Deck 2: Methodological Considerations

Question 1

Relying on findings based on American college students is not a big problem because most people are alike when it comes to psychological processes.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

When researchers measure various behaviors and tendencies along a graded scale, participants in WEIRD societies are usually outliers who fall at one extreme or the other.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The college sophomore problem ______________.

A) refers to the fact that students are most likely to transfer to another college at the end of their second year
B) refers to the time in their college career when students are most likely to cheat
C) refers to doubts about the generality of findings from studies of college students
D) refers to doubts about the honesty of responses on psychological questionnaires

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a good way to make Psychology less WEIRD?

A) Study women in tribal societies who live in the traditional way.
B) Study adults who are poor and uneducated.
C) Study children who live in autocratic, non-Western countries.
D) Study farmers who live in rural areas of the United States and Canada.

Question 5

What is the college sophomore problem?

Question 6

In Briefing 6, we learned that the psychological database is WEIRD. What exactly is the problem? What can researchers do to overcome or minimize the problem?

Question 7

The existence of a confounding variable creates difficulties for researchers who wish to determine if one variable has an impact on another variable.

Question 8

We know from cross-cultural studies that one element of Piaget's original theory-the developmental milestones-appears to be true everywhere, but other elements-the stages of cognitive development and their order-are not.

Question 9

When behavioral scientists say a study has good external validity, they ______________.

A) are confident that the measures used were reliable and valid
B) believe the results can be applied to other people and other settings
C) believe the outcome was produced by the test variable, not other variables
D) all of the above

Question 10

What kind of study did Malinowski conduct when he collected dream reports from adolescent boys in the Trobriand Islands?

A) a multicultural study (because he collected data from three tribal groups)
B) a quasi-experiment (because participants could not be randomly assigned)
C) an unpackaging study (because he identified the active ingredients of culture)
D) an unconfounding study (because two crucial variables did not occur together)

Question 11

Cross-cultural studies are especially valuable in the behavioral sciences. Why? Be specific.

Question 12

What is an unconfounding study?

Question 13

Studies have found that people who live in countries that have demanding climates and limited natural resources are more likely to hold individualistic values related to personal achievement and self-reliance.

Question 14

According to one study, individuals tend to have higher self-esteem when they have a personality that is similar to the "personality" of the city where they live.

Question 15

Geographical psychology is a new subfield of psychological science that ______________.

A) examines the spatial distribution of psychological phenomena such as personality traits and values
B) examines the impact of historical landmarks (statues, for example) on the beliefs and attitudes of people who interact with the landmark
C) examines the psychological impact of working or studying in a foreign country
D) all of the above

Question 16

A psychological atlas is _____________________________.

A) a reference book that lists and describes mental disorders that have been observed in countries around the world
B) a map that depicts regional variations in psychological traits or outcomes
C) a traveler's handbook or guide to customs, values, and normative practices in different countries
D) none of the above

Question 17

What is geographical psychology? Be specific.

Question 18

When interpreting a psychological atlas, it is important to consider at least three methodological issues. What are they?

Question 19

Frame switching is the ability to block or suppress a thought or behavior in order to select a more appropriate response.

Question 20

Several studies have found a relationship between executive control and intelligence, which suggests that bilingual persons as a group may be somewhat smarter than monolinguals.

Question 21

The term "bilingual advantage" refers to the idea that bilinguals tend to perform better than monolinguals on cognitive tasks that involve ______________.

A) frame switching
B) inhibitory control
C) executive control
D) all of the above

Question 22

Publication bias occurs when _______________________.

A) underpowered studies are not published because they fail to find statistically significant effects
B) a study is not published because the author has extreme political beliefs
C) results that support a favored theory are more likely to be published in academic journals
D) none of the above

Question 23

How do researchers test for the existence of a bilingual advantage?

Question 24

Explain how a researcher can compare conference abstracts with published studies to investigate the possibility of publication bias.