Question 1

The _____ perspective emphasizes studying how behavior isacquired or modified by environmental causes.

Accepted Answer

The behavioral perspective focuses on how behavior is acquired or modified through environmental causes, such as reinforcement, punishment, and observation. The psychodynamic perspective emphasizes unconscious conflicts and childhood experiences, the humanistic perspective focuses on individuals' potential for growth and self-actualization, and the biological perspective examines the influence of genetics and physiology on behavior.

Question 2

The term _____ refers to the tendency to use your own culture as the standard for judging other cultures.

Accepted Answer

Ethnocentrism refers to the tendency to use your own culture as the standard for judging other cultures. This can result in viewing other cultures as inferior or less developed. The other options are not related to this concept.

Question 3

According to Science Versus Pseudoscience, which of the following items is NOT one of the strategies used by proponents of pseudoscience to give credibility to their claims?

Accepted Answer

The use of the scientific method and replication of their findings by other scientists is not a strategy used by proponents of pseudoscience. On the contrary, proponents of pseudoscience often use non-scientific methods and do not subject their claims to rigorous testing and scrutiny. The other options, A, B, and C, are commonly used strategies by proponents of pseudoscience to give credibility to their claims.

Question 4

When college students are enrolled in a class in which participation in psychological research is part of the course requirement:

Accepted Answer

According to ethical standards for psychological research, participants must be given the choice to opt out of participation or choose an alternative activity to fulfill the course requirement. Therefore, choice D is the best option, as it ensures that students are given a fair opportunity to participate, while also allowing them to choose an alternative option if they are uncomfortable with participating in the research.

Question 5

Ginkgo biloba is an herb that is thought to increase blood flowin the brain and enhance memory processes. In a carefully controlled study investigating this claim, young adults were assigned to one of three groups. Those in group 1 took a capsule containing 120 milligrams of ginkgo biloba once a day. Those ingroup 2 took a capsule that looked identical but was a fake.Those in group 3 did not take any capsules. The participants assigned to group 2 constituted the _____ in this study.

Accepted Answer

Group 2 is the placebo control group, as they received a fake capsule that was meant to mimic the real treatment. This group is important to have in the study because it allows researchers to rule out the possibility that any observed effects of the real treatment are simply due to placebo effects or other extraneous factors.

Question 6

Correlational research:

Accepted Answer

Correlational research can reveal the degree to which two factors are related or co-vary in a systematic way. However, it does not provide evidence of causality.

Question 7

Professor Newberg decided to study preferences of living senior adults, so he visited a local retirement village and invite dresidents to participate in a lengthy survey. Professor Newberg's survey results are probably invalid because he did not use:

Accepted Answer

Random selection of participants is important in order to ensure that the sample accurately represents the population being studied. Without random selection, there may be bias or other factors that could affect the results and make them invalid. The other options (A, B, and C) are also important in research, but not as critical as random selection for ensuring validity.

Question 8

Researchers at the United Family Therapy Center areconducting a study to determine how quickly symptoms of anxiety are reduced by different forms of psychotherapy. Whatis the dependent variable in this study?

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured and is expected to change as a result of the independent variable (in this case, different forms of psychotherapy). In this study, the dependent variable is the change in symptoms of anxiety, as this is what the researchers are trying to determine. The other options (B, C, and D) are not the dependent variable, as they are either independent variables or not variables being measured at all.

Question 9

Of the following correlation coefficients, which represents the weakest relationship between two factors?

Accepted Answer

The correlation coefficient of -.12 represents the weakest relationship between two factors as it is closest to 0, indicating almost no relationship between the two variables.

Question 10

The use of dogs and cats in psychological research:

Accepted Answer

The use of dogs and cats in psychological research is not common and is considered rare. While there are other animals that are commonly used in psychological research such as mice and rats, the use of dogs and cats is generally discouraged due to ethical concerns. While there are no laws specifically outlawing the use of dogs and cats in psychological research, there are ethical guidelines established by professional organizations such as the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science that discourage the use of these animals.

Question 11

Which of the following terms refers to a procedure that assures that all participants have an equal chance of being assigned to any of the experimental conditions?

Accepted Answer

Random assignment is the process of assigning participants to different groups or conditions in an experiment randomly, which helps to avoid bias and assures that all participants have an equal chance of being in any condition. The other options - double-blind technique, single-blind technique, and random selection - do not relate to this specific aspect of experimental design.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT one of the brain-imaging techniques discussed in the Focus on Neuro science section in the text?

Accepted Answer

The three brain-imaging techniques discussed in the Focus on Neuroscience section in the text are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and positron emission tomography (PET). Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is not a brain-imaging technique, but rather a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain.

Quiz 1: Introductionand Research Methods