Question 1

In order to avoid the problem of ______,it is sometimes necessary to use ______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In order to avoid the problem of...

Question 2

Students conducted a naturalistic observation to study whether people arriving at the library alone would be more likely to hold the door open for a person coming in immediately after them than would people who arrived in pairs.The students made their observations looking through the window of a classroom building across from the library.They chose this observation sight to avoid the potential problem of

Accepted Answer

Reactivity refers to a change in behavior that occurs because an individual is being observed. Since the students are observing from a distance, they are less likely to influence the behavior of those entering the library, reducing the potential for reactivity. The other options (demand characteristics, observer bias, unrepresentative sampling) are not relevant to the choice of observation location, but rather potential sources of error in the study design or data analysis.

Question 3

The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (r)can be used to measure interobserver reliability when

Accepted Answer

The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient measures the linear relationship between two continuous variables measured on at least an interval scale. Therefore, it can be used to measure interobserver reliability when the behavioral data have been measured on at least an interval scale.

Question 4

Ethologists such as Diane Fossey (who studied mountain gorillas)use a technique to adapt animal subjects to the presence of an observer by gradually increasing the time they spend in the animals' environment.This technique is called

Accepted Answer

The technique described is called desensitization, which involves gradually exposing an animal to a stimulus that initially causes fear or anxiety until the animal becomes accustomed to it and no longer reacts negatively. This technique is often used in animal behavior studies, including ethological research, to enable researchers to observe natural behavior without causing undue stress or disruption to the animals. Implosion is a behavioral therapy technique used in human psychology, counterconditioning involves replacing a negative conditioned response with a positive one, and the regressive approach is not a recognized term in the field of ethology.

Question 5

The cues and other information used by participants to guide their behavior in a psychological study are called

Accepted Answer

Demand characteristics refer to cues or information in a study that inadvertently reveal the experimenter's hypothesis or influence the participant's behavior. These cues can include things like subtle suggestions in the wording of instructions or the behavior of the experimenter. Participants may adjust their behavior to fit what they perceive to be the experimenter's expectations, rather than acting naturally.

Question 6

When individuals are aware they are being observed we need to be concerned about problems of

Accepted Answer

Reactivity refers to the phenomenon of individuals altering their behavior when they know they are being observed, which can undermine the validity of research findings. Therefore, when individuals are aware they are being observed, we need to be concerned about reactivity. Expectancy effects, observer bias, and interobserver reliability are also important considerations in observational research, but they are not as directly related to the issue of awareness of observation.

Question 7

In order to minimize observer bias,researchers should

Accepted Answer

By limiting the amount of information observers have about the hypothesis, researchers can reduce the possibility that observers will consciously or unconsciously skew their observations to match the hypothesis. This helps to reduce observer bias. Fully explaining the hypothesis could unintentionally steer an observer's observations in a particular direction. Asking observers to code their biased observations might not be effective if they don't recognize their own biases. Reading previously published research might be helpful, but it doesn't specifically address observer bias.

Question 8

Which of the following correlations represents the greatest predictive relationship between two variables?

Accepted Answer

A correlation of -0.80 represents a strong negative relationship between two variables and indicates that there is a significant predictive relationship between them. A correlation of 0.40 represents a moderate positive relationship, while a correlation of 0.00 indicates no relationship between the two variables.

Question 9

Students conducted a research project in which they hypothesized that women,more than men,would stop studying and look at each person who enters a library study room.Results indicated that women did make more head movements than men when people entered the library.To be confident about these results,we would want to make sure their results are not affect by

Accepted Answer

Expectancy effects can occur when participants are aware of the hypothesis being tested and behave in a way that confirms the hypothesis. In this case, the researchers would want to make sure that the women were not aware of the hypothesis that they would make more head movements than men, as this could have influenced their behavior.

Question 10

Researchers were doing a long-term study of children's relationships with their parent in the homes of the families.Before beginning to collect data,the observers visited each home a few times and set up their recording equipment and recorded behavior just as they would do in the data collection phase of their study.These early visits to the home were done to reduce reactivity.Which of the following techniques did these researchers use?

Accepted Answer

Habituation is a technique used to reduce reactivity in participants by exposing them to the research situation in a non-threatening manner prior to data collection. In this case, the researchers visited the homes a few times and set up their equipment to acclimate the children and parents to the research situation. Disguised observation involves observing participants without their knowledge, accommodation refers to the adjustment of a researcher's approach based on the participant's behavior or needs, and interobserver reliability is a measure of the agreement between two or more observers in their ratings or interpretations of behavior. None of these techniques are the most appropriate for reducing reactivity in this situation.

Question 11

Probably the most important control over observer bias is

Accepted Answer

The awareness that observer bias might be present is the most important control over observer bias. This means being aware that the observer's preconceived notions, beliefs, or expectations may influence their observations and taking steps to minimize this bias. While the use of a detailed checklist and informing observers about the purpose of the study can help reduce bias, they are not as effective as being aware of the potential for bias. Restricting observations to the public domain is not relevant to controlling observer bias.

Question 12

Some researchers argue that hypnosis is a special state of consciousness;other researchers disagree.They argue that when the hypnosis procedure is used,individuals simply respond to the cues and instructions of the hypnotist in order to know how to respond.These cues are called

Accepted Answer

The cues that individuals respond to in hypnosis are called demand characteristics. These cues can include verbal instructions, nonverbal cues, and expectations for how to behave in hypnosis. This view suggests that hypnosis is not a special state of consciousness, but rather a result of individuals responding to the demands of the situation.

Question 13

To avoid observer bias researchers may not tell the observers why observations are being made or the goals of the study.In this situation the observers are said to be

Accepted Answer

Observers are said to be "blind" when they are not informed about the purpose or goals of the study to prevent observer bias.

Question 14

The two pieces of information obtained from a correlation coefficient are

Accepted Answer

The correlation coefficient provides information about the direction and strength of the relationship between two variables. It does not provide information about validity, reliability, causality, or predictive relationships.

Quiz 4: Observation

In order to avoid the problem of ,it is sometimes necessary to use .

The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) can be used to measure interobserver reliability when

Ethologists such as Diane Fossey (who studied mountain gorillas) use a technique to adapt animal subjects to the presence of an observer by gradually increasing the time they spend in the animals' environment.This technique is called