Question 1

Which item is an analogue study?

Accepted Answer

An analogue study involves simulating or approximating conditions in a controlled environment that are similar to the phenomenon under investigation, but not exactly the same. Studying the effects of stress in nonhumans (e.g., animals) is an example of an analogue study because it approximates conditions or effects in humans through a similar, but not identical, model.

Question 2

Which phenomenon would MOST appropriately be studied using a quasi-experimental design?

Accepted Answer

Quasi-experimental designs are often used when it's not feasible or ethical to manipulate the independent variable directly. In the case of studying the effects of parents with schizophrenia on children's adjustment (B), researchers cannot ethically assign parents to have schizophrenia. Instead, they study this phenomenon as it naturally occurs, making a quasi-experimental design most appropriate.

Question 3

An example of an analogue experiment is:

Accepted Answer

Analogue experiments involve simulating conditions or environments in a controlled setting to study behaviors or outcomes, as seen in choice B where participants live in a simulated mental hospital. Choices A, C, and D describe observational studies in natural or real-world settings, not simulated conditions.

Question 4

"Why do we do natural experiments?" asks a student. "After all, each disaster that causes a natural experiment is unique." A good answer would be:

Accepted Answer

Natural experiments allow researchers to observe real-world effects and identify patterns in human behavior and responses to disasters, despite each event's uniqueness.

Question 5

A therapist believes so strongly in her approach that she finds improvement even when none exists. Which type of study design would prevent this problem?

Accepted Answer

Double-masked (or double-blind) studies are designed to prevent bias by ensuring that neither the participants nor the experimenters know who is receiving a particular treatment. This would prevent the therapist from perceiving improvements based on her beliefs about the effectiveness of her approach, as she wouldn't know which participants were receiving her treatment versus a control.

Question 6

To study some gender differences, a researcher selected a group of 10 men and 10 women and treated all participants exactly the same. Each participant was given a test of psychological function. This study is an example of a(n):

Accepted Answer

This study is a quasi-experimental design because it involves comparing pre-existing groups (men and women) without random assignment to conditions.

Question 7

Which phenomenon would be LEAST appropriately studied using a natural experiment?

Accepted Answer

Natural experiments are best suited for situations where the researcher has no control over the occurrence of an event but can observe its effects. The effects of premarital abstinence on later sexual functioning are more appropriately studied through surveys or longitudinal studies rather than natural experiments, as this involves personal behaviors and choices rather than an external event impacting individuals or communities.

Question 8

A researcher is studying the effects of a new drug on anxiety. The researcher randomly assigns participants to either group 1, which receives the new drug, or group 2, which receives a placebo. The researcher delivers the new drug or placebo to each participant during the course of the study. This study is _____-masked.

Accepted Answer

In a single-masked study, only the participants are unaware of whether they are receiving the treatment or the placebo, while the researcher knows who is receiving which.

Question 9

A research team is studying the effect of rape on the development of a mood disorder. Included in the study are two groups: (1) women, ages 19 to 29, who filed rape charges against an attacker and (2) women, ages 19 to 29, who self-reported that they have never been raped. The women from both groups were from upper middle-class families. Which of the following is the MOST important factor in creating a matched control?

Accepted Answer

The most important factor in creating a matched control for this study is the woman's age at the time of rape. This ensures that the developmental stage and potential impact on mental health are comparable between the groups. Factors like the sex of the attacker, whether the attacker was convicted, and the time of day when the attack occurred are less directly relevant to the psychological impact and development of mood disorders following the trauma.

Question 10

Which statement distinguishes a quasi-experimental study from a "pure" experiment?

Accepted Answer

Quasi-experiments differ from true experiments in that the researcher does not have full control over the assignment of participants to conditions or groups, which often means they cannot manipulate the independent variable as freely or precisely.

Question 11

The function of the double-masked design is BEST described as guarding against:

Accepted Answer

The double-masked (or double-blind) design is used to prevent both the participants and the experimenters from knowing which participants are in the control group and which are receiving the experimental treatment, thereby guarding against participant and experimenter expectancies. This helps to eliminate bias in the results that could stem from either the participants' or the experimenters' expectations about the efficacy of the treatment.

Question 12

One reason why psychologists may use quasi-experimental designs is that:

Accepted Answer

Quasi-experimental designs are often used when it is unethical or impractical to manipulate certain variables, especially in studies involving human participants. This approach allows researchers to study the effects of these variables in a natural setting, where direct manipulation by the researcher is not possible.

Question 13

Natural experiments are considered quasi-experiments because:

Accepted Answer

Natural experiments are considered quasi-experiments primarily because participants are selected based on external circumstances or events rather than being randomly assigned by the researcher, making it a situation where the researcher has little to no control over participant selection.

Question 14

If one were studying the hypothesis that people with high levels of stress are more likely to get cancer and wanted to include a matched control group, that group would:

Accepted Answer

A matched control group would have similar characteristics to the experimental group, except for the factor being studied. In this case, the experimental group has high levels of stress, so the matched control group would have low levels of stress.

Question 15

If researchers using matched control subjects find that abused children are sadder than nonabused children, those researchers know that:

Accepted Answer

Matched control subjects are used to ensure that the groups being compared are similar in key variables except for the one under investigation. If abused children are found to be sadder than nonabused children in such a study, it suggests that the abuse is likely the factor causing the difference in sadness levels, as other variables should have been controlled for.

Question 16

In an experiment on the effects of two new drugs on mood, patients, researchers, and those who are evaluating the mood of patients are all unaware of which drug the patients are getting. The study is _____-masked.

Accepted Answer

Triple masking (or blinding) means that the patients, the researchers administering the treatments, and the evaluators assessing the outcomes are all unaware of which treatment the patients are receiving.

Question 17

Using natural experiments, researchers have learned quite a lot about:

Accepted Answer

Natural experiments have been particularly useful in understanding stress disorders, as they allow researchers to study the effects of stressors in real-world settings without manipulating variables.

Question 18

Studies that are structured like experiments but that use groups that already exist instead of randomly assigning participants to control and experimental groups are called:

Accepted Answer

Matched designs involve using pre-existing groups that are matched on certain characteristics, rather than randomly assigning participants to groups. This approach is used when random assignment is not feasible.

Question 19

The form of experiment used MOST often to study the psychological effects of unusual or unpredictable events is:

Accepted Answer

Natural experiments are often used to study the psychological effects of unusual or unpredictable events because they involve observing the effects of real-world occurrences that cannot be manipulated by researchers.

Question 20

Which would be the BEST design to study the effects of disasters on survivors?

Accepted Answer

A natural experiment is the best design to study the effects of disasters on survivors because it allows researchers to observe the effects of real-world events (like disasters) that cannot be ethically or practically manipulated in an experimental setting.

Quiz 2: Research in Abnormal Psychology