psych unit 1 test

. 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. 16, 28, 4, 8, 24 b. 9, 6, 9, 12, 9 c. 8, 9, 12, 10, 16 d. 6, 18, 4, 5, 2 e. 3, 4, 3, 4, 2

d. 6, 18, 4, 5, 2

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

d. Individual cases can be misleading and result in false generalizations.

. In which research method do we study one exceptional individual in depth and try to carefully draw conclusions about others based on the evidence? a. naturalistic observation b. experimentation c. hindsight bias d. case study e. random sampling

d. case study

Which research method is typically used to examine one participant in depth, usually because the individual's situation/behavior is rare or unusual? a. survey b. correlation c. experiment d. case study e. scientific method

d. case study

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. Dr. Roberts has found a cause-effect relationship. b. Dr. Roberts has found a positive correlation between classroom size and course grades. c. the independent variable is the measurement of course grades. d. classroom size has been operationally defined. e. Dr. Roberts has demonstrated the importance of random sampling.

d. classroom size has been operationally defined.

Which of the following statistical measures is most helpful for indicating the extent to which high school grades predict college grades? a. standard deviation b. mean c. median d. correlation coefficient e. range

d. correlation coefficient

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. case study c. experimentation d. correlational e. naturalistic observation

d. correlational

Examining correlational evidence to determine what further research would be needed to establish a causal relationship is an example of ________ thinking? a. correlational b. experimental c. naturalistic d. critical e. hindsight

d. critical

When we see certain outcomes as obvious based on what has occurred, we may be experiencing a. empiricism. b. critical thinking. c. hindsight bias. d. overconfidence. e. humility.

hindsight bias

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. illusory correlation. c. overconfidence. d. an illusion of control. e. random sampling.

the hindsight bias

Formulating testable hypotheses before conducting research is most directly useful for restraining a thinking error known as a. random sampling. b. the hindsight bias. c. overconfidence. d. illusory correlation. e. random assignment.

the hindsight bias

The scientific attitude of humility is most likely to be undermined by a. the hindsight bias. b. correlational evidence. c. random assignment. d. operational definitions. e. naturalistic observation.

the hindsight bias

Alexandra is told that research supports the value of cosmetic surgery for boosting self-esteem. Belinda is told that the esteem-enhancing value of cosmetic surgery has been refuted by research. Both women would consider the findings to be common sense. This best illustrates the power of a. random sampling. b. overconfidence. c. the hindsight bias. d. illusory correlation. e. the double-blind procedure.

the hindsight bias.

Giving half the members of a group some purported psychological finding and the other half an opposite result is an easy way to demonstrate the impact of a. overconfidence. b. illusory correlation. c. the hindsight bias. d. random sampling. e. the double-blind procedure.

the hindsight bias.

Professor Smith told one class that alcohol consumption has been found to increase sexual desire. He informed another class that alcohol consumption has been found to reduce sexual appetite. The fact that neither class was surprised by the information they received best illustrates the power of a. overconfidence. b. replication. c. the hindsight bias. d. the double-blind procedure. e. the placebo effect.

the hindsight bias.

The hindsight bias leads people to perceive research findings as a. invalid. b. unpredictable. c. inexplicable. d. unreplicable. e. unsurprising.

unsurprising

Our tendency to believe we know more than we do illustrates a. naturalistic observation. b. illusory correlation. c. overconfidence. d. the standard deviation. e. placebo.

overconfidence

Which of the following researchers used the case study method, carefully observing one exceptional individual in depth to reach conclusions that might be true of all of us? a. Jean Piaget b. James Randi c. Jane Goodall d. William James e. John B. Watson

A - Jean Piaget

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

a

Which of the following correlations between self-esteem and body weight would enable you to most accurately predict body weight from knowledge of level of self-esteem? a. +0.60 b. +0.01 c. -0.10 d. -0.06 e. 0.00

a

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. overconfidence. b. the hindsight bias. c. the placebo effect. d. negative correlation. e. illusory correlation.

a - overconfidence

Which of the following is most likely to inhibit critical thinking? a. operational definitions b. overconfidence c. random assignment d. naturalistic observation e. the double-blind procedure

a - overconfidence

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. perceiving illusory correlations. b. explaining events in hindsight. c. confusing correlation with causation. d. generalizing from unrepresentative samples. e. discerning order in random events.

a - perceiving illusory correlations.`

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

a - questioning

Which two questions exemplify the scientific attitude? a- What do you mean? How do you know that? b. Who believes you? What are their qualifications? c. How common is this answer? How many people agree? d. Is this an established truth? How long has it been considered fact? e. Which truths does this agree with? Which truths does it contradict?

a- What do you mean? How do you know that?

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. a sampling bias. b. wording effects. c. a replication error. d. confusing correlation with causation. e. not following ethical guidelines.

a. a sampling bias.

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

a. an illusory correlation.

To study the development of relationships, Dr. Rajiv carefully observed and recorded patterns of verbal and nonverbal behaviors among boys and girls in the school yard. Which research method did Dr. Rajiv employ? a. naturalistic observation b. replication c. the survey d. the case study e. experimentation

a. naturalistic observation

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. population. b. representative sample. c. independent variable. d. control condition. e. dependent variable.

a. population.

To accurately infer cause and effect, experimenters should use a. random assignment. b. naturalistic observation. c. standard deviations. d. correlation coefficients. e. scatterplots.

a. random assignment.

Which technique involves repeating the essence of an earlier research study with different participants and in different circumstances? a. replication b. correlational research c. random sampling d. naturalistic observation e. the double-blind procedure

a. replication

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

a. survey

Which research method would be most appropriate for investigating the relationship between the religious beliefs of Americans and their attitudes toward abortion? a. the survey b. naturalistic observation c. the case study d. experimentation e. random assignment

a. the survey

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. naturalistic observation. d. illusory correlation. e. hindsight bias.

a. theory.

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. +0.05 b. -0.01 c. +0.10 d. +0.50 e. -0.001

d

. The news media reported that a new pesticide was not harmful to humans. Which of the following statements best exemplifies critical thinking in response to this report? a. "I think I will try this pesticide on my own garden to kill pests." b. "I don't like to use pesticides, but this one is safe." c. "I think I'll use this product, but I think I'll wear gloves." d. "I wonder who funded this study?" e. "I don't believe this study because I got a rash after using this poison on my garden."

d. "I wonder who funded this study?"

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

b

A questioning attitude regarding psychologists' assumptions and hidden values best illustrates a. hypotheses. b. critical thinking. c. the hindsight bias. d. overconfidence. e. illusory correlation.

b - critical thinking

Sasha believes that she is a very good driver. Her belief leads her to take unnecessary risks, such as driving too fast and cutting in front of other drivers. Sasha's driving appears to be affected by a. hindsight bias. b. overconfidence. c. intuition. d. illusory correlations. e. empiricism.

b - overconfidence

Which of the following questions most likely could be answered using an empirical approach? a. Is human nature basically good or evil? b. What causes aggression? c. What happens after we die? d. How will style choices change in the future? e. What is the basis of faith?

b - what causes aggression

What do scientists call an explanation that organizes observations and predicts future behaviors or events? a. hypothesis b. theory c. critical thinking d. operational definition e. replication

b. theory

. A hypothesis is a(n) a. observable relationship between specific independent and dependent variables. b. testable prediction that gives direction to research. c. set of principles that organizes observations and explains newly discovered facts. d. unprovable assumption about the unobservable processes that underlie psychological functioning. e. statement of procedures used to define research variables. c. set of principles that organizes observations and explains newly discovered facts. d. unprovable assumption about the unobservable processes that underlie psychological functioning. e. statement of procedures used to define research variables.

b-. testable prediction that gives direction to research.

. 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. Correlation indicates the possibility of a causal relationship, but it does not prove causation. c. If one variable is strongly positively correlated with another variable, the relationship is causal. d. if one variable is strongly negatively correlated with another variable, the relationship is not causal. e. Both correlations and causations need to be proven with experimental data.

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

Which of the following is the best definition of illusory correlation? a. a statistical relationship between two variables b. a perceived but nonexistent correlation c. any independent variable that does not truly cause a dependent variable d. a scatterplot indicating the likelihood that a variable will or will not change e. a predication about the relationship between two variables

b. a perceived but nonexistent correlation

An experiment was designed to study the potential impact of alcohol consumption on emotional stability. A specification of the procedures used to measure emotional stability illustrates a. the independent variable. b. an operational definition. c. the double-blind procedure. d. random assignment. e. the dependent variable.

b. an operational definition.

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

b. causes and effects.

To determine whether the strength of people's self-esteem is related to their income levels, researchers would most likely make use of a. case studies. b. correlational research. c. experimentation. d. naturalistic observation. e. double-blind.

b. correlational research.

To examine assumptions, discern hidden values, evaluate evidence, and assess conclusions is to engage in a. naturalistic observation. b. critical thinking. c. generating hypotheses. d. creating operational definitions. e. experimentation.

b. critical thinking.

The biggest danger of relying on case-study evidence is that it a. is based on naturalistic observation. b. may be unrepresentative of what is generally true. c. overestimates the importance of operational definitions. d. leads us to underestimate the causal relationships between events. e. relies mostly on correlational rather than causational evidence.

b. may be unrepresentative of what is generally true.

Professor Ober carefully observes and records the behaviors of children in their classrooms in order to track the development of their social and intellectual skills. Professor Ober is most clearly engaged in a. survey research. b. naturalistic observation. c. experimentation. d. replication. e. correlation.

b. 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 case study. b. naturalistic observation. c. random assignment. d. the double-blind procedure. e. the survey.

b. 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. causally related. b. negatively correlated. c. independent variables. d. dependent variables. e. positively correlated.

b. negatively correlated.

The complete set of cases from which samples may be drawn is called a(n) a. control condition. b. population. c. case study. d. independent variable. e. survey.

b. population

If college graduates typically earn more money than high school graduates, this would indicate that level of education and income are a. causally related. b. positively correlated. c. independent variables. d. dependent variables. e. negatively correlated.

b. positively correlated.

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

b. prediction.

Professor Ambra was skeptical about the accuracy of recently reported research on sleep deprivation. Which process would best enable her to assess the reliability of these findings? a. naturalistic observation b. replication c. random sampling d. the case study e. standard deviation

b. replication

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

b. scatterplot.

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

b. surveys; experiments

To understand the unusual behavior of an adult client, a clinical psychologist carefully investigates the client's current life situation and his physical, social-cultural, and educational history. Which research method has the psychologist used? a. the survey b. the case study c. experimentation d. naturalistic observation e. correlation

b. the case study

To minimize the extent to which outcome differences between experimental and control conditions can be attributed to placebo effects, researchers make use of a. random sampling. b. the double-blind procedure. c. random assignment. d. operational definitions. e. replication.

b. the double-blind procedure.

Redelmeier and Tversky (1996) followed 18 patients with arthritis for 18 months. Patients were asked to record their pain and joint tenderness, while researchers documented changes in the weather. Nearly all patients believed that their condition was associated with weather changes, when the actual correlation was near zero. These participants need to be reminded that a. the results may not be statistically significant. b. we are likely to recall instances that confirm our beliefs. c. the sample size may not have been representative of the population. d. the results of correlational studies are typically highly questionable. e. subtle changes in how questions are worded can have major effects on results.

b. we are likely to recall instances that confirm our beliefs.

Surveys indicate that people are much less likely to support "welfare" than "aid to the needy." These somewhat paradoxical survey results best illustrate the importance of a. random sampling. b. wording effects. c. the placebo effect. d. naturalistic observation. e. hindsight bias.

b. wording effects.

Dr. Donelian wants to reduce his students' perception that psychological experiments merely document the obvious. His best strategy would be to ask the students to a. describe how experimental hypotheses were derived from basic psychological principles. b. predict the outcomes of experiments before they are told the actual results. c. explain the outcomes of experiments after they are told the actual results. d. personally engage in naturalistic observation. e. survey students living on campus

b. - predict the outcomes of experiments before they are told the actual results.

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

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

Basing decisions or conclusions on observable evidence describes which of the following? a. hindsight bias b. confirmation bias c. empirical approach d. overconfidence e. operational definition

c - empirical approach

Political officials who have no doubt that their own economic and military predictions will come true most clearly demonstrate a. illusory correlation. b. random sampling. c. overconfidence. d. the placebo effect. e. operational definition.

c - overconfidence

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. the hindsight bias. b. the placebo effect. c. a hypothesis. d. illusory correlation. e. an operational definition.

c. a hypothesis.

If the correlation between the physical weight and reading ability of children is +0.85, this would indicate that a. there is very little statistical relationship between weight and reading ability among children. b. low body weight has a negative effect on the reading abilities of children. c. better reading ability is associated with greater physical weight among children. d. body weight has no causal influence on the reading abilities of children. e. weight is a causal variable dependent on reading ability.

c. better reading ability is associated with greater physical weight among children.

. 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. case study d. naturalistic observation e. survey

c. case study

To discover the extent to which economic status can be used to predict political preferences, researchers are most likely to use a. the case study approach. b. naturalistic observation. c. correlational measures. d. experimental research. e. random assignment.

c. correlational measures.

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

c. direction and strength of the relationship between two variables.

The explanatory power of a scientific theory is most closely linked to its capacity to generate testable a. assumptions. b. correlations. c. inferences. d. variables. e. hypotheses.

c. inferences.

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

c. median

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

c. naturalistic observation.

Replication involves a. the selection of random samples. b. perceiving order in random events. c. repeating an earlier research study. d. rejecting ideas that cannot be scientifically tested. e. overestimating the extent to which others share our views.

c. repeating an earlier research study.

If psychologists discovered that more intelligent parents have smarter children than less intelligent parents, this would demonstrate that a. intelligence is inherited. b. more intelligent parents provide their children with greater educational opportunities than do less intelligent parents. 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.

c. the intelligence of parents and children is positively correlated.

What is the advantage of researchers using an empirical approach in evaluating the accuracy of eyewitness testimony? a. Researchers would experience greater overconfidence in their findings. b. Such an approach allows researchers to set aside their critical thinking and explore their intuition. c. Under controlled conditions, researchers collect evidence that may justify a cause-effect conclusion. d. The empirical approach fosters conditions necessary for hindsight bias to occur. e. Researchers may greatly overestimate eyewitness recollections when using the empirical approach.

c.- Under controlled conditions, researchers collect evidence that may justify a cause-effect conclusion.

An extensive survey revealed that children with relatively high self-esteem tend to picture God as kind and loving, whereas those with lower self-esteem tend to perceive God as angry. The researchers concluded that the children's self-esteem had apparently influenced their views of God. This conclusion best illustrates the danger of a. perceiving order in random events. b. generalizing from extreme examples. c. randomly sampling children's views. d. exaggerating the extent to which others share our beliefs. e. assuming that correlation proves causation.

d. exaggerating the extent to which others share our beliefs

A researcher interested in proving a causal relationship between two variables should choose which research method? a. correlation b. survey c. naturalistic observation d. experiment e. case study

d. experiment

After noting that a majority of professional basketball players are African-American, Ervin concluded that African-Americans are better athletes than members of other racial groups. Ervin's conclusion best illustrates the danger of a. replication. b. hindsight bias. c. the placebo effect. d. generalizing from vivid cases. e. randomly assigning variables.

d. generalizing from vivid cases.

Knowing the difference between an experimental condition and a control condition is most relevant to understanding the nature of a. correlations. b. random sampling. c. replication. d. independent variables. e. hindsight bias.

d. independent variables.

The arithmetic average of a distribution of scores is the a. mode. b. median. c. standard deviation. d. mean. e. range.

d. mean.

A specification of how a researcher measures a research variable is known as a(n) a. standard deviation. b. control condition. c. replication. d. operational definition. e. observation.

d. operational definition.

The process of replication is most likely to be facilitated by a. the hindsight bias. b. overconfidence. c. illusory correlation. d. operational definitions. e. the placebo effect.

d. operational definitions.

Historians of science describe which three attitudes as the basis of the scientific viewpoint? a. intelligence, dedication, thoroughness b. morality, detail-orientation, cynicism c. achievement-oriented, intellectual, empirical d. curiosity, skepticism, humility e. atheism, humanism, cognition

d. - curiosity, skepticism, humility

Megan was certain that she would never live far away from her family. However, in order to further her career, she decided to move. Megan's experience best illustrates a. the hindsight bias. b. illusory correlation. c. random assignment. d. the empirical approach. e. overconfidence.

e - overconfidence

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

e - overconfidence

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. naturalistic observation. b. illusory correlation. c. hindsight bias. d. replication. e. a theory.

e. a theory.

. 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. correlation c. survey d. experimentation e. case study

e. case study

When you question whether anecdotal evidence can be generalized to all people, you are applying a. overconfidence. b. the placebo effect. c. the hindsight bias. d. random assignment. e. critical thinking.

e. critical thinking.

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

e. dependent variable.

The most foolproof way of testing the true effectiveness of a newly introduced method of psychological therapy is by means of a. survey research. b. case study research. c. naturalistic observation. d. correlational research. e. experimental research.

e. experimental research.

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. median b. range c. mode d. standard deviation e. mean

e. mean

To describe the behavior of animals in their native habitats, researchers are most likely to make use of a. survey research. b. the double-blind procedure. c. random assignment. d. experimental methods. e. naturalistic observation.

e. naturalistic observation.

In order to learn about the political attitudes of all students enrolled at Arizona State University, Professor Marlow randomly selected 800 of these students to complete a questionnaire. In this instance, all the students enrolled at Arizona State University are considered to be a(n) a. independent variable. b. representative sample. c. control. d. dependent variable. e. population.

e. population.

Hypotheses are best described as a. assumptions. b. replications. c. explanations. d. confirmations. e. predictions.

e. predictions.

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

e. random sampling

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. random assignment. b. naturalistic observation. c. replication. d. correlation. e. random sampling.

e. random sampling.

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. the hindsight bias. c. overconfidence. d. random assignment. e. wording effects.

e. wording effects.

The hindsight bias refers to people's tendency to a. dismiss the value of replication. b. reject any ideas that cannot be scientifically tested. c. exaggerate their ability to have foreseen the outcome of past events. d. assume that correlation proves causation. e. overestimate the extent to which others share their opinions.

exaggerate their ability to have foreseen the outcome of past events.