Deck 2: A: Scientific Methods in Psychology

Question 1

To say a result is replicable means that other investigators can get similar results.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Every experiment has at least one independent variable.​

Answer 2

True

Question 3

A scientific theory is just a guess.​

Answer 3

False

Question 4

A case history studies a random sample of the population.​

Question 5

In an experiment on how coffee affects alertness,the amount of coffee would be the dependent variable.​

Question 6

A good scientific theory should be falsifiable.​

Question 7

Random assignment is an important procedure in both experiments and correlational research.​

Question 8

Properly conducted experiments allow researchers to draw conclusions about cause and effect.​

Question 9

The control group in an experiment is the group of people who have some control over what happens.​

Question 10

Changing the wording of a survey question causes many people to answer differently.​

Question 11

Several laboratory demonstrations of extrasensory perception are consistently replicable.​

Question 12

If variable A has a strong positive correlation with variable B,then changes in variable A cause changes in variable B.​

Question 13

Claims for extrasensory perception are neither parsimonious nor replicable.​

Question 14

If someone makes an interesting claim,such as extrasensory perception,anyone who doubts it has the "burden of proof."​

Question 15

A meta-analysis combines results from many studies as if they were one large study.​

Question 16

An operational definition tells how to measure something.​

Question 17

Most dictionary definitions are operational definitions.​

Question 18

A correlation coefficient of -0.7 represents a stronger relationship between variables than a correlation coefficient of +0.5.​

Question 19

If you study everyone who volunteers for your study,you obtain a random sample of the population.

Question 20

Other things being equal,scientists prefer the most parsimonious theory.​

Question 21

Consider the following set of scores on a quiz: 2,2,3,5,8.The median for this set of scores is 4.​

Question 22

A double-blind procedure reduces the influence of demand characteristics.​

Question 23

If different researchers consistently get similar results,we say the results are _________.​

Question 24

One objection to claims of extrasensory perception is that the explanations are not parsimonious.Another objection is that the results are not ____________________.​

Question 25

In general,scientists are impressed with an experimental result if the p value is small.​

Question 26

"It is unlikely that chance alone would produce results like this," means that "It is unlikely that chance alone did produce these results."​

Question 27

Some statistically significant results represent only random fluctuations in the data.​

Question 28

Consider the following set of scores on a quiz: 70,100,85,70,75.The mean for this set of scores is 75.​

Question 29

A statement that leads to a clear prediction is called a ____________.​

Question 30

Consider the following set of scores on a quiz: 70,100,85,70,75.The median for this set of scores is 75.

Question 31

The mean is especially useful if the scores approximate the normal distribution.​

Question 32

The use of a blind observer reduces the influence of experimenter bias.​

Question 33

The goal of scientific research is to establish comprehensive explanations of observable events.These explanations are called ____________________.​

Question 34

A before-and-after study can lead to a firm conclusion,even without a control group.​

Question 35

If a theory makes simple,acceptable assumptions,we say the theory is ___________.​

Question 36

Psychologists are confident that almost any statistically significant result can be replicated.​

Question 37

If a theory is stated so precisely that we can see what evidence would count against it,we say the theory is ______________​

Question 38

If the p value of a research study is small,the 95 percent confidence intervals for each group will be large.​

Question 39

If most patients recover from depression after a few months of therapy,we can conclude that the therapy was helpful.​

Question 40

Any ethical experiment on people begins by asking participants for their informed consent.​

Question 41

If an increase in one variable is not associated with any consistent increase or decrease in a second variable,then the correlation between the two variables is ____________________.​

Question 42

A scientist has formed the following hypothesis: Students who listen to music while studying will take longer to complete their reading and remember less of it.Once she has constructed her hypothesis,what are the three steps that she should follow to complete her experiment? State the steps and give an example of how to complete each step.​

Question 43

To reduce or avoid effects of experimenter bias,it is best to have a _______ observer make the observations or collect the data.​

Question 44

Traditionally,most researchers have called a result "statistically significant" if ____ is less than 0.05.​

Question 45

In a properly conducted experiment,the researcher assigns people to the experimental and control groups by a procedure known as _________ assignment.​

Question 46

If every individual in the population has an equal chance of being selected for a sample,the sample is said to be a(n)____________________ sample.​

Question 47

A before-and-after study can provide invalid results if it has no ________ group.​

Question 48

The sum of all the scores divided by the total number of scores is called the ______.(NOT "average." Give the more precise term.)​

Question 49

An instructor measures to what extent the students who attend class regularly also do well on the tests.This type of research is called a ___________​

Question 50

An experimenter manipulates one variable to see how it affects a second variable.The one the experimenter manipulates is the ___________ variable.​

Question 51

If you arrange scores from the highest to the lowest,the middle one is called the ______.​

Question 52

An experimenter manipulates one variable to see how it affects a second variable.The one the experimenter measures to see how it was affected is the ___________ variable.​

Question 53

Recently,many psychologists have worried that because of random fluctuations in data,some published results,even though they are statistically significant,may not be __________.​

Question 54

A researcher who wants to generalize the findings to apply to the whole population will,ideally,get what kind of sample? __________​

Question 55

A correlation coefficient ranges from a low of zero to a high of ____​

Question 56

To evaluate the effects of expectations,a researcher might give the experimental group a new drug and give the control group an inactive pill,known as a(n)_________​

Question 57

Before conducting any experiment on humans,a psychological investigator must obtain ___________ consent from the participants.​

Question 58

In many cases a researcher conceals the purpose of the study,so that participants will not be heavily influenced by _________ characteristics.​

Question 59

A sample of the population that matches the whole population in percentage of males and females,old and young,and so on,is a(n)_______________ sample.​

Question 60

A definition that states how to measure something is a(n)__________ definition.​

Question 61

Why are most psychological researchers skeptical of the idea of extrasensory perception?​

Question 62

After defining the variables involved in a study,scientists have to identify individuals to study.The population is the group of individuals to whom we hope our conclusions will apply.Researchers generally hope that their conclusions will apply to a large population,such as all 20-year-olds in the country.Because it is not practical to examine everyone in the population,researchers study a sample of people and assume that the results for the sample apply to the whole population.Briefly define the following types of samples: convenience sample,representative sample,random sample,and cross-cultural sample.​

Question 63

A professor assembles a group of volunteers to compare two methods of studying.One group spends an hour a day on the first subject (such as psychology),then an hour on the second (chemistry),and so forth.The other group goes back and forth,with a few minutes on each topic,repeating the sequence until completing the same total study time as the first group.At the end of a week,the professor tests each student's knowledge of each subject.Identify the independent variable and the dependent variable.​

Question 64

Falsifiability,independent variables,dependent variables,blind observers,and demand characteristics are all potential characteristics of an experiment.Which of these would an experimenter try to minimize or avoid,and why?​

Question 65

Describe an example of a negative correlation.​

Question 66

Why have many psychologists begun to worry that some of the published results may not be replicable?​