Social Psych- Chapter 2: The Methods of Social Psychology

Population

Group you want to know about (eg., US college students)

- refers to the tendency for - scores to be followed by, or to accompany, - extreme scores.

regression to the mean, extreme, less

Identify the true and false statements about external validity.

-True Statement(s) When the purpose of the research is to generalize directly to the outside world, external validity is crucial. A good way to ensure external validity is to conduct a field experiment in a real-world situation, observing participants who do not know that they are being studied. -False Statement (s) External validity is the degree to which investigators are confident that only the manipulated variable could have produced the results. A high degree of external validity is necessary for any experimental research to be useful.

Which of the following are threats to internal validity and which are not?

Threat(s) selection bias regression to the mean experimenter bias differential attrition expectancy Not threats (s) third variable generalizability reverse causation

Although it is perhaps more intuitive to appreciate that the findings of basic research can fuel efforts at applied research, it is also true that the findings of - research can fuel efforts of -research.

applied, basic

Random samples

are likely to capture the proportions of given types of people in the population as a whole (ie., US college students)

In well-designed experiments, participants are exposed to different levels of the - variable by -, which ensures that they are as likely to be exposed to one condition in the study as another.

independent, random sampling

basic research

researching what motivates teenagers to engage in unhealthy activities

Match each term to the correct description.

the idea that people like their thoughts to be consistent with those of others and will do a lot of mental work to achieve such consistency -balance theory existing data, such as census records, used to find out the circumstances under which social phenomena take place -archives a body of related propositions intended to describe some aspect of the world -theory a prediction about what will happen under particular circumstances -hypothesis method of research used by social psychologists and anthropologists that involves watching some phenomenon at close range -participant observation

Which of the following are accurate statements about the value of social psychology research and which are not?

-Accurate Statement(s) It provides us with practical information that can help us better navigate everyday situations such as dating and interviews. It shows us that some of our everyday ideas about how other people behave are mistaken. It helps us understand how our beliefs about why we behave as we do can be mistaken. -Inaccurate It helps us understand why other people behave as they do, but not why we ourselves behave the way we do. It teaches us how to understand behavior that is the result of a psychological disorder.

- research can help build theories that result in -, which are direct efforts designed to target and change a person's behavior.

Basic, interventions

Identify each research scenario as applying to either reverse causation or third variable.

Reverse Causation -You have often heard the concern that stress causes cancer, but you also understand that the opposite could also be true (that having cancer can cause stress). -You read a report that those who have sex more frequently with their partners are more satisfied with sex, but you also suspect that those who are satisfied with sex may seek it more often from their partners. Third Variable -You have heard the grave concern about a relationship between exposing children to violent forms of media and their own aggressive behaviors. But you realize that if the two were causally connected, we would all be violent, and so you begin to list factors that might explain why some act violently but most do not. -You hear a news report on the radio that indicates there is a strong correlation between ice cream consumption and the number of deaths from drowning. You decide there must be some other factor that connects the two, as a causal connection would be nonsensical.

Identify the true and false statements about correlational research.

True: -Researchers look at degrees of relationships between variables. -The media often reports correlational research findings. -Correlation does not establish causation False: -A correlation of 0 means that there is a perfect correlation between variables. -In correlational research, researchers almost never determine the cause of behavior.

Match each problem to the appropriate research scenario.

You hear the results of the Milgram shock experiment, and believe you could have easily predicted such an outcome. Correct label: hindsight bias You hear that there is a correlation between stress and cancer, but wonder if things like genetic predispositions or lifestyle choices influence the relationship. Correct label: third variable You understand that exercise could impact one's health, but you also realize one's health could impact the ability to exercise. Correct label: reverse causation

replication

following up a study into how to counter tobacco companies' efforts with another study to make sure the results can be reproduced

Trying to charm his social psychology professor, Clifton tells her that taking her class makes people happier. Unimpressed by Clifton's attempt to flatter her, the professor challenges him to demonstrate his understanding of experimental design by creating an experiment to prove his statement. Match each experimental design term to the appropriate component of Clifton's experiment.

hypothesis -students who complete social psychology will be happier theory Taking college courses can produce emotions in students. -dependent variable Students may experience different levels of happiness at the end of the semester. independent variable -students may or may not take social psychology.

Participants in social psychology and medical research projects governed by IRBs must give -, except in some studies, which use -. In this case, the researcher must show the IRB why it is necessary to delay informed consent until after participation.

informed consent, deception

The degree to which we know that no influence other than the manipulated variable produced the results of an experiment is called its - validity, while an experiment's - validity is how closely its setup approximates what is found in the real world.

internal, external

An institutional review board (IRB) is made up of a committee that examines - and decides the - merits of studies.

research proposal, ethics

applied research

conducting research to determine how to counter the effects of the tobacco companies' efforts to encourage people to smoke

Identify the members of a university institutional review board (IRB).

IRB Member(s) one person not affiliated with the institution a scientist a nonscientist Not IRB Member(s) an attorney someone connected to the field of human rights

Convenience samples

can produce proportion that are severely skewed away from the actual proportions in the population as a whole.

Match each characteristic to either correlational or experimental research.

-Experimental Research Correct label: People are randomly assigned to different conditions or situations. Correct label: This type of research involves independent variables and dependent variables. Correct label: This type of research lets investigators make causal statements about how different situations or conditions affect people's behavior. -Correlational Research Correct label: Researchers simply determine if a relationship exists between two or more variables. Correct label: Investigators have no control over particular participants' levels, or scores, on the variables in the study. Correct label: In this type of research, researchers can never be sure about causality.

Identify the true and false statements about surveys.

-True Statement(s) The results of "reader surveys" in magazines need to be viewed with suspicion in terms of reflecting national opinions. A biased result can occur when the types of people who respond to surveys are not representative of the population or desired target group. Surveys are one of the most used research methods in social psychology. -False Convenience sampling is a method of random sampling that provides unbiased results.

Which of the following are accurate statements about the debriefing procedure and which are not?

Accurate: -Researchers must explain what the experiment was intended to evaluate. -Researchers are obligated to explain what aspects of the research involved deception. -Debriefing is especially important when participants have been deceived or felt uncomfortable. Inaccurate: -Researchers do not need to explain why participants may have been made to feel uncomfortable. -Institutional review boards have no authority to grant permission to deceive.

Scientific researchers use _____ research to learn about some phenomenon in its own right, with the goal of using those findings to build valid theories about some aspect of the world; whereas _____ research is used in attempts to directly solve a real-world problem.

Basic, applied

Which of the following are examples of hypotheses and which are not?

Examples: -Children who fail to exercise regularly are likely to become obese. -More students experience illness during final exams than during any other period. -If person A likes person B, who dislikes person C, person A will either come to dislike person C or begin to dislike person B. Not examples: -The universe began with the Big Bang. -People like to believe that they think like everyone else does.

Which of the following are necessary conditions for a study to have internal validity and which are not?

Necessary Conditions: -it involves debriefing participants in the pilot study to gain some insight on their understanding of the experimental design. -there is a random assignment -an experiment setup that is realistic and believable by participants Unnecessary Conditions: -It involves more than one variable that produces the results. -It is conducted using a field experiment

Match each aspect or type of research to the corresponding study.

The gradual introduction of television across the United States allowed researchers to study its effects in this type of experimental research. -natural experiment Cohen, Nisbett, and others compared the reactions of individuals getting shoved in a narrow hallway. -experimental research To study children in the U.S. Midwest, Roger Barker and Herbert Wright watched kids' behavior, including when they went to school and played. -observational research Nisbett and Cohen asked people in different regions of the United States about their attitudes on violence. -surveys Nisbett and Cohen analyzed murder records in the U.S. South and found that the most common type of homicide there involved some type of insult. -archival research

Match each survey method to the correct type of sampling described.

sending an email to all of the students in the campus photography club to survey them about campus health services -convenience sampling selecting every 100th student on a university registration roster to survey them about campus health services -random sampling computer selecting 50 names from the enrolled student body to survey them about campus health services -random sampling contacting students coming out of the health center to answer a survey about campus health services -convenience sampling

The following are questions that a correlational researcher might ask. Match each term to the appropriate question.

"Is there a relationship between variable 1 and variable 2?" -correlational research "By entering the study with set values on variables, what other factors did the participant introduce that are unknown to me [the researcher]?" -self-selection "Does variable 1 causally influence variable 2, or is it the other way around?" -reverse causation "Is there some other variable that influences variable 1 and variable 2?" -third variable

There are numerous threats to internal validity. Match each threat to the appropriate scenario.

A therapist wants to test if a new behavioral treatment will reduce depression in her patients, and she decides to only include patients who have the highest level of depression in the study. Correct label: -regression to the mean A researcher wants to test the effectiveness of a new teen pregnancy prevention program, and he decides to do so by implementing the program in a local high school and then comparing pregnancy rates to a high school in the neighboring town. Correct label: -selection bias A research assistant informs participants they are going to be observed in a study of helping behavior across a variety of situations. After she finishes explaining the procedures, she leaves the lab room and apparently forgets to take her cell phone with her. Correct label: -expectancy A pharmaceutical researcher has developed a new drug to treat migraine headaches, and he randomly assigns participants to either a drug or placebo condition, measuring the number of headaches reported. He knows which are taking the drug and acts more concerned towards them versus those taking the placebo. Correct label: -experimenter bias A researcher wants to determine which of two therapies would be most helpful to those diagnosed with PTSD. Over a three-year period, one group of patients is told to meditate weekly, while the other group must attend intense therapy sessions weekly to relive their traumatic experiences. Correct label: -differential attrition

Identify each concept as applying to either measurement validity or reliability.

Measurement Validity: -This is the correlation between some measure and some outcome the measure is supposed to predict. -For example, this is determined in IQ tests by comparing IQ scores with performance in jobs. Reliability: -For example, you take an IQ test twice, and you get roughly the same score. -This is the degree to which a measure gives the same result on repeated occasions, or the degree to which two measuring instruments yield the same result

Match each ethical issue to the appropriate research scenario.

Vladimir wants to earn extra credit in his general psychology course by volunteering for a research study on campus. After having the study procedures explained, he signs a document agreeing to participate. Correct label: informed consent In Milgram's shock experiment, if participants had been told the study was really about obedience to authority instead of being disguised as a study about learning and memory, it is likely the participants would have behaved quite differently. Correct label: deception Lucretia has just participated in a study of helping behavior, and the researcher tells her the study is investigating how perceptions of age and ethnicity can be manipulated to potentially affect the willingness of bystanders to help. Correct label: debriefing

Which of the following are possible explanations when the results of an original study are not replicated in a subsequent study?

-Possible Explanation(s) The original result was a fluke. The fact that the original result was not replicated was a fluke; the finding is actually valid. The original research design was faulty. The replication attempt was faulty. -Not Possible Explanation (s) The original result was not a fluke. The researcher followed the same procedures used in the original study. The researcher used a sample of participants similar to the one used in the original study.

Identify the true and false statements about statistical significance in a study

-True Statement(s) If the probability of achieving a finding by chance is less than .05, or 1 in 20, the finding is considered to have statistical significance. The number of cases upon which a study is based affects statistical significance. A study's finding has statistical significance when the probability of achieving the result by chance is less than some specified quantity. -False Statement(s) The difference between groups in a study has no impact on statistical significance.

Match each term to the correct description.

-degree to which different measuring instruments, or the same instrument at different times, produce consistent results Correct label: reliability -extent to which a measure predicts outcomes it is supposed to predict Correct label: measurement validity -measure of the probability that a result could have occurred by chance Correct label: statistical significance -extent to which investigators know that only the manipulated variable could have produced the results Correct label: internal validity -tendency of extreme scores on a variable to be followed by, or associated with, less extreme scores Correct label: regression to the mean -indication of how well the results of a study generalize to contexts outside of the conditions used in the laboratory Correct label: external validity

A researcher is studying the relationship between exam grades and the amount of coffee (in cups) that students drink on the exam days. These scatterplots show correlations based on information collected for five different exam days.

Scatterplot A shows a perfect negative correlation between coffee consumption and exam grade; the more coffee the students consume, the lower their exam scores. The other four scatterplots show positive correlations between coffee consumption and exam grade; the more coffee the students consume, the higher their exam scores. These correlations are all of different strengths, and scatterplot E shows a perfect positive correlation.

Identify the true and false statements about reflection exercises called thought experiments used by social psychologists.

True Statements: -They can be useful in situations where testing a proposition would be too expensive or unethical. -They are critical-thinking exercises in which you think through how you would test a particular hypothesis before testing it or instead of testing it. -They can allow researchers to form new hypotheses that are preferable to their initial speculations. False Statements: -They are only used in situations where an idea cannot be tested for some reason. -They are useful tools in avoiding hindsight bias.

Identify the true and false statements about the experimental element known as the control condition?

True: -In the Darley and Batson Good Samaritan experiment involving seminarians, the control condition was the assigning of the "not late" condition to some of the participants. -In the study by Cohen, Nisbett, and others involving some students getting shoved in a narrow hallway, the control condition was that a second group of students were not subjected to getting shoved. False: -It differs from the experimental condition in that it lacks the one ingredient hypothesized to produce the expected effect on the independent variable. -The more ways it differs from the experimental condition, the better it works.

intervention

making an effort to try to stop young people from smoking by coming up with a public service advertisement

As a consumer of research reported by the media, you are aware that such reports often suggest causal connections between variables where there are none. You are less susceptible to these implied causal connections because you are aware of the problems of -, which creates ambiguous variables that could be either causes or effects, and - factors, in which an outside factor has a significant influence upon the two variables that appear to be strongly correlated.

reverse causation, third variable