Question 1

The peer review process is designed to
A)block alternative therapies from being made available to the general public.
B)identify flaws in a research study's methods,findings,and conclusions.
C)make researchers feel bad when their article is not published.
D)place obstacles in front of people whose theories differ from mainstream science.

Accepted Answer

The peer review process aims to identify flaws in a research study's methods, findings, and conclusions. It is a crucial step in ensuring the quality and validity of scientific research. The other options (A, C, and D) are not accurate descriptions of the peer review process.

Question 2

What is the purpose of an institutional review board?
A)To help protect research participants from abuse
B)To hinder the research process by placing unnecessary hurdles in the way of researchers
C)To help protect the university from lawsuits from unhappy research participants
D)To encourage the use of deception in medical and psychological research with humans

Accepted Answer

The primary purpose of an institutional review board (IRB) is to protect research participants from any potential harm or abuse during the research process. The IRB evaluates research proposals to ensure that they are ethical, safe, and comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines. They also monitor ongoing research to ensure that participants are not subject to any unnecessary risks or discomfort. The other options given (B, C, and D) are not accurate or appropriate purposes of an IRB.

Question 3

In which situation would presenting the mean as one's measure of central tendency be least accurate?
A)When the distribution is normally distributed
B)When the distribution is negatively skewed
C)When the distribution is bimodal
D)When there are many scores in the data set

Accepted Answer

B

Question 4

A key factor to consider when reading about the results of a study on the Internet,in a newspaper,or in a news magazine is to
A)consider the source of the information.
B)determine how well it fits with what others have told you in the past.
C)rely on your common sense or "gut" intuition.
D)popular media outlets always have inaccurate information.

Accepted Answer

Considering the source of the information is important because not all sources may be reliable or unbiased. It is important to determine whether the study was conducted by a reputable organization or published in a peer-reviewed journal. This can help you evaluate the credibility and validity of the information being presented.

Question 5

Sarah,a graduate student in psychology,just heard about a five-year-old child who has already learned calculus.She is thinking about doing an in-depth study of the child for her dissertation because such early-life math skill is so rare.Sarah is considering which research method?
A)Naturalistic observation
B)Experiment
C)Independent study
D)Case study

Accepted Answer

A case study is the best choice for this situation because it allows Sarah to closely examine the unique case of the child who has learned calculus at such a young age. She can conduct thorough interviews and observations with the child and their family, and gather detailed information about their background, learning experiences, and potential factors that may have contributed to their early math skills. The rareness of the case also makes it difficult to create an experiment or find a large enough sample size for an independent study. Naturalistic observation may not provide a comprehensive understanding of the child's abilities and experiences.

Question 6

After carefully observing thousands of students,Dr.O'Brien revealed to his colleagues that students with brown eyes are statistically more likely to write with pens instead of pencils.Although his colleagues did not question his statistics,they did suggest that a finding such as this lacked
A)authenticity.
B)validity.
C)statistical measures.
D)practical significance.

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is D) practical significance because the observation, while statistically accurate, does not have a meaningful impact on understanding or improving educational practices or student behavior.

Question 7

Dr.Johansen randomly assigned subjects to three different groups during her last experiment.She then proceeded to give all the participants in the experiment a new study technique designed to enhance their learning for the upcoming test.What critical error did she make during her experiment?
A)She failed to identify the independent variable.
B)She failed to identify the dependent variable.
C)She failed to include an experimental group.
D)She failed to include a control group.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Johansen failed to include a control group, which is necessary to compare the effects of the study technique to a group that did not receive the technique. Without a control group, it is impossible to determine if any observed effects were due to the study technique or other factors.

Question 8

The variable that an experimenter assesses or measures to determine whether or not the manipulation has had an effect is the _____ variable.
A)causal
B)confounding
C)dependent
D)independent

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the one that is being measured or assessed to determine the effect of the manipulation. The independent variable is the one that is being manipulated, while the confounding variable is a factor that can impact the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The term "causal variable" is not commonly used in experimental research.

Question 9

Dr.Fortner is discussing cognitive psychology with his introductory psychology class and says that we act as cognitive misers when making judgments about others or making decisions.What does Dr.Fortner mean with this statement?
A)We are frequently incorrect in our judgments and decision making.
B)We value accuracy in our judgments and decisions.
C)We are lazy and conserve mental energy by simplifying the world.
D)We will use heuristics only as long as they give us the correct answer

Accepted Answer

Dr. Fortner is referring to the concept of cognitive miserliness, which suggests that people tend to conserve mental energy by simplifying their thinking and relying on heuristics or mental shortcuts to make judgments or decisions. This is not necessarily a negative thing, but it can lead to errors or biases in thinking.

Question 10

The perception of a statistical association between two variables where none exists is known as
A)confirmation bias.
B)illusory correlation.
C)existence proof.
D)type I error.

Accepted Answer

Illusory correlation occurs when people perceive a statistical relationship between two variables when no such relationship exists. Confirmation bias refers to the tendency to seek and interpret information in a way that confirms pre-existing beliefs. Existence proof is a type of proof used in mathematics and philosophy that shows the existence of a particular object or entity. Type I error is a statistical term that refers to the rejection of a null hypothesis when it is actually true.

Quiz 2: Research Methods

The peer review process is designed to

What is the purpose of an institutional review board?

In which situation would presenting the mean as one's measure of central tendency be least accurate?

A key factor to consider when reading about the results of a study on the Internet,in a newspaper,or in a news magazine is to

Sarah,a graduate student in psychology,just heard about a five-year-old child who has already learned calculus.She is thinking about doing an in-depth study of the child for her dissertation because such early-life math skill is so rare.Sarah is considering which research method?

After carefully observing thousands of students,Dr.O'Brien revealed to his colleagues that students with brown eyes are statistically more likely to write with pens instead of pencils.Although his colleagues did not question his statistics,they did suggest that a finding such as this lacked

Dr.Johansen randomly assigned subjects to three different groups during her last experiment.She then proceeded to give all the participants in the experiment a new study technique designed to enhance their learning for the upcoming test.What critical error did she make during her experiment?

The variable that an experimenter assesses or measures to determine whether or not the manipulation has had an effect is the _____ variable.

Dr.Fortner is discussing cognitive psychology with his introductory psychology class and says that we act as cognitive misers when making judgments about others or making decisions.What does Dr.Fortner mean with this statement?

The perception of a statistical association between two variables where none exists is known as