.10 b. +0.50 c. -0.001 d. -0.01 e. +0.05

+0.50

Which of the following correlation coefficients expresses the weakest degree of relationship between two variables? a. -0.12 b. -0.50 c. +0.25 d. +1.00 e. -0.99

-0.12

Which of the following correlation coefficients expresses the strongest degree of relationship between two variables? a. 0.00 b. +0.10 c. -0.67 d. +0.59 e. -0.10

-0.67

For which of the following distributions of scores would the median most clearly be a more appropriate measure of central tendency than the mean? a. 8, 9, 12, 10, 16 b. 9, 6, 9, 12, 9 c. 3, 4, 3, 4, 2 d. 6, 18, 4, 5, 2 e. 16, 28, 4, 8, 24

6, 18, 4, 5, 2

Mr. and Mrs. Klostreich have six children aged 5, 6, 6, 7, 8, and 16. The mean age of the Klostreich children is a. 7. b. 6. c. 5. d. 4. e. 8.

8

During the past year, Zara and Ivan each read 2 books, but George read 9, Ali read 12, and Marsha read 25. The median number of books read by these individuals was a. 12. b. 2. c. 9. d. 10. e. 50.

9

Coach Vroman attended a clinic to improve his basketball coaching skills. Afterward, he randomly assigned his seventh-grade players to two groups: Group 1 will be coached by the new method and Group 2 will be coached by his old method. He then measured their performance at one team practice to judge the effectiveness of the new coaching method. Which of the following might affect the statistical significance of his study? a. Approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB. was not obtained before beginning his study. b. To determine the effectiveness of the new method, Coach Vroman must first find the median score of each group. c. By testing only two groups, Coach Vroman's sample size may be too small and unrepresentative. d. A third variable, such as height, might affect the relationship between the two variables. e. Coach Vroman should wait until next year to test the incoming freshman because his sample was biased.

By testing only two groups, Coach Vroman's sample size may be too small and unrepresentative.

What is the primary limitation of the case study research method? a. Random sampling must be used to ensure representative findings. b. Individual cases can be misleading and result in false generalizations. c. Correlational findings from case studies cannot be interpreted as causal. d. The case study is not part of the scientific method. e. It is not an empirical method.

Individual cases can be misleading and result in false generalizations.

Why are researchers careful to use large, representative samples in their studies? a. The general public perceives these kinds of samples to be more scientific. b. Policymakers demand larger, more representative sample sizes for political reasons. c. Statistical methods only work for larger sample sizes. d. It is more profitable to work with larger samples. e. Larger, representative sample sizes help ensure reliable and valid results.

Larger, representative sample sizes help ensure reliable and valid results.

Why is replication important to science? a. Researchers can test the impact of belief on behavior. b. Repeated research with similar results increases confidence in the reliability of the original findings. c. It allows you to obtain a representative sample of cases to study. d. The natural setting eliminates the artificial environment of a lab. e. Minimizing preexisting differences between groups increases confidence in findings about a specific theory.

Repeated research with similar results increases confidence in the reliability of the original findings.

Professor Delano suggests that because people are especially attracted to those who are good-looking, handsome men will be more successful than average-looking men in getting a job. The professor's prediction regarding employment success is an example of a. a hypothesis. b. illusory correlation. c. an operational definition. d. the hindsight bias. e. the placebo effect.

a hypothesis

George was worried about his bakery's new cupcakes after two customers disliked them on the first day, but when he surveyed his customers over the next week, more than 90% of the customers said they loved them. By giving too much weight to those two customers before the survey, George almost committed an error known as a. wording effects. b. a sampling bias. c. confusing correlation with causation. d. a replication error. e. not following ethical guidelines.

a sampling bias

According to Professor Fayad, we like people who like us because their affection for us boosts our own self-esteem. His idea is an example of a. illusory correlation. b. a theory. c. replication. d. hindsight bias. e. naturalistic observation.

a theory

In a test of the effects of sleep deprivation on problem-solving skills, research participants are allowed to sleep either 4 or 8 hours on each of three consecutive nights. This research is an example of a. survey research. b. an experiment. c. naturalistic observation. d. a correlational study. e. a case study.

an experiment

The belief that weather conditions signal the onset of arthritis pain best illustrates a. overconfidence. b. random sampling. c. operational definition. d. an illusory correlation. e. the hindsight bias.

an illusory correlation

In 1848, Phineas Gage, a railroad construction foreman, survived when an explosion drove an iron rod through his head damaging the functioning of the frontal lobes. This instance provided evidence that the frontal lobe plays a role in personality and behavior. Researchers have continued to study Gage's brain to better understand this link. Which research method is being used? a. experimentation b. correlation c. survey d. naturalistic observation e. case study

case study

In 1953, H.M. underwent surgery to control his seizures. Doctors removed tissue from the hippocampus. As a result H.M.'s memory was severely impaired. Psychologists studied H.M.'s memory function until his death in 2008. Which research method did the psychologists utilize in this situation? a. naturalistic observation b. case study c. survey d. experimentation e. correlation

case study

Researchers use experiments rather than other research methods in order to distinguish between a. causes and effects. b. facts and theories. c. case studies and surveys. d. hypotheses and operational definitions. e. random samples and representative samples.

causes and effects

Dr. Roberts hypothesized that students in a classroom seating 30 would get higher course grades than students seated in an auditorium seating 300. In this example, a. classroom size has been operationally defined. b. Dr. Roberts has demonstrated the importance of random sampling. c. Dr. Roberts has found a cause-effect relationship. d. the independent variable is the measurement of course grades. e. Dr. Roberts has found a positive correlation between classroom size and course grades.

classroom size has been operationally defined

To determine whether a research finding is statistically significant, researchers a. compare the means of the control group and experimental group. b. confirm correlational evidence with empirical findings. c. survey other researchers to ensure the hypothesis is significant. d. perform detailed case studies to validate findings. e. convert positive correlations to negative one

compare the means of the control group and experimental group.

Following the scientific discovery that a specific brain structure is significantly larger in violent individuals than in those who are nonviolent, a news headline announced: "Enlarged Brain Structure Triggers Violent Acts." The headline writer should most clearly be warned about the dangers of a. confusing correlation with causation. b. generalizing from unrepresentative samples. c. perceiving illusory correlations. d. explaining events in hindsight. e. discerning order in random events.

confusing correlation with causation

To provide a baseline against which they can evaluate the effects of a specific treatment, experimenters make use of a(n) a. dependent variable. b. independent variable. c. experimental condition. d. random sample. e. control condition.

control condition

Researchers are interested in studying the relationship between poor prenatal nutrition and early cognitive development. Because of ethical concerns, which research method would be most appropriate for researchers to use? a. survey b. naturalistic observation c. experimentation d. case study e. correlational

correlational

In an experiment, researchers manipulate one factor to see its effect on a target factor. What is this target factor called? a. operational definition. b. dependent variable. c. control group. d. placebo effect. e. confounding variable.

dependent variable

A correlation coefficient is a measure of the a. statistical significance of a difference between two sample means. b. difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution. c. average squared deviation of scores from a sample mean. d. direction and strength of the relationship between two variables. e. frequency of scores at each level of some measure.

direction and strength of the relationship between two variables.

Critical thinkers can best be described as a. overconfident. b. questioning. c. pessimistic. d. cynical. e. impatient.

questioning

Dr. DeVries is interested in measuring how practice in problem solving affects this ability. The population of interest is high school seniors, and the sample consists of students who attend an exclusive college preparatory school. Half of the sample receives practice in solving particular types of problems, while the other half does not. Both groups take the same problem-solving test. Which of the following might best explain why Dr. DeVries may not be able to generalize his findings? a. His sample is not representative of the population. b. His data may be positively skewed. c. He did not receive approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) before beginning his research. d. He is not taking into account how the scores on the test might deviate from one another. e. He should have conducted his experiment in a lab instead of a natural setting.

his sample is not representative of the population

Because she had a serious traffic accident on Friday the 13th of last month, Felicia is convinced that all Friday the 13ths will bring bad luck. Felicia's belief best illustrates a. illusory correlation. b. overconfidence. c. the illusion of control. d. random sampling. e. the hindsight bias.

illusory correlation

Which makes finding statistical significance more likely? a. small sample size b. random sampling c. large sample size d. operational definitions e. skewed distributions

large sample size

In a distribution of test scores, which measure of central tendency would likely be the most affected by a couple of extremely high scores? a. mean b. median c. mode d. range e. standard deviation

mean

The most commonly reported measure of central tendency is the a. standard deviation. b. median. c. mode. d. normal distribution. e. mean.

mean

Which measure of central tendency would a baseball manager be most likely to rely on in picking a pinch hitter in a tie game? a. range b. standard deviation c. mode d. mean e. median

mean

Which measure of central tendency would be most appropriate in determining housing values in a particular community? a. mean b. median c. mode d. range e. standard deviation

median

Psychologists who carefully watch the behavior of chimpanzee societies in the jungle are using a research method known as a. experimentation. b. naturalistic observation. c. random sampling. d. the case study. e. the survey.

naturalistic observation

To compare the pace of life in different countries, investigators measured the speed with which postal clerks completed a simple request. This best illustrates the use of a research method known as a. the double-blind procedure. b. the survey. c. random assignment. d. the case study. e. naturalistic observation.

naturalistic observation

If psychologists discovered that wealthy people are less satisfied with their marriages than poor people are, this would indicate that wealth and marital satisfaction are a. positively correlated. b. dependent variables. c. negatively correlated. d. independent variables. e. causally related.

negatively correlated

In the hypothesis "Students who study a list of terms in the morning, just after waking up, will recall more terms than students who study the list just before falling asleep," what is the dependent variable? a. memorization b. students c. list of terms d. number of terms remembered e. time of day

number of terms remembered

Thinking that she had outperformed most of her classmates, Glenda was surprised to receive just an average grade on her psychology test. Glenda's experience best illustrates a. illusory correlation. b. negative correlation. c. the placebo effect. d. the hindsight bias. e. overconfidence.

overconfidence

When provided with the unscrambled solution to anagrams, people underestimate the difficulty of solving the anagrams by themselves. This best illustrates a. wording effects. b. overconfidence. c. illusory correlation. d. hindsight bias. e. the placebo effect.

overconfidence

In a study of the effects of alcohol consumption, some participants drank a nonalcoholic beverage that actually smelled and tasted like alcohol. This nonalcoholic drink was a a. replication. b. dependent variable. c. random sample. d. placebo. e. double blind.

placebo

To learn about the TV viewing habits of all the children attending Oakbridge School, Professor DeVries randomly selected and interviewed 50 of the school's students. In this instance, all the children attending the school are considered to be a(n) a. representative sample. b. population. c. independent variable. d. dependent variable. e. control condition.

population (b)

Correlational research is most useful for purposes of a. replication. b. explanation. c. control. d. prediction. e. experimentation.

prediction

To study the effects of noise on worker productivity, researchers have one group of subjects work in a noisy room and a second group work in a quiet room. To ensure that any differences in the productivity of the two groups actually result from the different noise levels to which the groups are exposed, the researchers would use a. the case study. b. replication. c. correlational measurement. d. random assignment. e. naturalistic observation.

random assignment

What technique do researchers use to reduce the impact of confounding variables? a. naturalistic observation b. measures of central tendency c. hindsight bias d. random assignment e. scatterplots

random assignment

Which technique most clearly minimizes the likelihood that any outcome differences between the experimental and control conditions can be attributed to age or personality differences in research participants? a. operational definitions b. the double-blind procedure c. statistical measurement d. random assignment e. replication

random assignment

To assess reactions to a proposed tuition hike at her college, Ariana sent a questionnaire to every fifteenth person in the college registrar's alphabetical listing of all currently enrolled students. Ariana employed the technique of a. correlation. b. replication. c. random assignment. d. naturalistic observation. e. random sampling.

random sampling

Which procedure helps to ensure that the participants in a survey are representative of a larger population? a. random sampling b. naturalistic observation c. replication d. correlation e. random assignment

random sampling

Variation is to central tendency as ________ is to ________. a. mode; mean b. median; mean c. correlation; scatterplot d. scatterplot; bar graph e. range; median

range; median

To graphically represent the correlation between two variables, researchers often construct a a. pie chart. b. standard deviation. c. scatterplot. d. skewed distribution. e. bar graph.

scatterplot

What do researchers call a difference between the means of experimental and control groups when they know the averages are reliable and the difference between the groups is unlikely due to random chance or extraneous variables? a. statistically significant b. normal curve c. operationally defined d. standard deviation e. experimental group

statistically significant

A researcher interested in investigating the attitudes or opinions of a large sample of people is most likely to use which research method? a. naturalistic observation b. case study c. survey d. experiment e. correlation

survey

Random sampling is to ________ as random assignment is to ________. a. illusory correlation; control group b. correlational studies; case studies c. surveys; experiments d. description; prediction e. replication; correlation

surveys; experiments

The range is a. the most frequently occurring score in a distribution of scores. b. the most commonly used measure of variation. c. the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution. d. the average deviation of scores from the mean. e. a total population from which samples may be drawn.

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution.

Abdul has volunteered to participate in an experiment evaluating the effectiveness of aspirin. Neither he nor the experimenters know whether the pills he takes during the experiment contain aspirin or are merely placebos. The investigators are apparently making use of a. the double-blind procedure. b. random sampling. c. the overconfidence effect. d. illusory correlation. e. naturalistic observation.

the double-blind procedure

According to Emily's grandfather, Adolf Hitler's obvious emotional instability made it clear from the beginning days of his international conflicts that Germany would inevitably lose World War II. The grandfather's claim best illustrates a. the hindsight bias. b. overconfidence. c. random sampling. d. an illusion of control. e. illusory correlation.

the hindsight bias

If psychologists discovered that more intelligent parents have smarter children than less intelligent parents, this would demonstrate that a. more intelligent parents provide their children with greater educational opportunities than do less intelligent parents. b. intelligence is inherited. c. the intelligence of parents and children is positively correlated. d. experiments based on this relationship would indicate causation. e. intelligence of children and parents are negatively correlated.

the intelligence of parents and children is positively correlated

Why would the median, rather than the mean, be the appropriate measure of central tendency in determining housing values in a particular community? a. The median is best used to sort values into groups. b. The median allows you to examine the gap between the lowest and highest value. c. The median is useful for measuring how much values deviate from one another. d. The median is minimally affected by extreme scores. e. The median allows you to generalize from representative samples to the general population.

the median is minimally affected by extreme scores

The healing power of positive expectations is best illustrated by a. illusory correlation. b. hindsight bias. c. overconfidence. d. replication. e. the placebo effect.

the placebo effect

Professor Shalet contends that parents and children have similar levels of intelligence largely because they share common genes. His idea is best described as a(n) a. theory. b. replication. c. hindsight bias. d. illusory correlation. e. naturalistic observation.

theory

In the hypothesis "Students who study a list of terms in the morning, just after waking up, will recall more terms than students who study the list just before falling asleep," what is the independent variable? a. number of terms remembered b. list of terms c. memorization d. time of day e. students

time of day

A majority of respondents in a national survey agreed that "classroom prayer should not be allowed in public schools." Only 33 percent of respondents in a similar survey agreed that "classroom prayer in public schools should be banned." These divergent findings best illustrate the importance of a. operational definition. b. wording effects. c. overconfidence. d. random assignment. e. the hindsight bias.

wording effects