Question 1

A subject variable differs from an independent variable in

Accepted Answer

Subject variables are based on inherent characteristics of participants (e.g., age, gender, ethnicity), which are chosen, not manipulated. Independent variables, on the other hand, are conditions or stimuli that researchers manipulate to observe their effect on some outcome.

Question 2

Your friend read a research report concluding that college men scored 25 points higher on a mathematics achievement test than college women and said, "Being a woman really causes them to be worse at math." You reply,

Accepted Answer

The answer of Your friend read a research report concluding...

Question 3

In psychology research, dependent variables are

Accepted Answer

Dependent variables in psychology research are the observable responses or behaviors that are measured to assess the effects of manipulating the independent variable. They are what the researcher is interested in measuring or observing to see how they change in response to different conditions.

Question 4

When researchers use gender as a social category,

Accepted Answer

The answer of When researchers use gender as a social...

Question 5

If a variable such as sexual orientation is not open to manipulation, then

Accepted Answer

Researchers cannot manipulate variables such as sexual orientation, making it impossible to use as an independent variable in an experimental design where manipulation of the independent variable is required to establish cause and effect.

Question 6

When reading a research report, you find the expression r = .67. From this information you know that

Accepted Answer

The expression r = .67 indicates a correlation coefficient, which suggests the research was a correlational study, examining the relationship between two variables.

Question 7

Correlational studies allow researchers to determine the _________ between two variables.

Accepted Answer

Correlational studies are designed to identify and measure the strength of the relationship between two variables, but they do not establish causation.

Question 8

When researchers compare a group of girls or women to a group of men or boys and look for differences or similarities, those researchers are using what approach?

Accepted Answer

Gender as a subject variable means that gender is being used as a variable in the research to compare differences or similarities between groups, in this case, between males and females.

Question 9

When researchers consider gender as a social category, they

Accepted Answer

Researchers considering gender as a social category view it as a basis for social judgments and interactions, rather than focusing solely on biological differences or ignoring gender differences altogether. This perspective emphasizes the role of gender in shaping social experiences and perceptions.

Question 10

Researchers who use gender as a subject variable

Accepted Answer

Researchers using gender as a subject variable typically compare groups based on gender to identify differences or similarities, rather than focusing solely on judgments or social contexts.

Question 11

A serious limitation for the survey method is

Accepted Answer

The survey method often relies on self-reports, which can be subjective and may not accurately reflect actual behaviors or attitudes, unlike direct observations which can provide more objective data.

Question 12

Studies in which gender is a subject variable are _________, and studies in which gender is a social category are usually _______.

Accepted Answer

Studies in which gender is a subject variable are typically ex post facto studies because the researcher does not manipulate gender but rather studies its effects after the fact. Studies in which gender is a social category are usually experimental studies, as researchers may manipulate social situations or contexts to observe how gender as a social category influences behavior or perceptions.

Question 13

When an experimenter finds that the manipulation of an independent variable produced a change in the dependent variable, with all other factors held constant, then

Accepted Answer

The experimenter can conclude that the change in the independent variable caused the change in the dependent variable because all other factors were held constant, allowing for a causal inference.

Question 14

Rather than create the levels of the independent variable through manipulation, researchers can select people who fall into groups the researchers want to contrast.

Accepted Answer

An ex post facto design involves selecting participants based on pre-existing conditions or characteristics rather than manipulating variables, distinguishing it from experimental designs.

Question 15

Sexual orientation is an example of a variable that researchers study but cannot manipulate, which makes it

Accepted Answer

Sexual orientation is considered a subject variable because it is an inherent characteristic of the participants that researchers study but cannot ethically or practically manipulate. It provides information about the subjects being studied rather than being something that the researcher can control or alter for the experiment.

Question 16

When researchers use gender as a subject variable,

Accepted Answer

When researchers use gender as a subject variable, they typically compare groups based on gender, such as comparing men to women or boys to girls, to study differences or similarities.

Question 17

The research method that can show cause and effect relationships is

Accepted Answer

The experimental method is specifically designed to test hypotheses about cause and effect relationships by manipulating one or more variables while controlling others. This allows researchers to determine if changes in one variable (the independent variable) cause changes in another variable (the dependent variable).

Question 18

In an ex post facto study researchers ____________, and in an experimental study researchers __________.

Accepted Answer

In an ex post facto study, researchers select participants based on preexisting characteristics because they are interested in how these characteristics relate to other variables. In an experimental study, researchers manipulate conditions or variables to observe the effects of this manipulation on outcomes, thereby producing differences among participant groups.

Question 19

Researchers often use surveys to

Accepted Answer

Surveys are a common research tool used to study questions or phenomena that are challenging to observe directly, allowing researchers to gather data on attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, or characteristics that might not be easily accessible through direct observation or experimentation.

Question 20

Participants in survey research

Accepted Answer

Participants in survey research may lie about their behavior, experience problems in accurately recalling the information requested, and withhold information that is embarrassing, making all of the options correct.

Quiz 2: Researching Sex and Gender