Question 1

A scientist is interested in testing whether SAT scores can predict a student's GPA. In this design, GPA is the _____ and SAT score is the_____.
A) predictor; outcome
B) independent; dependent
C) outcome; predictor
D) predictor; manipulated

Accepted Answer

In this scenario, the SAT score is used to predict the student's GPA, making the SAT score the predictor variable and the GPA the outcome variable.

Question 2

The statement "listening to others will promote better understanding" is an example of
A) an independent variable.
B) a dependent variable.
C) a law.
D) a research hypothesis.

Accepted Answer

This statement is an example of a research hypothesis because it suggests a relationship between two variables (listening to others and understanding) that can be tested through research.

Question 3

Good theories are
A) general, falsifiable, and parsimonious.
B) general, tautological, and provable.
C) deductive, falsifiable, and tautological.
D) deductive, falsifiable, and provable.

Accepted Answer

Good theories are characterized by being general (applicable to a broad range of phenomena), falsifiable (capable of being proven wrong), and parsimonious (simple, with the fewest possible assumptions or variables).

Question 4

Martin is convinced that he has ESP and can read the minds of his friends. They challenge him and ask him to guess what they are thinking. On the first trial, he guesses correctly and claims that this demonstrates that he has ESP. On the second trial however he guesses incorrectly. When this happens, Martin claims that this does not demonstrate that he does not have ESP, but rather claims that he was not concentrating. The problem with Martin's claim about the test of his ESP is that the test
A) is not tautological.
B) is not falsifiable.
C) is not parsimonious.
D) is too general.

Accepted Answer

Martin's claim is not falsifiable because he does not accept evidence that could disprove his claim, instead attributing failure to external factors like lack of concentration.

Question 5

Wanda has a theory that her cat can recognize her name. She calls the cat. If the cat looks up Wanda concludes that the cat knows her name. If the cat does not look up, Wanda concludes that the cat knows her name but is just ignoring her. The problem with Wanda's test of her theory is that it is
A) deductive.
B) not falsifiable.
C) parsimonious.
D) overly ambitious.

Accepted Answer

The problem with Wanda's test is that it is not falsifiable. This means that no matter the outcome (the cat looking up or not), she interprets it as supporting her theory, making it impossible to prove her theory wrong.

Question 6

Which of the following is the best example of a research hypothesis?
A) Smoking cigarettes increases the incidence of heart disease.
B) The earth has one moon.
C) Boys and girls differ in athletic ability.
D) There are no gray polar bears.

Accepted Answer

A research hypothesis is a specific, clear, and testable proposition or predictive statement about the possible outcome of a scientific research study based on a particular property of a population, such as presumed differences between groups on a particular variable or relationships between variables. "Smoking cigarettes increases the incidence of heart disease" is a good example because it proposes a specific outcome (increase in heart disease) that can be tested through research.

Question 7

Most theories
A) make accurate predictions in all cases.
B) are derived from laws.
C) are limited in that they make accurate predictions in some cases but not in others.
D) are tautological.

Accepted Answer

Theories are frameworks or models that help us understand, predict, and explain phenomena. However, they are not universally accurate and may not apply or make accurate predictions in every situation. This limitation is due to the complexity of the natural world and the fact that theories are often based on a limited set of observations or conditions.

Question 8

In a correlational research design, the term predictor variable is used to refer to the
A) manipulated variable.
B) research hypothesis.
C) independent variable.
D) dependent variable.

Accepted Answer

In correlational research designs, the term "predictor variable" is often used interchangeably with "independent variable." It refers to the variable that is presumed to influence or predict changes in another variable, known as the outcome or dependent variable, without implying causation.

Question 9

Scientist Jones believes that children learn to read primarily through a combination of visual and auditory processes, that they learn to do mathematics primarily through spacial processing, and that they learn to write primarily through a tactile system. Scientist Smith, on the other hand, hypothesizes that reading, writing, and mathematics are all produced by the operation of a single decision system. Although scientist Smith's theory might not be correct, it is definitely more
A) objective.
B) empirical.
C) parsimonious.
D) tautological.

Accepted Answer

Scientist Smith's theory is more parsimonious because it proposes a simpler explanation (a single decision system) for the processes of reading, writing, and mathematics, as opposed to multiple specialized systems. Parsimony values simplicity in explaining phenomena.

Question 10

It is hypothesized that living in integrated housing causes decreased racist attitudes. In this case, the independent variable is ______ and the dependent variable is ______.
A) racist attitudes; integrated housing
B) integrated housing; racist attitudes
C) prejudice; integration
D) Can't be determined from above information

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is "integrated housing" because it is the condition believed to influence or cause a change. The dependent variable is "racist attitudes" because it is the outcome that may change as a result of living in integrated housing.

Question 11

Choose the order that goes from most general to most specific.
A) Theories, laws, research hypotheses
B) Research hypotheses, laws, theories
C) Laws, research hypotheses, theories
D) Laws, theories, research hypotheses

Accepted Answer

The answer of Choose the order that goes from most...

Question 12

In a correlational research design, the term outcome variable is used to refer to the
A) manipulated variable.
B) research hypothesis.
C) independent variable.
D) dependent variable.

Accepted Answer

The term outcome variable in a correlational research design refers to the dependent variable, which is the variable researchers are interested in predicting or explaining.

Question 13

In a correlational study of the influence of violent television programs on aggressive play behavior, the television violence is the _______and the aggressive behavior is the _______.
A) dependent variable; independent variable
B) predictor variable; outcome variable
C) first variable; last variable
D) outcome variable; predictor variable

Accepted Answer

In a correlational study, the variable that is thought to influence or predict the outcome is called the predictor variable, and the variable that is being influenced or is the outcome is called the outcome variable. In this case, television violence is thought to influence aggressive behavior, making it the predictor variable, and aggressive behavior is the outcome being studied.

Question 14

A theory or research hypothesis is said to be falsifiable if the variables of interest can be adequately measured, and if the expected relationship between the variables can be shown through research to be
A) correlated.
B) correct.
C) parsimonious.
D) incorrect.

Accepted Answer

A theory or research hypothesis is considered falsifiable if it can be demonstrated to be incorrect through empirical observation or experimentation, not just if it can be shown to be correct or correlated. Falsifiability is a key criterion for scientific theories, as it allows for the possibility of testing and potentially disproving them.

Question 15

Parsimony refers to which of the following?
A) Descriptive research
B) Simple theories
C) Participants' privacy
D) The relationship between laws and theories

Accepted Answer

Parsimony refers to the principle that among competing theories or explanations, the simplest one with the fewest assumptions should be selected. This principle is often applied in scientific research to favor theories that provide the simplest explanation for phenomena.

Question 16

Louise has decided to conduct an experiment that is expected to show that an existing theory (the theory of cognitive dissonance) can explain why individuals who have cheated on an exam may later decide that it is OK to cheat. Her experiment is informed by
A) the inductive method.
B) the parsimonious method.
C) the deductive method.
D) the method of falsifiability.

Accepted Answer

Louise's experiment is based on the deductive method because she starts with a general theory (the theory of cognitive dissonance) and then designs an experiment to test specific hypotheses derived from that theory, regarding individuals' justifications for cheating.

Question 17

A tautological theory is one that
A) has been falsified.
B) is good for deriving research hypotheses.
C) is derived from a tautological law.
D) has vague or unmeasureable variables

Accepted Answer

A tautological theory is one that is circular in nature, often involving vague or unmeasurable variables, making it unfalsifiable and not useful for scientific inquiry.

Question 18

A study using the experimental design has found that in conditions in which there are more people in a room, the average reaction time to respond to a request for help is less. In this experiment the independent variable is____________ and the dependent variable is_______________.
A) the number of people in the room; the gender of the participants
B) the gender of the participants; the number of people in the room.
C) reaction time to help; number of people in the room
D) the number of people in the room; reaction time to help

Accepted Answer

In experimental designs, the independent variable is what the researcher manipulates or changes, and the dependent variable is what is being measured. In this study, the number of people in the room is manipulated to see its effect on the reaction time to help, making the number of people the independent variable and the reaction time the dependent variable.

Question 19

Which of the following is a set of principles that explains and predicts many, but not all, observed relationships within a given domain?
A) A tautology
B) A research hypothesis
C) A theory
D) A deduction

Accepted Answer

A theory is a set of principles that explains and predicts many, but not all, observed relationships within a given domain. It is broader and more comprehensive than a hypothesis and is supported by a significant body of evidence.

Question 20

A researcher who uses a theory to generate ideas is using which of the following?
A) The deductive method
B) The inductive method
C) The method of prior relationships
D) The method of everyday behavior

Accepted Answer

The deductive method involves starting with a theory or hypothesis and then conducting research to test the theory. This approach is used to generate specific ideas or hypotheses from a general framework or theory.

Quiz 2: Developing the Research Hypothesis

A scientist is interested in testing whether SAT scores can predict a student's GPA. In this design, GPA is the _ and SAT score is the_.

The statement "listening to others will promote better understanding" is an example of

Good theories are

Wanda has a theory that her cat can recognize her name. She calls the cat. If the cat looks up Wanda concludes that the cat knows her name. If the cat does not look up, Wanda concludes that the cat knows her name but is just ignoring her. The problem with Wanda's test of her theory is that it is

Which of the following is the best example of a research hypothesis?

Most theories

In a correlational research design, the term predictor variable is used to refer to the

It is hypothesized that living in integrated housing causes decreased racist attitudes. In this case, the independent variable is and the dependent variable is .

Choose the order that goes from most general to most specific.

In a correlational research design, the term outcome variable is used to refer to the

In a correlational study of the influence of violent television programs on aggressive play behavior, the television violence is the _and the aggressive behavior is the _.

A theory or research hypothesis is said to be falsifiable if the variables of interest can be adequately measured, and if the expected relationship between the variables can be shown through research to be

Parsimony refers to which of the following?

Louise has decided to conduct an experiment that is expected to show that an existing theory (the theory of cognitive dissonance) can explain why individuals who have cheated on an exam may later decide that it is OK to cheat. Her experiment is informed by

A tautological theory is one that

A study using the experimental design has found that in conditions in which there are more people in a room, the average reaction time to respond to a request for help is less. In this experiment the independent variable is and the dependent variable is___.

Which of the following is a set of principles that explains and predicts many, but not all, observed relationships within a given domain?

A researcher who uses a theory to generate ideas is using which of the following?