Question 1

Wayne, a young adolescent male, reports a history of seizures to his psychologist. His psychologists tries to determine if the seizures are psychogenic. In other words, they are trying to determine whether or not the seizures are ____.

Accepted Answer

Psychogenic seizures, also known as psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), are seizures that are not caused by electrical disruptions in the brain but are instead believed to have a psychological origin. This means they are a physical manifestation of a psychological disturbance.

Question 2

By definition, reliable measures ____; valid measures ____.

Accepted Answer

Reliable measures are consistent in their results across different occasions, while valid measures accurately reflect the concept they are intended to measure.

Question 3

What is the role of replication in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

Replication ensures that research findings are reliable and valid, which helps in establishing scientifically verified approaches to treating mental illness.

Question 4

Dr. Gonzalez devised a new scale to measure depressive symptoms of Hispanic females. To be sure that his test is actually measuring depressive symptoms, he will have his test group respond to his new instrument and the Beck Depression Inventory, as well as completing a social desirability scale, which should be unrelated to depression. Dr. Gonzalez is ____.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Gonzalez is checking the validity of his measure of depressive symptoms by comparing it to an established measure (the Beck Depression Inventory) and ensuring it does not correlate with unrelated constructs (social desirability scale).

Question 5

One psychologist says, "Depression stems from unconscious feelings of anger and abandonment that go back to childhood." Another psychologist says, "Depression is caused by illogical thoughts and assumptions." These differences of opinion ____.

Accepted Answer

The differences in opinion between the two psychologists demonstrate that there can be multiple theories explaining the same psychological disorder, in this case, depression, each focusing on different causes or mechanisms.

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of an operational definition?

Accepted Answer

Operational definitions specify how concepts are measured or defined in a specific study. Choice A provides a clear, measurable criterion (20 percent over normal weight) for defining obesity, making it an operational definition. Choices B, C, and D describe concepts in more general or subjective terms without providing a specific, measurable criterion.

Question 7

Cynthia wants to ensure that her research is consistent with the scientific method. Among the many characteristics of good research, she will need to be sure that ____.

Accepted Answer

The scientific method requires that research be open to self-correction, meaning that findings can be revised or rejected based on new evidence or analysis.

Question 8

"I never accept the results of one study as conclusive. Findings must be replicated. I look carefully at the methods used to produce conclusions. Because of my skeptical attitude, you can assume that I am a ____."

Accepted Answer

The statement emphasizes the importance of replication, careful examination of methods, and a skeptical attitude towards accepting findings, which are key aspects of the scientific method and approach, making "scientist" the correct answer.

Question 9

Professor Pierrot told his class, "Clinical research must be replicable, relationships between variables must be clearly hypothesized and defined, and the measures used must be both reliable and valid." What additional characteristic should the professor include in his instructions?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Professor Pierrot told his class, "Clinical research...

Question 10

Which of the following is a hallmark of the scientific method?

Accepted Answer

Systematic data collection for the testing of hypotheses is a fundamental aspect of the scientific method, which involves making observations, forming hypotheses, conducting experiments to test these hypotheses, and then analyzing the data to draw conclusions.

Question 11

Your neighbor tells you, "I'm concerned about vaccinating my children. I understand that scientists have proved that childhood vaccines cause autism." What response to your neighbor is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

Well-designed, large-scale studies have consistently found no evidence to support a link between vaccines and autism, debunking the myth that vaccines cause autism.

Question 12

Operational definitions are employed in order to ____.

Accepted Answer

Operational definitions specify the exact way a variable is measured or manipulated in a study, ensuring clarity and replicability by providing clear criteria for what is being studied.

Question 13

What conclusion can be reached from research findings that the mass media reports?

Accepted Answer

Initial findings reported by newspapers often are not replicated, which suggests that early research results can be preliminary and may not hold up under further scientific scrutiny. This is a common issue in science reporting, where initial, sensational findings get more attention but may not be confirmed by subsequent studies.

Question 14

A research report includes this paragraph: "We hypothesized that anxiety disorders are more frequent in children whose parents are divorced. We looked at the frequency of anxiety problems in divorced and intact families, using court records to determine when the divorce took place." What component of scientific research is missing in this paragraph?

Accepted Answer

The paragraph lacks an operational definition of anxiety disorder, which is crucial for measuring and identifying the condition in the study participants.

Question 15

A coherent group of principles and hypotheses that explain some aspect of an area of study is a(n) ____.

Accepted Answer

A theory is a coherent group of principles and hypotheses that explain some aspect of an area of study.

Question 16

Dr. Appel says, "Excessive alcohol consumption is when drinking interferes with social and occupational functioning." But Dr. Baker says, "Excessive alcohol consumption is when a person's frequency and quantity of drinking is in the top 10 percent of all drinkers." What the two doctors are disagreeing about is ____.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Appel and Dr. Baker are disagreeing about how to define or measure excessive alcohol consumption, which is an issue of operational definition.

Question 17

A portion of a research report says, "Gifted children-those under 14 and with an IQ over 130-are more likely to be popular than less-gifted children. Furthermore, their popularity is related to stronger social skills, and this ability is evident with adults as well as with children." What portion of the statement illustrates an operational definition?

Accepted Answer

An operational definition specifies the exact criteria or measures used to define a concept within a study. Choice A provides a specific criterion for identifying "gifted children" based on age and IQ score, making it an operational definition.

Question 18

Emily came to see her advisor about doing a research study for her Ph.D. dissertation. "What are you going to investigate?" he asked.
"I believe that drinking orange juice before an IQ test will raise a person's score," she said.
Emily's answer constitutes a(n) ____.

Accepted Answer

A hypothesis is a testable prediction derived from a theory. Emily's statement about the effect of drinking orange juice on IQ test scores is a specific, testable prediction, making it a hypothesis.

Question 19

A researcher finds that when people report their sexual activity on a mailed questionnaire, they indicate higher levels of bizarre fantasies than when they are questioned face to face. This indicates that these methods of measuring sexual activity ____.

Accepted Answer

The discrepancy in responses between the two methods suggests that the results are inconsistent, indicating low reliability in measuring sexual activity.

Question 20

A newspaper headline in 2004 might have read, "Antidepressants raise suicide risk in children and adolescents." What might subsequent news stories have reported?

Accepted Answer

Subsequent news stories often call for more research when initial findings are controversial or based on a single study, as it's important to confirm results before making definitive public health recommendations.

Quiz 4: Research Methods for Studying Mental Disorders