(Feist) Chapter 2: Conducting Research in Psychology

Which of the following statements is true of the Stanford Prison Experiment? A. All participants were fully informed about the fact that they would be assigned the roles of a prisoner or a guard. B. All participants were informed of the details and the extent to which being in this study would be like being in a real prison world. C. All participants were told upfront that, if they were assigned to the prisoner role, they would be strip-searched. D. All participants were informed that they might experience physical pain or psychological distress during the study.

A. All participants were fully informed about the fact that they would be assigned the roles of a prisoner or a guard.

Irene Bialik, a psychologist, wants to study how the habit of telling lies affects marital relationships. She contacts married couples from across the country to participate in her study. She lets them know that the only cost of participation would be that they would need to reveal if they have ever lied to their parents. Irene also informs them that they will be paid an amount of $1,000 each for participating in the study. In this scenario, which guideline of psychological research best describes the one followed by Irene? A. Beneficence B. Justice C. Confidentiality D. Privacy

A. Beneficence

Sarah wants to conduct a study about differences in the levels of emotion of jealousy between men and women. She asks 400 male and female college graduates in the United States a series of questions about hypothetical scenarios of partner infidelity. How can Sarah ensure that the results of her study are more accurate? A. By ensuring that the sample accurately represents people of different ethnicities B. By increasing the number of men in the sample C. By increasing the number of women in the sample D. By ensuring that a higher number of Asian Americans are included in the sample

A. By ensuring that the sample accurately represents people of different ethnicities

___________ are useful when the variables cannot be manipulated or controlled by the experimenter. A. Correlational studies B. Experimental studies C. Naturalistic observations D. Case-control studies

A. Correlational studies

____________ can be defined as measures that are used to describe and summarize research. A. Descriptive statistics B. Inferential statistics C. Random graphs D. Statistical inferences

A. Descriptive statistics

______ can be defined as studies in which neither the participants nor the researchers administering the treatment know who has been assigned to which experimental condition. A. Double-blind studies B. Case-control studies C. Surveys D. Interviews

A. Double-blind studies

Which of the following is an advantage of a double-blind study? A. It prevents experimenter expectancy effects. B. It ensures that participants know the experimental condition to which they have been assigned. C. It prevents confounding variables from influencing an experiment. D. It ensures that any differences between participants are not affected by the independent variable.

A. It prevents experimenter expectancy effects.

____________ are defined as people's written or oral accounts of their thoughts, feelings, or actions. A. Self-reports B. MIS reports C. Behavioral measures D. Physiological measures

A. Self-reports

Dr. Adriana conducts a study to determine if players who wear a new type of soccer uniform made from a specially designed fabric will perform better in soccer matches. She recruits a professional soccer team to participate in her study. She randomly assigns half of the men to wear the new-material uniforms made in the color blue and the other half to wear old-material uniforms made in the color red. Although the men know about the test, they are not told which of the two uniforms is made from the new material. They are asked to wear their assigned uniforms and score as many goals as possible in a game against one another. Dr. Adriana notes the number of goals scored. Ultimately, the players who are wearing the old uniforms score more goal, and therefore, win the game. Dr. Adriana speculates that the new uniforms are not more beneficial to performance than the old uniforms, but she decides to rerun the test a few more times. What was the control group in Dr. Adriana's study? A. The players who wore red uniforms made from the old material B. The players who wore blue uniforms made from the new material C. The players who scored less goals D. The players who could not score any goals, irrespective of the color of their uniforms

A. The players who wore red uniforms made from the old material

What happens as a correlation approaches +1.00 or -1.00? A. The strength of the relationship increases. B. The strength of the relationship remains constant. C. The two variables become interdependent of on each other. D. The strength of the relationship decreases.

A. The strength of the relationship increases.

Dr. Adriana conducts a study to determine if players who wear a new type of soccer uniform made from a specially designed fabric will perform better in soccer matches. She recruits a professional soccer team to participate in her study. She randomly assigns half of the men to wear the new-material uniforms made in the color blue and the other half to wear old-material uniforms made in the color red. Although the men know about the test, they are not told which of the two uniforms is made from the new material. They are asked to wear their assigned uniforms and score as many goals as possible in a game against one another. Dr. Adriana notes the number of goals scored. Ultimately, the players who are wearing the old uniforms score more goal, and therefore, win the game. Dr. Adriana speculates that the new uniforms are not more beneficial to performance than the old uniforms, but she decides to rerun the test a few more times. What is the independent variable in Dr. Adriana's study? A. The type of uniform worn—made from old or new material B. The number of goals scored by the players C. The players who did not know their roles in the study D. The players attempting to score as many goals as possible

A. The type of uniform worn—made from old or new material

Identify an accurate statement about scientific theories. A. They are not facts. B. They do not generate any expectations. C. They are merely guesses and observations. D. They should not be tied to real evidence.

A. They are not facts.

A major drawback of behavioral measures is that they: A. can be time-intensive. B. can confuse the participants. C. are more susceptible to social desirability bias than self-report measures. D. do not allow people to modify their behavior.

A. can be time-intensive.

The independent variable is the __________, and the dependent variable is the _________. A. cause; effect B. experiment; correlation C. effect; correlation D. experiment; cause

A. cause; effect

The last process of the scientific method is to ___________. A. communicate B. observe C. test D. predict

A. communicate

Replication of a study is important to: A. confirm the results of the study. B. formulate the hypothesis of the study. C. express the expectations of the study. D. interpret the results of the study.

A. confirm the results of the study.

The participants in a(n) _____________ do not receive the independent variable or treatment. A. control group B. experimental group C. core group D. social group

A. control group

When interpreting correlations, it is important to remember that a A. correlation does not mean there is a causal relationship between the two variables. B. correlation does not lead to any causal relationship between the two variables. C. relationship between the variables does not exist as the correlation approaches +1.00. D. relationship between the variables does not exist as the correlation approaches -1.00.

A. correlation does not mean there is a causal relationship between the two variables.

This is the basic question in a(n) _________ is, "What is variable X?" A. descriptive design B. random sampling C. experimental study D. correlational design

A. descriptive design

The _____________ can be defined as results that occur when the behavior of the participants is influenced by the experimenter's knowledge of who is in the control group and who is in the experimental group. A. experimenter expectancy effect B. subject-expectancy effect C. placebo effect D. nocebo effect

A. experimenter expectancy effect

When the central tenet of knowing is not what people think and believe, but rather how nature behaves, then we must accept the data and follow them wherever they take us. This attitude is known as __________. A. intellectual honesty B. scientific thinking C. open skepticism D. cultural understanding

A. intellectual honesty

A study was conducted by a group of researchers in Asian cities to determine the driving abilities of people of different age groups. The study found that older adults are better drivers than young adults. Another group of researchers conducted the same study in North American cities to determine if they could duplicate the results of the first study. In this scenario, the scientific method followed by the second group of researchers can be termed as ______. A. interpretation B. prediction C. observation D. replication

A. interpretation

A ______ is best defined as a quantitative method for combining the results of all the published and even unpublished results on one question and drawing a conclusion based on the entire set of studies on the topic. A. meta-analysis B. case study C. naturalistic observation D. systematic review

A. meta-analysis

The ______________ is the statistic that represents the most commonly occurring score or value. A. mode B. median C. range D. mean

A. mode

Informed consent to participate in a psychological study means that the: A. participant knows his or her role in the study and understands its risks and benefits. B. researcher carefully selects and approves each participant for the study. C. institution in which the study will be conducted has approved the study. D. the consent cannot be omitted even for completely anonymous surveys.

A. participant knows his or her role in the study and understands its risks and benefits.

Few of the patients undergoing treatment for phobic disorder agree to participate in a clinical trial of a new antidepressant medication. The patients are randomly divided into two groups. Both groups receive pills to be taken on a daily basis, but only one of the groups receives pills with the newly produced active ingredients. The other group's pills contain no active ingredients. In this study, the pills that do not contain any active ingredients are said to be __________. A. placebos B. ipsatives C. nocebos D. normatives

A. placebos

An area of psychology called ____________ examines in detail the lives of historically important people and provides an example of the richness and value of case studies and studying individual lives over time. A. psychobiography B. psychohistory C. iconography D. histography

A. psychobiography

A subset of a population is called a ___________. A. sample B. variable C. size D. set

A. sample

Ravi is a participant in a cognitive experiment, but he does not know if he is in the experimental group or the control group. The researchers, however, are aware of the condition to which he has been assigned. The study in which Ravi is participating is called a(n) ___________. A. single-blind study B. double-blind study C. survey D. inteview

A. single-blind study

A representative sample is a: A. subset of a population that truly reflects the characteristics of that population. B. randomly generated series of numbers that help researchers select people to participate in a study. C. research method that employs such techniques as interviewing and surveying. D. selected group of people whom the researcher can easily persuade to participate in a study.

A. subset of a population that truly reflects the characteristics of that population.

What is the mean of the following set of numbers: 10, 15, 20, 35, and 55? A. 20 B. 27 C. 35 D. 135

B. 27

Which of the following would be considered a pseudoscience? A. Anthropology B. Astrology C. Psychology D. Biology

B. Astrology

Which of the following is true about behavioral measures? A. Behavioral measures are more susceptible to social desirability bias than are self-report measures. B. Behavioral measures provide more objective measurements because they come from a trained outside observer. C. Behavioral measures do not allow people to modify their behavior even if they know they are being observed. D. Behavioral measures are not very time-intensive as collecting behavioral data does not take a long time.

B. Behavioral measures provide more objective measurements because they come from a trained outside observer.

Which of the following is NOT a basic process of the scientific method? A. Observing B. Creating C. Interpreting D. Testing

B. Creating

______ is a measure of the strength of the relationship between two variables. A. Sample size B. Effect size C. Z-value D. A self-report

B. Effect size

Which of the following is an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy? A. Chang says, "I am going to buy my mother a sweater for her birthday" but ends up buying her a scarf. B. Margaret says, "I am going to hate this party!" and then has a bad time at the party because she refuses to interact with anyone. C. Sharon says, "I want you to buy the diamond ring right away," and her husband buys it. D. Dominique says, "I am going to make the best pie anyone has ever eaten!" and ends up making a bad pie.

B. Margaret says, "I am going to hate this party!" and then has a bad time at the party because she refuses to interact with anyone.

Which of the following is the first basic process of the scientific method? A. Predict B. Observe C. Test D. Interpret

B. Observe

Which of the following is true of human observation? A. Our brain perceives events as accurately as the best available digital video equipment. B. Our senses can be fooled with relative ease because of which our observations can lead us astray. C. Generalizations based on our sensory experiences tend to be always correct. D. One of the advantages of human observation is that what we witness in one situation can be easily applied to all similar situations.

B. Our senses can be fooled with relative ease because of which our observations can lead us astray.

___________ refers to practices that appear to be and claim to be science, but in fact do not use the scientific method to come to their conclusions. A. Antiscience B. Pseudoscience C. Bioscience D. Ethnoscience

B. Pseudoscience

____________ helps draw a line between one's belief of the world and the actual reality. A. Problem solving B. Scientific thinking C. Psychological research D. Cultural understanding

B. Scientific thinking

______ can be defined as those studies in which participants do not know the experimental condition (group) to which they have been assigned. A. Case studies B. Single-blind studies C. Interviews D. Descriptive studies

B. Single-blind studies

_____________ is a statistical measure of how much scores in a sample vary around the mean. A. Normal distribution B. Standard deviation C. Frequency D. Accuracy

B. Standard deviation

Which of the following terms can be defined as a statistic that compares two means to see whether they could come from the same population? A. F-test B. T-test C. Arithmetic mean D. Interquartile mean

B. T-test

Dr. Adriana conducts a study to determine if players who wear a new type of soccer uniform made from a specially designed fabric will perform better in soccer matches. She recruits a professional soccer team to participate in her study. She randomly assigns half of the men to wear the new-material uniforms made in the color blue and the other half to wear old-material uniforms made in the color red. Although the men know about the test, they are not told which of the two uniforms is made from the new material. They are asked to wear their assigned uniforms and score as many goals as possible in a game against one another. Dr. Adriana notes the number of goals scored. Ultimately, the players who are wearing the old uniforms score more goal, and therefore, win the game. Dr. Adriana speculates that the new uniforms are not more beneficial to performance than the old uniforms, but she decides to rerun the test a few more times. What was the experimental group in Dr. Adriana's study? A. The players who wore red uniforms made from the old material B. The players who wore blue uniforms made from the new material C. The players who scored more goals D. The players who could not score any goals, irrespective of the color of their uniforms

B. The players who wore blue uniforms made from the new material

Which of the following is true about theories? A. Theories cannot explain facts. B. Theories organize and explain what we have observed. C. Theories prevent people from making observations. D. Theories, in science, are nothing more than mere guesses.

B. Theories organize and explain what we have observed.

From the following, identify an accurate statement about case studies. A. They do not involve observations that stretch for over a year. B. They are based on one-on-one relationships. C. They involve collecting data about different legal cases that are under trial. D. They involve scientific experimentations on different groups of animals.

B. They are based on one-on-one relationships.

A(n) _____________ can be defined as a study design in which a psychologist, often a therapist, observes one person over a long period of time. A. naturalistic observation B. case study C. interview D. survey

B. case study

The following is an excerpt from an in-depth paper Dr. Smith, a therapist, wrote about her client: "Irene experienced the loss of her parents at an early age. She is now 36, divorced, and has two children. Irene has difficulty maintaining steady employment. Eight months ago, she was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Irene is responding well to an experimental antidepressant and to cognitive behavioral therapy. She has a hopeful prognosis." This research method can be best termed as a(n) ___________. A. interview B. case study C. naturalistic observation D. survey

B. case study

An additional variable whose influence cannot be separated from the independent variable being examined is termed as a(n) _________. A. dependent variable B. confounding variable C. average variable D. quantitative variable

B. confounding variable

Few of the patients undergoing treatment for phobic disorder agree to participate in a clinical trial of a new antidepressant medication. The patients are randomly divided into two groups. Both groups receive pills to be taken on a daily basis, but only one of the groups receives pills with the newly produced active ingredients. The other group's pills contain no active ingredients. In this study, the group that receives the pills that do not contain the active ingredients is called the _________. A. treatment group B. control group C. social group D. experimental group

B. control group

An advantage of naturalistic observation is that it: A. allows researchers to learn from the lives of historically important people. B. gives researchers a look at real behavior in the real world. C. makes it easier for researchers to manage large numbers of participants. D. allows researchers to ask people directly or indirectly what they think or feel.

B. gives researchers a look at real behavior in the real world.

A ____________ is a specific, informed, and testable prediction of what kind of outcome should occur under a particular condition. A. theory B. hypothesis C. replication D. variable

B. hypothesis

The ___________ variable in an experiment is an attribute that is manipulated by an experimenter under controlled conditions. A. quantitative B. independent C. confounding D. outcome

B. independent

In _____________, the answers are often open-ended and not constrained by the researcher. A. experiments B. interviews C. questionnaires D. case studies

B. interviews

Both ____________ and ____________ involve specific questions, usually asked in precisely the same way to each respondent. A. case studies; interviews B. interviews; surveys C. double-blind studies; case studies D. surveys; double-blind studies

B. interviews; surveys

Under the guidelines of ____________, researchers must design studies in which the participants will share equally the costs and benefits of participating in the study. A. beneficence B. justice C. confidentiality D. respect for persons

B. justice

The _______________ is calculated by adding all the numbers together and dividing by the number of scores in the series. A. median B. mean C. mode D. range

B. mean

The process of scientific discovery is cumulative. This means that: A. older knowledge is discarded for newer and modern knowledge. B. previous knowledge builds on older knowledge. C. newer knowledge is rejected because research is not authentic. D. previous knowledge is retained for lack of new resources.

B. previous knowledge builds on older knowledge.

In a(n) ___________, responses are limited to the choices given. A. case study B. questionnaire C. interview D. experimental study

B. questionnaire

It is vital to safeguard the dignity and autonomy of individuals and take extra precautions when dealing with study participants, such as children, who are less likely to understand their participation is voluntary. This guideline of psychological research is known as ____________. A. beneficence B. respect for persons C. informed consent D. justice

B. respect for persons

Research is almost always conducted on ___________. A. populations B. samples C. variables D. entire groups

B. samples

The most common way to represent variability in data is to calculate the ____________. A. mean B. standard deviation C. median D. mode

B. standard deviation

According to Bem & Horonton (1994) and Rosenthal (1986), there has been some scientifically sound evidence for ______, which is normally regarded as a pseudoscience. A. astrology B. telepathy C. intelligent design D. creation science

B. telepathy

Correlation coefficients tell us whether two variables (e.g., X and Y) relate to each other and that they range between -1.00 and +1.00. Coefficients near 0.00 are an indication of: A. the dependency of variable X on variable Y. B. the lack of any relationship between variables X and Y. C. an increase in variable X as variable Y decreases. D. a decrease in variable Y as variable X increases.

B. the lack of any relationship between variables X and Y.

Attitudes toward pork, grooming procedures, educational status, and number of dental visits per year are all ____________ that differ from individual to individual and may be of interest to psychologists. A. assumptions B. variables C. hypotheses D. methods

B. variables

Which of the following is a physical science? A. Psychokinesis B. Astrology C. Astronomy D. Genetics

C. Astronomy

Rita conducts a study in which she videotapes college students interacting with each other before and after performing a series of cognitive tasks that were presented as "Intelligence tests that can affect your college tuition charges." She then has a carefully trained team observe and record the participants' actions, noting visible signs of anxiety in particular. What type of measure best describes the one used by Rita? A. Physiological B. Self-report C. Behavioral D. Statistical

C. Behavioral

Which of the following is considered impractical for large-scale studies? A. Surveys B. Questionnaires C. Behavioral measures D. Case studies

C. Behavioral measures

___________ involve the systematic observation of people's actions either in their normal environment or in a laboratory setting. A. Questionnaires B. Physiological measures C. Behavioral measures D. Interviews

C. Behavioral measures

____________ can be defined as studies that measure two or more variables and their relationship to one another. A. Naturalistic observations B. Descriptive designs C. Correlational designs D. Random assignments

C. Correlational designs

______________ are the rules governing the conduct of a person or group in general or in a specific situation and are also regarded as standards of right and wrong. A. Antics B. Ekistics C. Ethics D. Analytics

C. Ethics

Which of the following is an indication of whether all of the research on a topic has or has not led to consistent findings and of the size of an experimental effect? A. Nocebo B. Micro-analysis C. Meta-analysis D. Placebo

C. Meta-analysis

____________ sciences study the world of stars, light, waves, atoms, the earth, compounds, and molecules. A. Biological B. Social C. Physical D. Environmental

C. Physical

Dr. Singh, a scientist, wants to study how anxiety affects adolescents. For this purpose, he measures the electrical changes in their heart rates, their sweating and respiration patterns, as well as the hormonal changes in their blood. Which psychological measure has been used by Dr. Singh in this scenario? A. Interviews B. Questionnaires C. Physiological measures D. Behavioral measures

C. Physiological measures

___________ entails collecting observations, or data, from the real world and evaluating whether those data support our ideas or not. A. Speculation B. Biases C. Science D. Hypotheses

C. Science

Which of the following is true of the differences between science and pseudoscience? A. Science uses statistics to express research data, whereas pseudoscience does not. B. The content area studied in science is narrow, whereas it is very vast in pseudoscience. C. Science encourages open skepticism of its findings, whereas pseudoscience does not. D. Science makes no real advances in knowledge, whereas pseudoscience does.

C. Science encourages open skepticism of its findings, whereas pseudoscience does not.

Sarah wants to conduct a study about differences in the levels of emotion of jealousy between men and women. She asks 400 male and female college graduates in the United States a series of questions about hypothetical scenarios of partner infidelity. What is Sarah's sample? A.All the men studying in the United States B. The chosen female graduates C. The chosen male and female college graduates D. Men and women in the United States

C. The chosen male and female college graduates

Which of the following is true about the principles of research design? A. The design chosen for a given study depends on the answers provided by the population. B. The way the different variables, used by researchers, influence each other is irrelevant to the research design. C. The first step in obtaining a sample is for the researchers to decide the makeup of the entire group. D. Research is almost always conducted on large populations and not on samples.

C. The first step in obtaining a sample is for the researchers to decide the makeup of the entire group.

Dr. Adriana conducts a study to determine if players who wear a new type of soccer uniform made from a specially designed fabric will perform better in soccer matches. She recruits a professional soccer team to participate in her study. She randomly assigns half of the men to wear the new-material uniforms made in the color blue and the other half to wear old-material uniforms made in the color red. Although the men know about the test, they are not told which of the two uniforms is made from the new material. They are asked to wear their assigned uniforms and score as many goals as possible in a game against one another. Dr. Adriana notes the number of goals scored. Ultimately, the players who are wearing the old uniforms score more goal, and therefore, win the game. Dr. Adriana speculates that the new uniforms are not more beneficial to performance than the old uniforms, but she decides to rerun the test a few more times. What is the dependent variable in Dr. Adriana's study? A. The old uniforms B. The new uniforms C. The number of goals scored D. The color blue or red

C. The number of goals scored

Which statement best describes the term descriptive designs? A. There are methods used to assign participants to different research conditions, so that all the participants have the same chance of being in any specific group. B. There are research designs that include independent and dependent variables and random assignment of participants to control and experimental groups or conditions. C. They are design studies in which a researcher defines a problem and variable of interest but makes no prediction and does not control or manipulate anything. D. These are studies that measure two or more variables and their relationship to one another; they are not designed to show causation.

C. They are design studies in which a researcher defines a problem and variable of interest but makes no prediction and does not control or manipulate anything.

A variable can be defined as: A. a specific, informed, and testable prediction of an outcome. B. the repetition of a study to confirm results. C. anything that changes, or differs, within or between individuals. D. a related assumption from which testable predictions can be made.

C. anything that changes, or differs, within or between individuals.

Juan, a psychologist, is studying participants' perceptions of the attractiveness of several deodorants in a laboratory. However, as he conducts his study, people are cooking their lunches in the cafeteria nearby, and the smells of onions and fish are making their way into the laboratory. Juan should stop his experiment for the day because the odors of the food is most likely a __________. A. nocebo B. control variable C. confounding variable D. a placebo

C. confounding variable

One of Alfred Kinsey's contributions to the scientific study of sex was his method of __________. A. carefully observing the real-world sexual behavior of primates B. selecting samples of people worldwide to study human sexual tendencies C. considering sexual orientation on a continuum D. using representative sampling for studying sexual behavior

C. considering sexual orientation on a continuum

Whether a result holds or not, new predictions can be generated from the data, leading in turn to new studies. This is why the process of scientific discovery is ___________. A. repetitive B. replicative C. cumulative D. degradative

C. cumulative

A graph of frequency scores is known as a _____________. A. continuation B. tabulation C. distribution D. correlation

C. distribution

Intellectual honesty, which is the third scientific attitude, ensures that scientists A. remain skeptical of new findings. B. do not accept true data as results. C. do not represent false data as true. D. do not reject false results.

C. do not represent false data as true.

A study was conducted in various cities around the world to determine the driving abilities of people of different age groups. The study found that older adults are better drivers than young adults. The results of this study can be regarded as a ______. A. hypothesis B. theory C. doctrine D. tenet

C. doctrine

The major limitation of the correlational approach is that it: A. is not useful when the experimenter cannot manipulate or control the variables. B. increases the probability of social desirability bias. C. does not establish whether one variable actually causes the other or vice versa. D. fails to accurately record the thoughts and feelings of people.

C. does not establish whether one variable actually causes the other or vice versa.

A(n) ___________ is characterized by the experimental manipulation of a predicted cause. A. hypothesis B. assignment C. experiment D. theory

C. experiment

A(n) ______ consists of participants who receive the treatment or whatever is thought to change behavior. A. social group B. control group C. experimental group D. peripheral group

C. experimental group

A(n) ____________ variable is the condition that the researcher predicts will cause a particular outcome. A. outcome B. quantitative C. independent D. confounding

C. independent

In the fourth step of the scientific method, scientists use mathematical techniques to ______ the results and determine whether they are significant and whether they closely fit the prediction. A. communicate B. replicate C. interpret D. observe

C. interpret

The _____________ is the middle score, which separates the lower half of scores from the upper half. A. range B. mode C. median D. mean

C. median

Institutions conducting research should evaluate every proposed study's beneficence, which is: A. each participant's guarantee that no personal, and confidential information will be revealed. B. each person's awareness that he or she can discontinue participation at any time. C. minimizing costs for participants and maximizing benefits. D. the extent to which the participant knows his or her role in the study.

C. minimizing costs for participants and maximizing benefits.

Chan Lee, an Asian primatologist, studied different groups of gorillas over a period of 18 years. She studied them daily in the subtropical forests of Africa to understand their mating and reproductive habits. Based on her observations, Chan found that male gorillas are ready to mate when they are 15 years of age. In this scenario, descriptive method of research used by Chan can be best termed as a(n) ___________. A. interview B. case study C. naturalistic observation D. survey

C. naturalistic observation

In the __________ and ____________ stages of the scientific method, researchers express their expectations as a theory. A. communication; testing B. prediction; interpretation C. observation; prediction D. communication; prediction

C. observation; prediction

In a naturalistic observation, a researcher: A. asks people directly or indirectly what they think, feel, or have done. B. observes one person, often over a long period of time. C. observes and records behavior in the real world. D. asks questions that can have completely open-ended answers.

C. observes and records behavior in the real world.

One of the pitfalls of collecting data via large-scale interviews and surveys is that: A. they do not involve specific questions. B. they cannot be carried out over the Internet. C. one can get biased responses. D. they cannot be used to question individuals on topics such as abortion, capital punishment, or gay marriage.

C. one can get biased responses.

Five percent is the most frequent choice made by psychological researchers, regarding an acceptable level of chance, and is referred to as the __________. A. variance B. statistical inference C. probability level D. standard deviation

C. probability level

A(n) ____________ design can be defined as a research method that makes use of naturally occurring groups rather than randomly assigning subjects to groups. A. experimental B. descriptive C. quasi-experimental D. correlational

C. quasi-experimental

The design chosen for a given study depends on the: A. result of the research. B. assumed answer. C. question being asked. D. subject area being studied.

C. question being asked.

Researchers design a study in which neither the participants nor the investigators interacting with them know whether the participants have been assigned to a control group or to an experimental group because: A. in this design, it is easier to statistically analyze the results of the study. B. in this design, it is easier to ensure group memberships are representative. C. the experimenters' expectancies might influence the participants' behavior. D. participation in the study would decrease if people had this knowledge beforehand.

C. the experimenters' expectancies might influence the participants' behavior.

Which of the following is an example of naturalistic observation? A. A biological psychologist manipulates the caffeine dosages administered to rats and records the running distances of the rats. B. A cognitive psychologist who is interested in problem solving asks groups of twenty-year-olds, forty-year-olds, and sixty-year-olds to solve a word puzzle. C. A clinical psychologist carefully considers his client's responses to questions about her childhood. D. A developmental psychologist watches, from behind a hidden window, the play patterns of four-year-olds.

D. A developmental psychologist watches, from behind a hidden window, the play patterns of four-year-olds.

From the following, identify an accurate statement about behavioral measures. A. Behavioral measurement does not require too much time to collect and code the data. B. It is possible to collect data on a large number of participants at once, and therefore behavioral measures are very useful for large-scale studies. C. People are not able to modify their behavior while they are being observed, watched, and/or measured using behavioral measures. D. Behavioral measures involve the systematic observation of people's actions either in their normal environment or in a laboratory setting.

D. Behavioral measures involve the systematic observation of people's actions either in their normal environment or in a laboratory setting.

______ indicate whether two variables relate to each other and the direction of the relationship. A. Confounding variables B. Random assignments C. Experiments D. Correlation coefficients

D. Correlation coefficients

Which of the following statements regarding correlational studies is true? A. The major advantage of the correlational approach is that it establishes whether one variable actually causes the other. B. Correlations range between -1.00 and +1.00, with coefficients near -1.00 indicating that there is no relationship between the two variables. C. Correlational studies are useful when the variables can be easily manipulated or controlled. D. Correlational designs measure two or more variables and their relationship to one another.

D. Correlational designs measure two or more variables and their relationship to one another.

_______________ is the number of times a particular score occurs in a set of data. A. Variance B. Standard deviation C. Percentile D. Frequency

D. Frequency

______________ allow us to determine how likely it is that two or more samples came from the same population. A. Predictive inferences B. Statistical inferences C. Descriptive statistics D. Inferential statistics

D. Inferential statistics

_____________ are a widely-used technique for gaining information about peoples' thoughts and behaviors. A. Correlational designs B. Naturalistic observations C. Case studies D. Interviews

D. Interviews

In correlational designs, the basic question is: A. What is X an example of? B. What is variable X? C. How does X result in Y? D. Is X related to Y?

D. Is X related to Y?

Sarah wants to conduct a study about differences in the levels of emotion of jealousy between men and women. She asks 400 male and female college graduates in the United States a series of questions about hypothetical scenarios of partner infidelity. What is Sarah's population? A. All the men studying in the United States B. The chosen female graduates C. The chosen male and female college graduates D. Men and women in the United States

D. Men and women in the United States

Which of the following is ethically permissible while conducting research on humans? A. Not protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the participants B. Not informing the participants of the exact purposes of the study C. Not telling the participants that they might experience physical pain D. Not informing the participants of the research hypothesis

D. Not informing the participants of the research hypothesis

______ can be defined as measures of bodily responses, such as blood pressure or heart rate, used to determine changes in psychological state. A. Interviews B. Questionnaires C. Behavioral measures D. Physiological measures

D. Physiological measures

In which of the following does each participant have an equal chance of being placed in each group? A. Surveys B. Naturalistic studies C. Interviews D. Random assignments

D. Random assignments

Which of the following is an accurate statement about self-report questionnaires? A. In self-report questionnaires, the answers are often open-ended and not constrained by the researcher. B. In self-report questionnaires, people are always the best sources of information about themselves. C. Self-report questionnaires are widely used in psychological research as they help in avoiding social desirability bias. D. Self-report questionnaires are easy to use, especially in the context of collecting data from a large number of people at once.

D. Self-report questionnaires are easy to use, especially in the context of collecting data from a large number of people at once.

Dr. Adriana conducts a study to determine if players who wear a new type of soccer uniform made from a specially designed fabric will perform better in soccer matches. She recruits a professional soccer team to participate in her study. She randomly assigns half of the men to wear the new-material uniforms made in the color blue and the other half to wear old-material uniforms made in the color red. Although the men know about the test, they are not told which of the two uniforms is made from the new material. They are asked to wear their assigned uniforms and score as many goals as possible in a game against one another. Dr. Adriana notes the number of goals scored. Ultimately, the players who are wearing the old uniforms score more goal, and therefore, win the game. Dr. Adriana speculates that the new uniforms are not more beneficial to performance than the old uniforms, but she decides to rerun the test a few more times. From a scientific viewpoint, why was it important for Dr. Ariana to randomly assign the players to wear new or old uniforms? A. She wanted to make sure that the uniforms do not affect the outcome of the game played by the players. B. She wanted the players to feel they all had a chance of wearing their old uniforms, in which they would likely be more comfortable. C. She wanted to ensure that the performance of the players will be uniformly improved by wearing their respective uniforms. D. She wanted to ensure that each player had an equal chance of wearing the new or old uniform.

D. She wanted to ensure that each player had an equal chance of wearing the new or old uniform.

Which of the following types of scientific studies helps in avoiding the possibility that participants will behave in a biased way? A. Case-control studies B. Case studies C. Descriptive studies D. Single-blind studies

D. Single-blind studies

___________ sciences study humans both as individuals and as groups. A. Chemical B. Biological C. Physical D. Social

D. Social

Dr. Ahmed calculated a +0.87 correlation coefficient between the number of days students attended their classes for the semester and their final exam scores. What can he interpret from this finding? A. Students' absences caused them to do well in the final exam. B. Students' absence from classes had no effect on their final exam scores. C. Student attended classes for the semester in large numbers. D. Students who attended classes regularly performed well in exams.

D. Students who attended classes regularly performed well in exams.

The mean score of a batch of students for the midterm exam was 78.2, and the standard deviation was 15.8. The batch's mean score on the final exam was 81.3, with a standard deviation of 4.5. Based on these statistics, which of the following can be interpreted? A. The batch performed much better on the midterm exam than on the final exam. B. The mean revealed how spread out the batch's scores were. C. The most common score on the final exam was lower than the most common score on the midterm exam. D. There was more variability in the scores of the midterm exam than of the final exam.

D. There was more variability in the scores of the midterm exam than of the final exam.

How can the term measures be best defined in the context of psychological research? A. They are the steps taken to ensure that a study provides unbiased results. B. They are the steps taken to ensure that experimenters do not control the outcome of a study. C. They are the tools and techniques used to modify the results of a study. D. They are the tools and techniques used to assess thought or behavior.

D. They are the tools and techniques used to assess thought or behavior.

When can scientists help ensure accurate and honest presentation of results? A. When they protect their methods of inquiry from others B. When they announce their findings immediately after a study C. When they ignore the data that are contrary to their theory D. When they allow their work to be evaluated by other scientists

D. When they allow their work to be evaluated by other scientists

In research analysis and reports, data are never directly aligned with an individual respondent, thereby protecting his or her identity. Thus, ____________ is maintained. A. credibility B. reliability C. validity D. confidentiality

D. confidentiality

In a descriptive research design, a researcher will: A. make predictions about future outcomes. B. manipulate one variable to determine its effect on another. C. ensure the use of a control group. D. define a problem and variable of interest.

D. define a problem and variable of interest.

A(n) ____________ variable is the outcome, or response to an experimental manipulation. A. predictor B. experimental C. categorical D. dependent

D. dependent

In ___________, a researcher makes no prediction and does not try to control any of the variables. A. representative samples B. experiment C. sampling D. descriptive designs

D. descriptive designs

Practitioners of pseudoscience: A. conduct carefully planned scientific studies. B. back up their claims with sound, experimental research data. C. allow their findings to be rigorously scrutinized. D. do not challenge or question their own assumptions.

D. do not challenge or question their own assumptions.

The first step in obtaining a sample is for the researchers to decide the makeup of the ____________ in which they are interested. A. topic of research B. variable C. research design D. group

D. group

Debriefing is the process of: A. informing participants about the costs and benefits of participation. B. protecting the privacy of participants. C. distributing the benefits and costs of a study equally among participants. D. informing and explaining the exact purposes of a study following data collection.

D. informing and explaining the exact purposes of a study following data collection.

The ____________ is the arithmetic average of a series of numbers. A. range B. mode C. median D. mean

D. mean

To do a ______, the researcher converts the findings of each study into a standardized statistic known as effect size. A. research planning B. systematic review C. random assignment D. meta-analysis

D. meta-analysis

According to Carl Sagan, ____________ is the second attitude of science. A. questioning authority B. intellectual honesty C. practical thinking D. open skepticism

D. open skepticism

In a study on sugar consumption and activity level, an artificial sweetener would be an appropriate __________. A. ipsative B. normative C. nocebo D. placebo

D. placebo

According to the author, the first attitude of science is __________. A. practical thinking B. intellectual honesty C. questioning skepticism D. questioning authority

D. questioning authority

A theory is defined as a: A. practice that appears to be and claims to be a science, even though it does not use the scientific method to come to conclusions. B. set of experiments conducted to confirm the results of a scientific study. C. specific, informed, and testable prediction of what kind of outcome should occur under a particular condition. D. set of related assumptions from which testable predictions can be made.

D. set of related assumptions from which testable predictions can be made.

To ___________ a hypothesis, scientists select one of a number of established research methods, along with the appropriate measurement techniques. A. predict B. observe C. replicate D. test

D. test