Question 1

Procedures that allow researchers to infer or generalize observations made with samples to the larger population from which they were selected best describes

Accepted Answer

Inferential statistics involves using sampling data to make inferences about a population. The other choices simply describe statistics or parameters of a sample or population without making inferences.

Question 2

Researchers rarely have access to entire populations.How do researchers resolve this limitation?

Accepted Answer

Researchers cannot reach all individuals in a population, so they use a sample from the population. By collecting data from a representative sample, researchers can make inferences about the characteristics of the larger population from which the sample was drawn. The best choice here is D.

Question 3

Which of the following best describes a dependent variable?

Accepted Answer

A dependent variable is the variable that is being measured or observed in an experiment. It is the outcome that is affected by changes in the independent variable. Therefore, option B - the measured behavior - best describes a dependent variable.

Question 4

A characteristic (usually numeric)that describes a population is called a

Accepted Answer

A population parameter is a characteristic that describes a population, such as mean, variance or proportion. A sample is a subset of the population from which data is collected, and a sample statistic is a numeric characteristic calculated from the sample. Therefore, population parameter is the best choice in this scenario.

Question 5

________ is the variable in an experiment that is manipulated between conditions being observed.

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is a variable that is manipulated by the researcher. It is the cause in the cause-effect relationship and is deliberately changed by the experimenter in order to observe the effect on the dependent variable. Therefore, the independent variable is the variable in an experiment that is manipulated between conditions being observed.

Question 6

A researcher records the time it takes to complete a memory task in a sample of 25 participants.He finds that the average participant completed the test in 43 seconds.The average time to complete this task is called a(n)

Accepted Answer

The average time to complete the memory task in this sample is a sample statistic, which is a descriptive statistic that summarizes information about a sample. Population parameters refer to descriptive statistics that summarize information about an entire population, which cannot be directly observed. Inferential statistics, on the other hand, involve making inferences or generalizations about a population based on data from a sample. "Time trial" does not relate to any statistical concept.

Question 7

A psychologist reviews her notes for all her patients and determines that on average her patients complete therapy in 24 days.The average time to complete therapy among all her patients is called a(n)

Accepted Answer

The average time to complete therapy among all her patients is a population parameter, which is a characteristic of a population (in this case, all of the psychologist's patients). It is not a sample statistic (B), which would refer to the average time to complete therapy among a subset of the population. Nor is it an inferential statistic (C), which would involve using sample data to make inferences about a population parameter. Finally, "time trial" (D) is not a recognized statistical term.

Question 8

Descriptive statistics are procedures used to

Accepted Answer

Descriptive statistics involves summarizing, organizing and making sense of a set of scores or observations, so all options listed in the choices apply.

Question 9

Statistical analysis allows researchers to

Accepted Answer

Statistical analysis is used to evaluate scientific observations and draw conclusions based on the data collected. It is a tool for making sense of the information gathered during the research process. While it can be used in studies of physical phenomena, it is also a valuable tool in studies of human behavior and other social sciences.

Question 10

A therapist observes that spouses are more likely to forgive their partners for lying to them if they find out the truth from their spouse and not a third party.In this example,the dependent variable is

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable being measured in the study - in this case, forgiveness. The independent variable is the variable that is being manipulated or measured to determine its effect on the dependent variable - in this case, whether the truth is coming from the spouse or a third party. The other answer choices are not relevant to the dependent variable being studied.

Question 11

Researchers measure data in a ________ to learn more about individuals in the larger _______ of interest.

Accepted Answer

Researchers select a sample from a larger population to gather data and then use statistical analysis to make inferences about the whole population.

Question 12

Suppose that a researcher is interested in a group of 10 million people who paid to see a movie playing in theaters.In this example,the 10 million moviegoers would be regarded as

Accepted Answer

The 10 million moviegoers are the entire group of individuals that the researcher is interested in studying, so they represent a population of moviegoers who paid to see the movie in a theater. Option A would be incorrect because a sample is a subset of a population, not the entire population itself. Options C and D are not applicable in this scenario because the moviegoers are not independent or dependent variables.

Question 13

A population can be ____ group of interest to a researcher.

Accepted Answer

A population can be any group of interest to a researcher, regardless of its size or nature. It can be a small or large population, a specific subgroup of individuals, or the entire population of a country. The important thing is that it is a well-defined group that can be studied and analyzed based on the objectives of the research.

Question 14

________ is the variable that is believed to change in the presence of the independent variable.

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable that is being observed or measured in response to changes in the independent variable. It "depends" on the independent variable for its outcome.

Question 15

The use of tables and graphs to summarize data is an example of

Accepted Answer

The use of tables and graphs to summarize data is an example of descriptive statistics, which involves organizing, summarizing, and presenting data in a meaningful way to describe and understand the dataset. Inferential statistics involves making predictions or generalizations about a population based on a sample, while interpretation involves analyzing and explaining the meaning of the results. Generalization involves applying the findings of a study to a larger population beyond the sample.

Question 16

Which of the following describes a descriptive statistic?

Accepted Answer

Descriptive statistics are used to summarize and describe the main features of a dataset, such as measures of central tendency (e.g., mean, median, mode) and variability (e.g., range, standard deviation). They do not involve making inferences or predictions, which are the domain of inferential statistics.

Question 17

Which of the following best describes an independent variable?

Accepted Answer

An independent variable is the factor in an experiment that is intentionally manipulated or changed by the experimenter. It is also known as the manipulated variable.

Question 18

A characteristic (usually numeric)that describes a sample is called a

Accepted Answer

A sample statistic is a characteristic that describes a sample, whereas a population parameter is a characteristic that describes a population. Therefore, B is the best choice as it specifically refers to a characteristic of a sample.

Question 19

A researcher records the number of votes for each of five candidates running for class president.Based on her presentation of the following results,what type of statistics did she use?

Accepted Answer

The researcher is presenting the results of the vote count, which describes the data and summarizes it in a meaningful way. This is an example of descriptive statistics.

Question 20

A researcher identifies college students as a group of interest to test her hypothesis.She then identifies a few local college students and selects a small group of the local college students to be observed.In this example,the sample is:

Accepted Answer

The sample in this example is the small group of college students who were observed. This is because the researcher identified college students as the group of interest, but then narrowed down her focus by selecting a specific group of local college students to observe. Therefore, the small group being observed is the sample, not all college students or the few local college students as a whole.

Quiz 1: Introduction to Statistics