Question 1

Which one of the following independent variables represents a categorical variable?
A) dosage level of a drug to be administered
B) amount of positive or negative reinforcement
C) distance from sound source in a test of auditory acuity
D) rote versus conceptual method of teaching

Accepted Answer

Rote versus conceptual method of teaching is a categorical variable as it is a non-numeric variable that represents distinct categories or groups. The other options are all continuous variables represented by numerical values.

Question 2

The term variable may best be defined as a
A) property of an event that can assume any of a range of values
B) label assigned to an observation
C) single number that allows one to summarize, analyze, or evaluate a group of observations
D) numerical value assigned to an observation

Accepted Answer

A variable is a property of an event that can vary and take on different values. It is something that can be measured, observed or manipulated in research. Examples of variables include age, weight, gender, and test scores. A variable can assume any of a range of values, which is why it is called a variable.

Question 3

Which one of the following represents a discrete variable?
A) number of children per family
B) amount of water consumed daily by a laboratory rat
C) noon temperature measured in Celsius
D) rate of bar-pressing

Accepted Answer

A discrete variable is a variable that can only take on a finite or countable number of values. The number of children per family is a discrete variable, as it can only take on integer values (e.g. 0, 1, 2, 3...). The other options are continuous variables, as they can take on any value within a certain range (e.g. amount of water consumed, temperature, rate of bar-pressing).

Question 4

A subject variable is a(n)
A) incidental aspect of the study that is of no concern
B) confounded variable
C) dependent variable that the researcher does not measure
D) independent variable that the researcher does not manipulate

Accepted Answer

A subject variable is a characteristic of the participants in a study that cannot be manipulated by the researcher. Therefore, it is an independent variable that the researcher does not manipulate. Choice A is incorrect because subject variables are important and can have an effect on the study's results. Choice B is incorrect because a confounded variable is a variable that is mixed up with the independent variable and cannot be separated, subject variables are not confounded variables. Choice C is incorrect because a dependent variable is the outcome variable that the researcher is measuring, subject variables are not dependent variables.

Question 5

A confounded variable is one that
A) doesn't vary
B) varies with the dependent variable
C) varies with the independent variable
D) isn't correlated with either the independent or dependent variable

Accepted Answer

A confounded variable is one that varies with the independent variable, meaning that it is not possible to determine whether it or the independent variable is causing changes in the dependent variable. Thus, option C is the correct answer.

Question 6

Professor Smith studied the effect of giving either two,four,or eight pellets of reward to rats that ran a maze.He measured how fast they ran,and how many wrong turns they made.How many levels of the independent variable did he have?
A) one
B) two
C) three
D) can't tell

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the number of pellets of reward, and there are three levels: two, four, or eight pellets.

Question 7

A researcher measures the temperature of his laboratory room to the nearest degree,over a ten day period.He finds that the average is 68^$\circ$ Fahrenheit.In this example,temperature is a ____ variable,and 68^$\circ$ represents the ____ limits of the measure. A) continuous variable, real limits B) discrete variable, real limits C) continuous variable, apparent limits D) discrete variable, apparent limits

Accepted Answer

Temperature is a continuous variable, and 68°F represents the apparent limits of the measure.

Question 8

Consider the following research title: "Sexually coercive behavior of college males as a function of masculinity and attitudes toward women's rights." In this study the dependent variable is
A) sexually coercive behavior
B) masculinity
C) attitudes toward women's rights
D) not stated in the title

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the outcome that is being measured or predicted in a study. In this research title, the outcome being measured is sexually coercive behavior, which is the dependent variable. The other variables mentioned in the title, masculinity and attitudes toward women's rights, are independent variables that are being studied for their relationship with the dependent variable.

Question 9

Suppose you have performed a study that showed a strong positive correlation between shoe size and intelligence.Since you can't be sure about cause and effect in this relationship,shoe size would be called
A) a subject variable
B) a dependent variable
C) an independent variable
D) a variable of interest

Accepted Answer

The answer of Suppose you have performed a study that...

Question 10

A variable that falls into a distinct category is referred to as a
A) physical variable
B) nonphysical variable
C) discrete variable
D) dependent variable

Accepted Answer

A discrete variable is one that takes on a finite set of distinct values. This is in contrast to a continuous variable, which can take on any value within a given range. Therefore, a variable that falls into a distinct category would be considered a discrete variable. The other answer choices (physical variable, nonphysical variable, and dependent variable) do not accurately describe a variable that falls into a distinct category.

Question 11

The term measurement may best be defined as
A) a numerical value assigned to an observation
B) a single number that allows one to summarize, analyze or evaluate a group of observations
C) a property of an event that can assume any one of a range of values
D) a number or label assigned to an observation according to a rule or system

Accepted Answer

Measurement involves assigning a number or label to an observation based on a rule or system. This can be seen in various disciplines such as science, mathematics, and statistics.

Question 12

If we were to measure a dependant variable's frequency,we would
A) count the number of times it occurred
B) time how long it took to achieve
C) time how long between responses
D) measure the shape of the behavior

Accepted Answer

Measuring the frequency of a dependent variable involves counting the number of times the behavior or response occurred during a specified time period.

Question 13

Professor Jones studied the effect of two types of instructions on learning either nonsense words or real words by college sophomores.Which of the following is not a variable?
A) instructions
B) type of words
C) year in school
D) they are all variables

Accepted Answer

Year in school is not a variable in this study as it is a constant characteristic of the participants and is not manipulated by the experimenter. The other options (instructions and type of words) are variables as they are being manipulated by the experimenter to study their effect on learning. Therefore, the correct answer is C.

Question 14

Which one of the following is an example of a nominal level of measurement?
A) reaction time of an adult male measured before and after drinking an ounce of alcohol
B) a high school senior's first, second, and third choice of colleges to attend
C) classification of psychiatric patients as either "neurotic" or "psychotic"
D) estimating the number of red blood cells in a laboratory sample

Accepted Answer

Nominal level of measurement involves assigning variables into distinct categories or groups without any quantitative or numerical value. In option C, patients are simply being categorized as either "neurotic" or "psychotic" without any measurement of their symptoms or severity. Options A, B, and D involve quantitative measurements and are not considered nominal.

Question 15

Consider the following research title: "Cooperation among nursery school children under two types of instruction." In this study the independent variable is
A) cooperation
B) types of instruction
C) nursery school children
D) not stated in the title

Accepted Answer

The independent variable in this study is the types of instruction, as it is what is being manipulated to see how it affects cooperation among nursery school children.

Question 16

Which one of the following statements does not contain both an independent and dependent variable?
A) The effects of physical distance on ratings of attraction
B) Children's defensive and aggressive behaviors in a school setting
C) Cooperation among nursery school children under two types of instruction
D) Sexually coercive behavior of college males as a function of masculinity and attitudes toward women's rights

Accepted Answer

While statement B mentions behaviors displayed by children in a school setting, it does not specify any independent or dependent variable for testing. The other statements all have clear independent and dependent variables mentioned, such as physical distance and ratings of attraction in statement A, types of instruction and cooperation in statement C, and masculinity and attitudes toward women's rights in statement D.

Question 17

Which one of the following represents a continuous variable?
A) noon temperature measured in Fahrenheit
B) number of freshmen college students enrolled in an introductory psychology course
C) number of shares traded on the New Stock Market on a given day
D) rankings of U. S. Army officers from lowest to highest

Accepted Answer

Noon temperature measured in Fahrenheit is a continuous variable because it can take any value within a range, and there are an infinite number of possible values between any two given points.

Question 18

Which one of the following variables represents a quantitative variable?
A) college major
B) political party affiliation
C) salary in dollars
D) type of life insurance owned

Accepted Answer

A quantitative variable is one that can be measured in numerical terms. Salary in dollars is a numerical measurement, making it a quantitative variable. College major, political party affiliation, and type of life insurance owned are categorical variables because they represent non-numerical categories or groups.

Question 19

At a day care center a researcher asks children to list their five favorite toys from most favorite to least favorite.What level of measurement is represented in this example?
A) nominal
B) ordinal
C) interval
D) ratio

Accepted Answer

The ranking of the toys from most favorite to least favorite represents an ordinal level of measurement, as it indicates relative preference but does not reflect any specific numerical value or measurement.

Question 20

Consider the following title of a research study: "The effect of physical distance on ratings of attraction." In this study the dependent variable is
A) physical distances
B) ratings of attraction
C) actual attraction
D) not stated in the title

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured or tested in the study. In this title, the dependent variable is clearly stated as "ratings of attraction."

Quiz 5: Variables

Which one of the following independent variables represents a categorical variable?

The term variable may best be defined as a

Which one of the following represents a discrete variable?

A subject variable is a(n)

A confounded variable is one that

Professor Smith studied the effect of giving either two,four,or eight pellets of reward to rats that ran a maze.He measured how fast they ran,and how many wrong turns they made.How many levels of the independent variable did he have?

A researcher measures the temperature of his laboratory room to the nearest degree,over a ten day period.He finds that the average is 68^$\circ$ Fahrenheit.In this example,temperature is a variable,and 68^$\circ$ represents the limits of the measure.

Consider the following research title: "Sexually coercive behavior of college males as a function of masculinity and attitudes toward women's rights." In this study the dependent variable is

Suppose you have performed a study that showed a strong positive correlation between shoe size and intelligence.Since you can't be sure about cause and effect in this relationship,shoe size would be called

A variable that falls into a distinct category is referred to as a

The term measurement may best be defined as

If we were to measure a dependant variable's frequency,we would

Professor Jones studied the effect of two types of instructions on learning either nonsense words or real words by college sophomores.Which of the following is not a variable?

Which one of the following is an example of a nominal level of measurement?

Consider the following research title: "Cooperation among nursery school children under two types of instruction." In this study the independent variable is

Which one of the following statements does not contain both an independent and dependent variable?

Which one of the following represents a continuous variable?

Which one of the following variables represents a quantitative variable?

At a day care center a researcher asks children to list their five favorite toys from most favorite to least favorite.What level of measurement is represented in this example?

Consider the following title of a research study: "The effect of physical distance on ratings of attraction." In this study the dependent variable is