Question 1

Statistical power refers to the:&#10;A) Accuracy of an experimenter's inferences regarding collected data&#10;B) Sensitivity of a test to identify meaningful effects&#10;C) Ability of a study to make an impact in a specific field of scientific study&#10;D) Strength of a test's resistance to change over time

Accepted Answer

Statistical power refers to the ability of a test to detect a meaningful effect, in other words, its sensitivity. It is important for researchers to ensure their studies have enough statistical power to accurately detect effects and avoid false negatives. The other options (A, C, D) do not accurately describe statistical power.

Question 2

You are reviewing a researcher's conceptual model and you notice a mixture of different shapes with the variable labels. Which of the following shapes is used to convey latent and observed/measured variables?

A) Circles and rectangles
B) Triangles and ellipses
C) Parallelograms and hexagons
D) Circles and ovals

Circles and rectangles

Accepted Answer

Circles are typically used to represent latent variables (variables that cannot be directly observed) while rectangles are used to represent observed/measured variables (variables that can be directly observed). Therefore, the combination of circles and rectangles is most likely used to convey both latent and observed variables in the conceptual model.

Question 3

Under random sampling rules, which of the following would be true?&#10;A) In a college student population, some people would have a greater likelihood of being included in the study than others.&#10;B) Everyone would have the same probability of being included.&#10;C) A person's chance of being included could be zero if the population was large enough.&#10;D) Choices a and c are both correct.

Accepted Answer

Under random sampling rules, everyone in the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample. Therefore, choice B is the correct option. Choice A is incorrect because it suggests that some people would have a greater chance of being included, which goes against the principle of random sampling. Choice C is also incorrect because under random sampling rules, a person's chance of being included is never zero, although it may be very small.

Question 4

A(n) ______________ is a statistical technique for quantitatively summarizing multiple existing research findings regarding a similar phenomenon.&#10;A) mega-analysis&#10;B) ultra-analysis&#10;C) meta-analysis&#10;D) uber-summary

Accepted Answer

A meta-analysis is a statistical technique used to synthesize results from multiple studies on a particular topic or research question. The primary goal of a meta-analysis is to obtain an overall effect size, or estimate of the magnitude and direction of the relationship between variables across different studies. This type of analysis is commonly used in fields such as psychology, education, and medicine to determine the effectiveness of certain interventions, identify potential moderators or factors that influence the relationship between variables, and to provide an objective assessment of the state of knowledge in a particular area. Other choices (A, B, and D) are not commonly used or recognized terms in the field of meta-analysis.

Question 5

Reactivity is a problem for observation studies because:&#10;A) It can be difficult to accurately measure reaction times in a field setting.&#10;B) Reaction styles differ so much from person to person.&#10;C) If a researcher's presence changes the phenomenon studied, interpretation is very difficult.&#10;D) Not all behaviors are reactive; some are proactive.

Accepted Answer

Reactivity refers to the idea that individuals may change their behavior or responses when they know they are being observed. This can create problems for observation studies, especially in field settings where the researcher's presence may alter the phenomenon being studied. Therefore, option C is the correct choice as it highlights how reactivity can make interpretation of results difficult. Options A, B, and D are irrelevant to the problem of reactivity in observation studies.

Deck 2: Research Methods and Statistics