Question 1

Dr. Harmon has conducted a study of social networks and health within an isolated community. Which of the following would breach a research participant's right to privacy?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dr. Harmon has conducted a study of...

Question 2

Dr. Jonas wants to know whether men or women are better drivers. He designs a study to examine this question, and before he begins to collect data he writes up the plan for the research, including his hypothesis. Which of the following would represent a null hypothesis for this study?

Accepted Answer

The null hypothesis in a study is typically the hypothesis of no effect or no difference between groups. In this case, the null hypothesis is that there will be no differences between the driving abilities of men and women, which is option B. Option A is an alternative hypothesis, suggesting that women will be better drivers. Option C changes the focus of the study to age rather than sex. Option D is also an alternative hypothesis, but suggests that men will be better drivers than women.

Question 3

Statistical methods that allow experimenters to extend conclusions from samples to larger populations are called ____.

Accepted Answer

Inferential statistics are used to make inferences or generalizations about a population based on data collected from a sample.

Question 4

Professor Wyler has obtained a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to study the effects of violence in film on attitudes towards aggression among teenagers. He would like to study the effects in a range of socio-economic settings, from impoverished to very wealthy communities. Should he obtain approval from his institutional review board? Why or why not? Discuss potential ethical issues that he should consider related to research in an impoverished community.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Professor Wyler has obtained a grant from...

Question 5

Permission obtained from a research participant after the risks and benefits of an experimental procedure have been thoroughly explained is called ____.

Accepted Answer

Informed consent is the process of obtaining permission from a research participant after ensuring that they understand the risks and benefits of the experimental procedure. This is an ethical requirement in most forms of research involving human subjects. Option B (assumption of risk) refers to situations where participants voluntarily participate in risky activities with a full understanding of the potential dangers involved. Option C (IRB approval) refers to the process of obtaining approval from an institutional review board before starting a research project. Option D (parental assent) refers to the process of obtaining permission from parents or legal guardians for a minor to participate in research.

Question 6

Like most sciences, psychology has accepted as a standard for statistical significance the odds of 5 out of 100 that an observed result is ____.

Accepted Answer

In psychology, statistical significance is typically set at a p-value of 0.05, meaning there is a 5% chance that the observed result is due to random chance rather than a true effect.

Question 7

Analysis of SAT test data shows that the differences on the mathematics portion of the SAT test between male and female test-takers are ____.

Accepted Answer

The term "statistically significant" suggests that the differences observed between male and female test-takers are unlikely to have occurred by chance alone, and are therefore likely to be meaningful.

Question 8

Dr. Harmon has conducted a study of social networks and health within an isolated community. Which of the following would breach a research participant's right to confidentiality?

Accepted Answer

Storing sensitive data on a personal device accessible by someone other than the researcher (his wife) breaches confidentiality.

Question 9

Noreen is a graduate student in psychology. She is designing a study regarding health care decision-making among teenagers. Which of the following research participants can legally provide his or her own informed consent?

Accepted Answer

In most jurisdictions, individuals who are 18 years or older are considered legal adults and can provide their own informed consent, regardless of their health condition.

Question 10

While people who volunteer to participate in research are probably quite different in important ways from those who don't volunteer, most psychologists have chosen to prioritize ____.

Accepted Answer

Psychologists prioritize research ethics to ensure the protection and well-being of participants, even if it may limit the generalizability of the results.

Question 11

In Callie's study of the working conditions and stress levels of domestic workers, which of the following would be the most reasonable form of incentive for each interviewee?

Accepted Answer

Providing an amount that approximates the domestic worker's hourly rate is a fair and reasonable incentive, as it compensates them for their time in a manner that aligns with their usual earnings.

Question 12

Describe the basic structure of a research experiment. Include the definition and purpose of the hypothesis, independent variable, dependent variable, control group, experimental group, and random assignment.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the basic structure of a research...

Question 13

Research using animals must demonstrate a(n)____.

Accepted Answer

Research using animals must have a clear scientific purpose to justify their use in experiments. While physical or financial benefits to humans may also be a factor, it is not the sole requirement for ethical animal research. Animal welfare considerations, such as minimizing discomfort and avoiding invasive procedures, are also important but do not fulfill the main requirement of a clear scientific purpose. Benefit to other animals may be a consideration in animal welfare research, but is not a requirement for all types of animal research.

Question 14

Apply your critical thinking skills to the accompanying research study description. Use the five critical thinking questions provided in the text as a basis for your response. 
What am I being asked to believe or accept? 
What evidence supports this position? 
Are there other ways this evidence could be interpreted? 
What other evidence would I need to evaluate these alternatives? 
What are the most reasonable conclusions? 
A newspaper headline reads "Intellectual pursuits key to preventing Alzheimer's disease?" The researchers scanned the brains of healthy seniors with no memory loss and asked the seniors to recall how much reading, writing, and game-playing they did when they were growing up. The researchers found that those who reported doing daily brain activities from a young age had very low levels of amyloid plaques, which are associated with Alzheimer's disease. The study involved fewer than 100 participants and could not account for certain factors that may have confounded the results, including socio-economic factors, diet, and overall health behaviors that might also contribute to amyloid plaque formation and Alzheimer's risk. It also asked participants, whose average age was 76, to recall how much reading, writing, and game-playing they did when they were in elementary school, high school, and as young adults.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Apply your critical thinking skills to the...

Question 15

A standard for deciding whether an observed result is due to chance is called ____.

Accepted Answer

Statistical significance is the standard for deciding whether an observed result is due to chance. It is typically determined by calculating a p-value, or the probability of obtaining the observed result or a more extreme result if the null hypothesis (the statement that there is no significant difference between two groups) is true. If the p-value is below a certain threshold, typically 0.05 or 0.01, the result is considered statistically significant and the null hypothesis is rejected.

Question 16

In the Tuskegee syphilis experiment, researchers from the U.S. Public Health Service ____.

Accepted Answer

In the Tuskegee syphilis experiment, researchers from the U.S. Public Health Service studied the progression of syphilis in a group of African American men without providing diagnosis or treatment. The study was unethical and lasted for 40 years, from 1932 to 1972, leading to many health complications and deaths among the participants.

Question 17

One critique of Professor Bem's recent study of extrasensory perception (ESP)is that ____.

Accepted Answer

He changed his research methods in the middle of the experiment without explanation.

Question 18

Researchers working in universities and other agencies must receive the approval of institutional review boards (IRBs)for human participant research and institutional animal care and use committees (IACUCs)before conducting research, ____.

Accepted Answer

Institutional review boards (IRBs) for human participant research and institutional animal care and use committees (IACUCs) are required for any research involving human or animal subjects if the researcher's institution receives federal funding. This requirement is outlined in federal regulations knowns as the Common Rule and the Animal Welfare Act. Private funding does not typically have the same requirements as federal funding. The need for IRB approval is not based on the vulnerability of the population being studied, but rather the potential risk and ethical considerations of the research. Similarly, the purpose of the research is not necessarily a determining factor in the need for IRB or IACUC approval, but rather the methods and potential impact on human or animal subjects.

Question 19

At the core of ethical standards for human research is the idea that participation should involve ____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of At the core of ethical standards for...

Question 20

According to the American Psychological Association's guidelines, research animals ____.

Accepted Answer

According to the American Psychological Association's guidelines, research animals may be euthanized in accordance with veterinary standards, which implies that killing is allowed, but it must be performed according to certain standards. Therefore, options B, C, and D are incorrect.

Quiz 2: The Measure of Mind: Methods of Psychology