Deck 1: Introduction

Question 1

Your text says that statistical techniques are broadly classified as descriptive statistics and inferential statistics.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The lower limit of a score of 10 is 9.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

On a ratio scale, zero means that no amount was present.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

A dependent variable is characterized by a small number of levels of treatment.

Question 5

An extraneous variable can influence the values of the dependent variable in an experiment.

Question 6

The basis of statistics is reason, not experience.

Question 7

Statistics courses were first offered in U.S. universities after 1950.

Question 8

The problems in your textbook are all grouped together at the end of the chapter.

Question 9

Your text says that statistical techniques are broadly classified as sample statistics and population statistics.

Question 10

The lower limit of a score of 6 is 5.5.

Question 11

A parameter is a characteristic of a population.

Question 12

Statements such as "twice as much" and "half as much" are permissible if the variable is measured on a ratio scale.

Question 13

The researcher chooses the values of the dependent variable in an experiment.

Question 14

An extraneous variable can influence the values of the independent variable in an experiment.

Question 15

The basis of statistics is experience, not reason.

Question 16

Statistics courses were first offered in U.S. universities just before 1900.

Question 17

Variables are concepts that exist in more than one amount or more than one form.

Question 18

The problems in your textbook are in groups within the chapter as well as at the end.

Question 19

Your text says that statistical techniques are broadly classified as qualitative statistics and quantitative statistics.

Question 20

The upper limit of a score of 9 is 9.5.

Question 21

The numbers from a nominal scale convey concepts of greater than and less than.

Question 22

Researchers would prefer to eliminate an extraneous variable.

Question 23

Your text supports the assertion that you can prove anything with statistics.

Question 24

Your text identifies four different levels of statistical sophistication.

Question 25

An advantage of studying statistics is that the techniques are well established and not likely to change.

Question 26

The chapters in your textbook begin with a list of objectives.

Question 27

Data Set 1-1: . Albert Bandura promotes cognitive therapy. In one study (Bandura, Blanchard, and Ritter, 1969), 48 volunteers who wanted to rid themselves of a snake phobia were randomly assigned to therapy groups. One group watched a film in which actors (models) handled a four-foot king snake. If participants began to get anxious, they stopped the film and relaxed until they were ready to continue. A second group watched a live model handle the snake and was encouraged to join in when they felt like it. A third group received desensitization therapy. A fourth group served as an untreated control group. After the therapy sessions the number of snake-approach responses was recorded for each participant. (Group 2 showed the most.)

-In this experiment the independent variable was

A) kinds of therapy
B) number of snake approaches
C) kind of snake
D) method of assignment to groups.

Question 28

Data Set 1-1: . Albert Bandura promotes cognitive therapy. In one study (Bandura, Blanchard, and Ritter, 1969), 48 volunteers who wanted to rid themselves of a snake phobia were randomly assigned to therapy groups. One group watched a film in which actors (models) handled a four-foot king snake. If participants began to get anxious, they stopped the film and relaxed until they were ready to continue. A second group watched a live model handle the snake and was encouraged to join in when they felt like it. A third group received desensitization therapy. A fourth group served as an untreated control group. After the therapy sessions the number of snake-approach responses was recorded for each participant. (Group 2 showed the most.)

-In the snake-phobia experiment in Data Set 1-1, the different kinds of therapy represent

A) the independent variable
B) the dependent variable
C) an extraneous variable
D) uncertain, more information is necessary to decide.

Question 29

Data Set 1-1: . Albert Bandura promotes cognitive therapy. In one study (Bandura, Blanchard, and Ritter, 1969), 48 volunteers who wanted to rid themselves of a snake phobia were randomly assigned to therapy groups. One group watched a film in which actors (models) handled a four-foot king snake. If participants began to get anxious, they stopped the film and relaxed until they were ready to continue. A second group watched a live model handle the snake and was encouraged to join in when they felt like it. A third group received desensitization therapy. A fourth group served as an untreated control group. After the therapy sessions the number of snake-approach responses was recorded for each participant. (Group 2 showed the most.)

-The three kinds of active therapy in the snake-phobia experiment in Data Set 1-1 represent measures on a scale of measurement.

A) nominal
B) ordinal
C) Interval
D) ratio.

Question 30

Data Set 1-1: . Albert Bandura promotes cognitive therapy. In one study (Bandura, Blanchard, and Ritter, 1969), 48 volunteers who wanted to rid themselves of a snake phobia were randomly assigned to therapy groups. One group watched a film in which actors (models) handled a four-foot king snake. If participants began to get anxious, they stopped the film and relaxed until they were ready to continue. A second group watched a live model handle the snake and was encouraged to join in when they felt like it. A third group received desensitization therapy. A fourth group served as an untreated control group. After the therapy sessions the number of snake-approach responses was recorded for each participant. (Group 2 showed the most.)

-In the snake-phobia experiment in Data Set 1-1 there are levels of the independent variable.

A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) unknown, depends on the number of snake-approach responses.

Question 31

Data Set 1-2: Lucy classified the personality of the 33 participants in her study as extraverts or introverts using the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator. All the participants took the Snyder Personal Reaction Inventory (SPRI), which measures the degree to which a person expresses feelings toward others. Scores on the SPRI range from 10-100.

-The independent variable in Lucy's study is

A) personality
B) feelings toward others
C) scores from 10 to 100
D) number of participants.

Question 32

Data Set 1-2: Lucy classified the personality of the 33 participants in her study as extraverts or introverts using the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator. All the participants took the Snyder Personal Reaction Inventory (SPRI), which measures the degree to which a person expresses feelings toward others. Scores on the SPRI range from 10-100.

-In Data Set 1-2, the number of levels of the independent variable is

A) 33
B) 10 to 100
C) 4
D) 2.

Question 33

Data Set 1-2: Lucy classified the personality of the 33 participants in her study as extraverts or introverts using the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator. All the participants took the Snyder Personal Reaction Inventory (SPRI), which measures the degree to which a person expresses feelings toward others. Scores on the SPRI range from 10-100.

-In Lucy's study (in Data Set 1-2), personality, is a(n)

A) dependent variable
B) independent variable
C) extraneous variable.

Question 34

Data Set 1-3: For her research project, Susan gathered data from 76 students who filled out a questionnaire about exercise and GPA. From the exercise portion, students were classified as sedentary, moderate, or vigorous exercisers. GPA's were expressed in the usual decimal form

-The independent variable was

A) kind of project
B) the number of students who filled out the questionnaire
C) GPA
D) exercise classification.

Question 35

Data Set 1-3: For her research project, Susan gathered data from 76 students who filled out a questionnaire about exercise and GPA. From the exercise portion, students were classified as sedentary, moderate, or vigorous exercisers. GPA's were expressed in the usual decimal form

-In Susan's experiment (Data Set 1-3), the fact that students were classified as sedentary, moderate, or vigorous exercisers constitutes

A) the independent variable
B) the dependent variable
C) a controlled extraneous variable
D) an uncontrolled extraneous variable.

Question 36

Data Set 1-3: For her research project, Susan gathered data from 76 students who filled out a questionnaire about exercise and GPA. From the exercise portion, students were classified as sedentary, moderate, or vigorous exercisers. GPA's were expressed in the usual decimal form

-In Data Set 1-3, the number of levels of the independent variable for Susan's experiment was

A) 76
B) 4
C) 3
D) 2

Question 37

Data Set 1-4: Janna gathered data from 47 students, who filled out the Self-Consciousness Scale. Scores in this scale range from 0 to 66. In addition, Janna classified each student's height as short, average, or tall.

-The dependent variable in Janna's study is

A) the actual height of the students
B) classification as short, average, or tall
C) the Self-Consciousness Scale
D) number of students who participated.

Question 38

Data Set 1-4: Janna gathered data from 47 students, who filled out the Self-Consciousness Scale. Scores in this scale range from 0 to 66. In addition, Janna classified each student's height as short, average, or tall.

-In Janna's study (Data Set 1-4), the scores on the Self-Consciousness Scale are

A) the dependent variable
B) the independent variable
C) an extraneous variable.

Question 39

Data Set 1-4: Janna gathered data from 47 students, who filled out the Self-Consciousness Scale. Scores in this scale range from 0 to 66. In addition, Janna classified each student's height as short, average, or tall.

-In Janna's experiment (Data Set 1-4), the number of levels of the independent variable is

A) 2
B) 3
C) 47
D) between 0 and 66.

Question 40

Data Set 1-5: . Alex believed that family size affects a person's anxiety level, so he asked 66 undergraduate participants to list each blood relative they had a clear memory of. (The mean was 38.) Using these data, he classified students as having few, average, or many relatives. Participants also filled out the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, which yields scores that range from 0 to 20.

-The independent variable in Alex's experiment

A) is scores on the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale
B) is family size
C) varies from 0 to 20
D) is 38.

Question 41

Data Set 1-5: . Alex believed that family size affects a person's anxiety level, so he asked 66 undergraduate participants to list each blood relative they had a clear memory of. (The mean was 38.) Using these data, he classified students as having few, average, or many relatives. Participants also filled out the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, which yields scores that range from 0 to 20.

-Family size in Data Set 1-5 is

A) the independent variable
B) the dependent variable
C) an extraneous variable.

Question 42

Data Set 1-5: . Alex believed that family size affects a person's anxiety level, so he asked 66 undergraduate participants to list each blood relative they had a clear memory of. (The mean was 38.) Using these data, he classified students as having few, average, or many relatives. Participants also filled out the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, which yields scores that range from 0 to 20.

-In Alex's experiment (Data Set 1-5), the number of levels of the independent variable is

A) 2
B) 3
C) 38
D) some number between 0 and 20.

Question 43

Data Set 1-6: 18. Kaycee was interested in social loafing, which is that individuals do less work in groups than they do when working alone. For her Research Methods project, all participants worked in a group with two others. The task was to find words in a square display of letters. Some participants were told they would be scored individually and some were told that their effort would add to the group score. The actual analysis was on the number of words found by a group.

-The independent variable was

A) number of words found
B) number of groups
C) what participants were told
D) number of participants in a group.

Question 44

Data Set 1-6: 18. Kaycee was interested in social loafing, which is that individuals do less work in groups than they do when working alone. For her Research Methods project, all participants worked in a group with two others. The task was to find words in a square display of letters. Some participants were told they would be scored individually and some were told that their effort would add to the group score. The actual analysis was on the number of words found by a group.

-In Data Set 1-6, the fact that some participants believed they would be scored individually and some believed their effort would add to the group score is the

A) independent variable
B) dependent variable
C) uncontrolled extraneous variable
D) controlled extraneous variable.

Question 45

Data Set 1-6: 18. Kaycee was interested in social loafing, which is that individuals do less work in groups than they do when working alone. For her Research Methods project, all participants worked in a group with two others. The task was to find words in a square display of letters. Some participants were told they would be scored individually and some were told that their effort would add to the group score. The actual analysis was on the number of words found by a group.

-The number of levels of the independent variable in Kaycee's experiment (Data Set 1-6) is

A) one
B) two
C) three
D) none of the other alternatives.

Question 46

Data Set 1-7: In Blaine's experiment participants tasted three different picante sauces and indicated their favorite. Everyone participated after supper on Monday or Tuesday. After the participants were classified as preferring hot, medium, or mild sauce, they filled out the White Risk Inventory, a measure that yields a score of 0 to 15 and indicates how likely a person is to engage in risky adventures.

-The dependent variable in Blaine's experiment is

A) score on the White Risk Inventory
B) day of the week they participated
C) choice of picante sauce
D) number of people who participated.

Question 47

Data Set 1-7: In Blaine's experiment participants tasted three different picante sauces and indicated their favorite. Everyone participated after supper on Monday or Tuesday. After the participants were classified as preferring hot, medium, or mild sauce, they filled out the White Risk Inventory, a measure that yields a score of 0 to 15 and indicates how likely a person is to engage in risky adventures.

-A participant's score on the White Risk Inventory in Data Set 1-7 is the variable.

A) independent
B) dependent
C) extraneous.

Question 48

Data Set 1-7: In Blaine's experiment participants tasted three different picante sauces and indicated their favorite. Everyone participated after supper on Monday or Tuesday. After the participants were classified as preferring hot, medium, or mild sauce, they filled out the White Risk Inventory, a measure that yields a score of 0 to 15 and indicates how likely a person is to engage in risky adventures.

-The number of levels of the independent variable in Data Set 1-7 is

A) 2
B) 3
C) 15
D) cannot be determined from the information given.

Question 49

Data Set 1-8: Kevin recruited 40 volunteers for his study, which studied the effect on a person's trust of having grown up in a two-parent or a one-parent family. Students were recruited from General Psychology classes. Students filled out the Rempel Trust Scale and also indicated their family's status.

-In this study the independent variable is

A) family's status
B) where students were recruited
C) score on the Rempel Trust Scale
D) number of students recruited.

Question 50

Data Set 1-8: Kevin recruited 40 volunteers for his study, which studied the effect on a person's trust of having grown up in a two-parent or a one-parent family. Students were recruited from General Psychology classes. Students filled out the Rempel Trust Scale and also indicated their family's status.

-In Data Set 1-8, some students were from one-parent homes and some were from two-parent homes. This constitutes the (an) _____ variable.

A) dependent
B) independent
C) extraneous
D) ratio

Question 51

Data Set 1-8: Kevin recruited 40 volunteers for his study, which studied the effect on a person's trust of having grown up in a two-parent or a one-parent family. Students were recruited from General Psychology classes. Students filled out the Rempel Trust Scale and also indicated their family's status.

-The number of levels of the independent variable in Data Set 1-8 is

A) one
B) two
C) three
D) none of the other alternatives.

Question 52

Data Set 1-9: Julia and Davi conducted a study of 74 fifth grade students who were randomly assigned to groups. One group listened to pop-rock music, a second heard easy-listening music, and a third heard no music. While the music (or no music) was going on, students read a short story. Later the students took a test that measured their comprehension of the short story. (The easy-listening group performed best.)

-The dependent variable in this experiment is

A) what the students heard while reading the short story
B) scores on the comprehension test
C) grade level in school
D) the fact that the easy-listening group did best.

Question 53

Data Set 1-9: Julia and Davi conducted a study of 74 fifth grade students who were randomly assigned to groups. One group listened to pop-rock music, a second heard easy-listening music, and a third heard no music. While the music (or no music) was going on, students read a short story. Later the students took a test that measured their comprehension of the short story. (The easy-listening group performed best.)

-In Data Set 1-9, the scores of the 74 students on the comprehension test are

A) the independent variable
B) the dependent variable
C) an extraneous variable
D) a qualitative variable.

Question 54

Data Set 1-9: Julia and Davi conducted a study of 74 fifth grade students who were randomly assigned to groups. One group listened to pop-rock music, a second heard easy-listening music, and a third heard no music. While the music (or no music) was going on, students read a short story. Later the students took a test that measured their comprehension of the short story. (The easy-listening group performed best.)

-The independent variable in Data Set 1-9 has ________ levels.

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) none of the other alternatives are correct.

Question 55

The techniques collectively called statistics fall into two categories:

A) independent and dependent
B) mathematical and philosophical
C) fundamental and supplemental
D) inferential and descriptive.

Question 56

Which of the following describes the Zeigarnik Effect?

A) the first part of a list is remembered best
B) the last part of a list is remembered best
C) both a and b above that is, the middle part is the most difficult part to remember
D) none of the other alternatives are correct.

Question 57

Remembering unfinished tasks better than completed tasks is a phenomenon of memory discovered by

A) Lambert
B) Partida
C) Playfair
D) Zeigarnik.

Question 58

The Zeigarnik Effect is remembering

A) finished tasks better than unfinished tasks
B) unfinished tasks better than finished ones
C) first tasks better than later tasks
D) latter tasks better than initial tasks.

Question 59

The Zeigarnik Effect

A) is the distinction between statistics and experimental design
B) is that numbers mean different things depending on the scale of measurement
C) is a phenomenon of memory
D) all of the other alternatives are correct.

Question 60

The Zeigarnik Effect describes howwork(s).

A) scales of measurement
B) extraneous variables
C) populations
D) memory.

Question 61

The Zeigarnik Effect

A) is that different scales of measurement require different interpretations
B) explains how to rank the importance of experience and reason
C) describes the importance of statistics in law
D) describes the memory of people.

Question 62

When the word "statistics" first began to be used it referred to

A) a procedure that used samples
B) the number of states in a country
C) a scientific method of reaching conclusions
D) a country's political characteristics that could be expressed as numbers.

Question 63

When the word "statistics" first began to be used it referred to

A) chance
B) political characteristics of a country such as the number of citizens and the amount of taxes collected
C) a method that used samples to reach conclusions about populations
D) the subdivisions of a country (states).

Question 64

According to your text, the principal reason for doing an experiment using samples is to

A) find out about the sample
B) find out about the population
C) obtain numbers so that statistics may be calculated
D) obtain numbers so that parameters may be calculated.

Question 65

_____ is a method of taking chance factors into account when experiments are conducted.

A) epistemology
B) quantitative measurement
C) descriptive statistics
D) inferential statistics.

Question 66

______ produces the probability of an observed difference between two samples for the case when there is actually no difference between the two groups the samples were drawn from.

A) inferential statistics
B) descriptive statistics
C) both inferential and descriptive statistics
D) neither inferential nor descriptive statistics

Question 67

After a study finds a difference between two samples, inferential statistics tells you

A) whether or not the descriptive statistics showing a difference were calculated correctly
B) the probability that the descriptive statistics were correct
C) the probability of the difference, if there is actually no difference between the two groups the samples were drawn from
D) the probability that chance caused the results.

Question 68

In your experiment, you conclude that the level of the independent variable makes a difference on the dependent variable. A critic says, "The difference you found was due to chance and not due to the independent variable." The best response you could make is, "No, I don't think that is a valid criticism because I

A) controlled all extraneous variables."
B) used inferential statistics."
C) used the proper scale of measurement."
D) used a representative sample."

Question 69

Inferential statistics allows a researcher to

A) select representative samples
B) make decisions about populations
C) characterize a set of data with one number
D) all of the other alternatives are correct.

Question 70

Inferential statistics was developed descriptive statistics.

A) before
B) after
C) at the same time as

Question 71

Which of the following is a definition of inferential statistics?

A) numbers that express some characteristics of the state
B) a method of picking one number that is representative of several numbers
C) a method of deciding something about a population
D) all of the other alternatives are appropriate definitions.

Question 72

"Taking chance factors into account when you use samples to reach conclusions about populations" is a definition of

A) scales of measurement
B) rationalism
C) descriptive statistics
D) inferential statistics.

Question 73

Your text describes the discipline of statistics as

A) stable with most controversies and issues settled by the middle of the 20th century
B) rather stable though some controversies remain over central tendency and correlation
C) characterized by minor disagreements over theoretical starting points
D) characterized by controversy over widely used inferential statistical techniques.

Question 74

In recent years, attitudes toward data analysis have shifted from

A) exploring data to confirming a conclusion
B) confirming a conclusion to exploring data
C) establishing exact answers to sketching broad approaches
D) sketching broad approaches to establishing exact answers.

Question 75

The attitudes of statisticians in recent years toward data analysis have shifted from

A) confirming a conclusion to exploring data
B) exploring data to confirming a conclusion
C) vague models of analysis to precise mathematical models
D) precise mathematical models to broad comprehensive models.

Question 76

The mean (arithmetic average) is an example of

A) a population
B) a sample
C) a descriptive statistic
D) none of the other alternatives are correct.

Question 77

The answer your text gives to the question, "What's in statistics for me?" is that when you learn statistics, you will be better able to

A) understand data
B) perform intricate mathematical calculations
C) take advanced courses in statistics
D) all of the other alternatives are correct

Question 78

The answer your text gives to the question, "What's in statistics for me?" is that when you learn statistics, you will be better able to

A) persuade others
B) communicate with others who use statistics
C) both of the descriptive alternatives are correct
D) neither of the descriptive alternatives are correct.

Question 79

Which of the following was not described as a benefit of a course in statistics?

A) conclusions may be made with certainty
B) you get an education in decision making
C) you are better able to communicate with others
D) a tool used in several disciplines is learned.

Question 80

The techniques of statistics are used in

A) Psychology and Education
B) a above, plus Biology
C) disciplines in the social sciences, plus Biology
D) a wide variety of disciplines.