Question 1

Which of these situations would be least vulnerable to the social desirability bias?

Accepted Answer

Anonymous responses on standardized measures like the Beck Depression Inventory are less influenced by social desirability bias, as respondents may feel less pressure to provide socially acceptable answers.

Question 2

Objective data are more likely than biased data to be ______.

Accepted Answer

Objective data are more likely to be heard because they are perceived as unbiased and factual, making them more credible and acceptable for consideration.

Question 3

What is the critical issue in measurement?

Accepted Answer

Accuracy is the critical issue in measurement because it refers to how close a measured value is to the true value or standard. This is essential in ensuring that the data collected is reliable and can be used to make informed decisions.

Question 4

You need to know the level of measurement of your study variables in order to ______.

Accepted Answer

The level of measurement of variables is crucial for selecting the appropriate statistical methods to test hypotheses. Different levels of measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio) require different statistical techniques for analysis.

Question 5

For which type of client are you more likely to find an individualized scale more useful than a standardized scale?

Accepted Answer

Individualized scales are particularly useful for clients with limited verbal ability, such as young children, because these scales can be tailored to the client's specific mode of communication and level of understanding. Standardized scales often rely on verbal responses and may not be suitable for individuals who cannot effectively communicate verbally.

Question 6

Tests of reliability and validity for measurement tools are designed to reduce ______ error.

Accepted Answer

Tests of reliability and validity are specifically designed to reduce measurement error by ensuring that the tool consistently measures what it is supposed to measure and accurately reflects the concept being studied.

Question 7

Which of the following statements about measurement error is true?

Accepted Answer

Measurement error is an inherent part of measuring human variables due to the complexity and variability of human behavior and characteristics. Even with the best tools and methodologies, some level of error is inevitable.

Question 8

Which of the following is a general type of error in measurement?

Accepted Answer

Random errors are general types of errors in measurement.

Question 9

______ is/are mechanisms for preventing measurement error.

Accepted Answer

Tests of reliability and validity are mechanisms designed to prevent measurement error by ensuring that the measures used in a study consistently produce accurate results (reliability) and actually measure what they are intended to measure (validity).

Question 10

In measurement, reliability refers to ______

Accepted Answer

Reliability in measurement refers to the consistency of a set of measurements or measuring instrument, such as a test. It indicates the extent to which the measurements of a test remain consistent over repeated tests under identical conditions.

Question 11

The tool you use to measure the client's target behavior can be ______.

Accepted Answer

Reliability refers to the consistency of a measure, meaning that the tool yields consistent results under consistent conditions. A tool can be reliable, consistently measuring something in the same way, but not valid if it does not accurately measure what it is supposed to measure. Validity refers to the accuracy of the measure, or how well it measures what it is intended to measure. A tool can be consistently wrong, hence reliable but not valid.

Question 12

A test of ______ validity is the weakest means of reducing measurement error.

Accepted Answer

Face validity refers to the extent to which a test appears to measure what it is supposed to measure, based on a superficial examination rather than thorough scientific evaluation. It is considered the weakest form of validity for reducing measurement error because it does not rigorously test the actual effectiveness of the measurement tool.

Question 13

Which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

Both quantitative and qualitative research have mechanisms for testing reliability and validity. In quantitative research, reliability refers to the consistency of a measure, and validity refers to the accuracy of a measure. In qualitative research, reliability is about the researcher’s approach being consistent across different studies and validity is concerned with the authenticity and truthfulness of the findings. Methods such as triangulation, member checking, and peer debriefing are used in qualitative research to ensure reliability and validity.

Question 14

A key advantage of the published standardized scale over the individualized scale is that the published standardized scale has ______

Accepted Answer

Published standardized scales are typically designed by experts and have undergone tests to ensure their reliability and validity, making them more trustworthy and widely applicable than individualized scales.

Question 15

According to the text, your most important guide when you are seeking a measurement tool is the ______

Accepted Answer

The most important guide when seeking a measurement tool is the definition of the behavior to be measured. This ensures that the tool is accurately tailored to what needs to be assessed, providing relevant and precise data.

Question 16

Suppose your outcome objective is to improve knowledge of how to find employment. Consider what your tool would look like. Which of the following would be the best set of categories to give to clients on the tool?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Suppose your outcome objective is to improve...

Question 17

One of the questions to consider when seeking a published standardized scale for adults is whether the tool is ______

Accepted Answer

The correct choice is B because when selecting a standardized scale, it's crucial that the tool aligns with the researcher's definition of the variable being measured. This ensures that the scale accurately assesses the intended concept.

Question 18

When you have a measurement tool that contains options like strongly agree, agree, undecided, disagree, and strongly disagree, you will typically find that the statements are different in the way they measure the study variable. This means that when you tally the score for this scale, you must ______ on the scale.

Accepted Answer

This type of measurement tool often includes both positively and negatively worded statements to measure the same variable. Positively worded statements are scored in a direct manner (e.g., strongly agree = 5, agree = 4, etc.), while negatively worded statements need to be reverse-scored (e.g., strongly agree = 1, agree = 2, etc.) to ensure that higher scores consistently reflect the same attitude or opinion across all items.

Question 19

Which of the following would be most useful in determining the practical significance in an evaluative study?

Accepted Answer

Practical significance is concerned with the real-world relevance or importance of the findings, which is best assessed by considering both statistical significance and thresholds of functioning to understand the effect size and its practical implications.

Question 20

According to the text, what is one of the special challenges in measurement in evaluative research when you are evaluating the progress of a single client using a single-subject design?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the text, what is one...

Quiz 13: Measuring Your Study Variables