Question 1

The null hypothesis:
A) is used because it is a very precise statement.
B) is rejected when there is a high probability that the obtained results are due to random error.
C) does not allow one to know the probability of the outcome of the study occurring.
D) states that the independent variable did have an effect.

Accepted Answer

A

Question 2

Which of the following statements is true of a null hypothesis?
A) The population means are not equal.
B) The difference in means is not due to random error.
C) The mean of the experimental group is not equal to the mean of the control group.
D) The mean of the placebo treatment is equal to the mean of the experimental treatment group.

Accepted Answer

The null hypothesis states that there is no significant difference between two groups or treatments. In this case, the null hypothesis states that the mean of the placebo treatment (control group) is equal to the mean of the experimental treatment group. Therefore, option D is the true statement about the null hypothesis.

Question 3

Arafa has collected data on the relationship between physical attractiveness and judgments of personality characteristics.In order to determine if the results obtained from the sample are representative of the population,Arafa will need to employ _____ statistics.
A) qualitative
B) descriptive
C) inferential
D) ordinal

Accepted Answer

In order to determine if the results obtained from the sample are representative of the population, Arafa will need to employ inferential statistics. This type of statistics uses probability theory to make inferences about the population based on the sample data. It allows researchers to test hypotheses, estimate parameters, and make predictions about the population. Descriptive statistics, on the other hand, are used to summarize and describe the sample data, while qualitative and ordinal statistics are not relevant in this context.

Question 4

A researcher was interested in the differences in the opinions about marriage between men and women.She predicted that women would have different opinions about marriage from men.What would the null hypothesis suggest in this situation?
A) Women have more positive opinions about marriage than men.
B) Men have more positive opinions about marriage than women.
C) There is no difference between men and women in their opinions about marriage.
D) There is a difference between men and women in their opinions about marriage.

Accepted Answer

The null hypothesis (H0) suggests that there is no difference between men and women in their opinions about marriage. This serves as the default assumption to be tested against the alternative hypothesis, which is that there is a difference between the two groups. In this case, H1 would be that there is a difference in opinions about marriage between men and women, but H0 assumes that there is no such difference. Therefore, option C is the correct answer.

Question 5

A researcher employs inferential statistics to examine the difference in mean scores obtained by fourth grade boys and girls in a standardized math test.In this case,inferential statistics:
A) summarize and describe the important characteristics of the data.
B) test the research hypothesis.
C) indicate the strength of the relationship between the math scores of boys and girls.
D) indicate the probability that the difference between means reflect random error.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A researcher employs inferential statistics to examine...

Question 6

If a researcher proposes that there is a difference in the hiring preferences between veterans and nonveterans,such a situation represents the _____ hypothesis.If the researcher proposes that there is no difference in the hiring preferences between veterans and non-veterans,such a situation represents the _____ hypothesis.
A) null;research
B) research;null
C) inferential;descriptive
D) descriptive;inferential

Accepted Answer

The researcher proposing a difference in hiring preferences between veterans and nonveterans represents a research hypothesis, while proposing no difference represents a null hypothesis. Therefore, option B is the best choice.

Question 7

Adrian found no significant difference in the amount of money spent on entertainment on those students who live on campus versus those who live off campus.Based on this finding,Adrian would:
A) accept the null hypotheses.
B) reject the null hypotheses.
C) accept a Type I error.
D) reject a Type I error.

Accepted Answer

Adrian's finding suggests that there is no difference in the amount of money spent on entertainment between the two groups. Therefore, there is no evidence to reject the null hypothesis, which states that there is no difference between the two groups. Choosing option A, which suggests accepting the null hypothesis, is the best choice.

Question 8

According to her statistical analysis,an investigator found that significantly more men than women used punishment to discipline their children.Thus,the investigator would:
A) accept the null hypothesis.
B) reject the null hypothesis.
C) make a Type II error.
D) make a Type I error.

Accepted Answer

The null hypothesis in this case would be that there is no difference in the use of punishment between men and women. However, since the statistical analysis found a significant difference, this would lead the investigator to reject the null hypothesis and conclude that there is indeed a difference.

Question 9

A researcher assesses the length of the prison sentence for physically attractive and physically unattractive defendants.He believes that attractive defendants will receive shorter prison sentences than unattractive defendants.The null hypothesis would suggest that:
A) there is no difference in the length of the prison sentence received by attractive and unattractive defendants.
B) physically attractive defendants will receive longer prison sentences than physically unattractive defendants.
C) physically attractive defendants will receive shorter prison sentences than physically unattractive defendants.
D) some other variable such as gender is responsible for the difference in the length of prison sentence.

Accepted Answer

The null hypothesis always suggests that there is no difference or no relationship between the variables being studied. In this case, the null hypothesis would suggest that there is no difference in the length of the prison sentence received by physically attractive and physically unattractive defendants.

Question 10

When testing the differences between means,the null hypothesis suggests that any observed difference is due to _____.
A) manipulation
B) systematic variance
C) error variance
D) random error

Accepted Answer

The answer of When testing the differences between means,the null...

Question 11

The research hypothesis states that the:
A) independent variable has no effect.
B) independent variable has an effect.
C) dependent variable has no effect.
D) dependent variable has an effect.

Accepted Answer

The research hypothesis predicts that the independent variable has an effect on the dependent variable. This is the main purpose of conducting research, to test if a specific factor (independent variable) has an impact on an outcome (dependent variable).

Question 12

The null hypothesis is rejected whenever:
A) past studies prove it wrong.
B) there is a low probability that the obtained results could be due to random error.
C) the independent variable fails to have an effect on the dependent variable.
D) the researcher is convinced that the variable is ineffective in causing changes in behavior.

Accepted Answer

The null hypothesis is rejected when there is strong statistical evidence (usually indicated by a low p-value) that the obtained results could not have occurred by chance alone. This means that the alternative hypothesis (which typically proposes a new or different relationship between variables) is supported by the data. Past studies (A), the lack of an effect (C), and the researcher's personal beliefs (D) do not directly determine whether or not the null hypothesis is rejected.

Question 13

When comparing the differences in the ratings of responsibility for an automobile accident between male and female drivers,the null hypothesis would suggest that:
A) women are more responsible drivers than men.
B) there is no difference in the ratings of responsibility between male and female drivers.
C) men are more responsible drivers than women.
D) there is a difference in the ratings of responsibility between male and female drivers.

Accepted Answer

The null hypothesis always suggests that there is no difference or relationship between the variables being compared. In this case, the null hypothesis would suggest that there is no difference in the ratings of responsibility between male and female drivers.

Question 14

According to the _____ hypothesis,the independent variable has no effect.
A) null
B) research
C) practical
D) significant

Accepted Answer

The null hypothesis states that the independent variable has no effect on the dependent variable. It is generally used in statistical hypothesis testing to determine if there is a significant difference between two groups. It is important to test the null hypothesis to determine if there is any meaningful relationship between variables.

Question 15

A researcher studying the gender-based differences in the use of disciplinary practices predicted that men use power-oriented practices more frequently than women.In this case,the research hypothesis would suggest that:
A) women use power-oriented practices more than men.
B) men use power-oriented practices more than women.
C) there is no difference between men and women in the use of disciplinary techniques.
D) gender does not influence the kind of disciplinary practice used.

Accepted Answer

The research hypothesis suggests that the frequency of power-oriented disciplinary practices is higher among men as compared to women. Therefore, option B is the correct answer. Option A contradicts the research hypothesis, and option C reflects a null hypothesis. Option D is a vague statement that does not address the research hypothesis.

Question 16

Which of the following is used to determine whether the results held up if an experiment was conducted repeatedly,each time with a new sample?
A) Descriptive statistics
B) Inferential statistics
C) The research hypothesis
D) The null hypothesis

Accepted Answer

Inferential statistics are used to generalize findings from a sample to a larger population and determine the probability that the findings are accurate. This includes testing the statistical significance of results and determining the likelihood that they would be replicated with a new sample.

Question 17

When testing the differences between means,the _____ hypothesis suggests that population means are not equal.
A) null
B) research
C) practical
D) significant

Accepted Answer

When testing the differences between means, the null hypothesis suggests that there is no significant difference between the population means. Therefore, the best choice in this scenario is the research hypothesis, which suggests that the population means are not equal. The practical hypothesis and significant hypothesis are not relevant in this scenario.

Question 18

A _____ result is one that has a very low probability of occurring if the population means are equal.
A) simplistic
B) significant
C) specifiable
D) systematic

Accepted Answer

A significant result in statistical analysis means that there is strong evidence against the null hypothesis and in favor of the alternative hypothesis. In hypothesis testing, a low probability of the test statistic occurring under the assumption of the null hypothesis (usually p < 0.05) is considered significant, which suggests that the population means are probably not equal.

Question 19

Inferential statistics _____.
A) are used to generally describe the data
B) are used to make conclusions about the data
C) focus mainly on scales of measurement
D) focus mainly on standard deviations

Accepted Answer

Inferential statistics are used to make conclusions about a larger population based on data from a sample. This involves using probability and random sampling to make generalizations about a population beyond the specific data set.

Question 20

Aden finds that,on an average,men have higher starting salaries than women.In order to conclude that the differences in starting salaries are true differences and not a result of random error,Aden would employ the use of _____ statistics.
A) qualitative
B) descriptive
C) inferential
D) ordinal

Accepted Answer

Aden would employ inferential statistics to analyze the data and determine if the differences in starting salaries between men and women are statistically significant or if they are simply due to chance. This would involve using techniques such as hypothesis testing and confidence intervals to make inferences about the population based on the sample data. Qualitative and descriptive statistics would not be appropriate for this purpose. Ordinal statistics involve ranking data, which is not relevant in this scenario.

Quiz 13: Understanding Research Results: Statistical Inference

The null hypothesis:

Which of the following statements is true of a null hypothesis?

Arafa has collected data on the relationship between physical attractiveness and judgments of personality characteristics.In order to determine if the results obtained from the sample are representative of the population,Arafa will need to employ _____ statistics.

A researcher was interested in the differences in the opinions about marriage between men and women.She predicted that women would have different opinions about marriage from men.What would the null hypothesis suggest in this situation?

A researcher employs inferential statistics to examine the difference in mean scores obtained by fourth grade boys and girls in a standardized math test.In this case,inferential statistics:

Adrian found no significant difference in the amount of money spent on entertainment on those students who live on campus versus those who live off campus.Based on this finding,Adrian would:

According to her statistical analysis,an investigator found that significantly more men than women used punishment to discipline their children.Thus,the investigator would:

A researcher assesses the length of the prison sentence for physically attractive and physically unattractive defendants.He believes that attractive defendants will receive shorter prison sentences than unattractive defendants.The null hypothesis would suggest that:

When testing the differences between means,the null hypothesis suggests that any observed difference is due to _____.

The research hypothesis states that the:

The null hypothesis is rejected whenever:

When comparing the differences in the ratings of responsibility for an automobile accident between male and female drivers,the null hypothesis would suggest that:

According to the _____ hypothesis,the independent variable has no effect.

A researcher studying the gender-based differences in the use of disciplinary practices predicted that men use power-oriented practices more frequently than women.In this case,the research hypothesis would suggest that:

Which of the following is used to determine whether the results held up if an experiment was conducted repeatedly,each time with a new sample?

When testing the differences between means,the _____ hypothesis suggests that population means are not equal.

A _____ result is one that has a very low probability of occurring if the population means are equal.

Inferential statistics _____.

Aden finds that,on an average,men have higher starting salaries than women.In order to conclude that the differences in starting salaries are true differences and not a result of random error,Aden would employ the use of _____ statistics.