Question 1

To learn about the TV viewing habits of all the children attending Oakbridge School,Professor DeVries randomly selected and interviewed 50 of the school's students.In this instance,all the children attending the school are considered to be a(n)

Accepted Answer

The population in this scenario refers to all the children attending Oakbridge School, which is the group Professor DeVries is interested in studying. Therefore, option A (population) is the correct answer. Option B (representative sample) could have been correct if it was stated that the 50 randomly selected students were representative of the entire population. Option C (independent variable) and D (control condition) are not relevant to this scenario.

Question 2

Governor Donovan was greeted by large,enthusiastic crowds at all of his political rallies.As a result,he became overconfident about his chances of reelection.In this instance,the governor needs to be alerted to the value of

Accepted Answer

The governor needs to be alerted to the value of random sampling because his experience with large, enthusiastic crowds at his rallies may not accurately represent the views and opinions of the entire population he is running to represent. Random sampling would provide a more representative sample of the population's views and opinions.

Question 3

To accurately generalize study results,researchers need

Accepted Answer

To accurately generalize study results, researchers need a representative sample. This means that the sample should be a true reflection of the population that the researchers are trying to draw conclusions about. This ensures that the results can be generalized to the larger population with a high degree of accuracy. A good population base, a highly reliable survey, and naturalistic observation can all be helpful in research, but they are not as critical for generalizing study results as having a representative sample.

Question 4

After noting that a majority of professional basketball players are African-American,Ervin concluded that African-Americans are better athletes than members of other racial groups.Ervin's conclusion best illustrates the danger of

Accepted Answer

Ervin's conclusion is an example of generalizing from a vivid case or a specific example. This fallacy occurs when we make sweeping generalizations based on a single, notable event or observation. In this case, Ervin is generalizing about the athletic ability of an entire racial group based on the performance of a select group of individuals. This is a flawed and potentially harmful way of thinking that can perpetuate harmful stereotypes.

Question 5

Which of the following is most useful for helping survey researchers avoid false generalizations?

Accepted Answer

Random sampling helps to ensure that the survey results are representative of the larger population, thus reducing the likelihood of making false generalizations.

Question 6

Suppose you want to find out which candidate college students will vote for in an upcoming national election.To be sure the sample of college students you survey is representative of the college student population,you should

Accepted Answer

To ensure that the sample of college students surveyed is representative of the college student population, it is necessary to survey a large representative sample. Only sampling a small group may not provide a complete picture of the population, while only surveying politically informed students or only surveying students on your own campus would lead to a biased sample. Therefore, option D is the best choice.

Question 7

Which research method would be most appropriate for investigating the relationship between the religious beliefs of Americans and their attitudes toward abortion?

Accepted Answer

The survey method would be the most appropriate for investigating the relationship between the religious beliefs of Americans and their attitudes toward abortion. This method allows for the collection of data from a large sample size and can include questions about both religious beliefs and attitudes toward abortion. It is also a relatively quick and cost-effective method of research.

Question 8

To compare the pace of life in different countries,investigators measured the speed with which postal clerks completed a simple request.Which research method did this illustrate?

Accepted Answer

This research method illustrates naturalistic observation, as the investigators observed and recorded the behavior of postal clerks in their natural setting (the post office) without intervening or manipulating any variables.

Question 9

A representative sample is one that accurately reflects a larger

Accepted Answer

A representative sample is one that accurately represents a larger population. Therefore, the correct answer is D) population.

Question 10

Surveys indicate that people are less likely to support "welfare" than "aid to the needy." These somewhat paradoxical survey results best illustrate the importance of

Accepted Answer

The survey results suggest that the way in which the question is worded can have a significant impact on how people respond. The use of the more negative term "welfare" may have led people to provide a less favorable response compared to the more positive term "aid to the needy."

Question 11

All those in a group being studied make up the

Accepted Answer

A population is defined as the entire group being studied, whereas a sample is a subset of that group. A case study refers to an in-depth examination of a single individual or group, and a survey is a method of collecting data through questionnaires or interviews. Therefore, the correct answer is A) population.

Question 12

People often fail to make accurate generalizations because they are unduly influenced by ________ cases.

Accepted Answer

Vivid cases are often emotionally charged and memorable, leading people to overestimate their frequency in the population and make inaccurate generalizations. Randomly selected cases do not necessarily address the issue of representativeness, and operationally defined cases do not relate to the issue of generalization. Representative cases are important for making accurate generalizations, but the question specifically asks about cases that hinder accurate generalization.

Question 13

Matthias Mehl and colleagues equipped 79 students with electronic recorders and then eavesdropped on more than 23,000 half-minute life slices of the students' waking hours.They found that students who were the happiest avoided small talk and engaged in more meaningful conversations.Mehl and colleagues used which research method?

Accepted Answer

Mehl and colleagues used experience sampling method by equipping students with electronic recorders to eavesdrop on their daily life conversations.

Question 14

When every individual in a large population has a small but equal chance of being included in a survey,researchers are using a procedure known as

Accepted Answer

Random sampling is a procedure where every individual in a large population has an equal chance of being included in a survey. This helps to ensure that the sample is representative of the larger population and reduces the risk of biased results. The other options (case study, double-blind procedure, and naturalistic observation) do not involve randomly selecting participants from a population.

Question 15

A descriptive technique for obtaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a representative sample of a population is known as

Accepted Answer

A survey is a common way to obtain self-reported attitudes or behaviors from a representative sample of a population. This involves asking participants a series of standardized questions and collecting their responses. Naturalistic observation involves observing behavior in its natural setting, without intervention or questioning, and may not provide the same level of self-reported data. Debriefing is a process of reviewing and discussing study procedures with participants after the study is complete, and does not involve collecting data. A case study is an in-depth examination of an individual or small group and is not necessarily representative of a larger population.

Question 16

To assess reactions to a proposed tuition hike at her school,Ariana sent a questionnaire to every fifteenth person in the registrar's alphabetical listing of all currently enrolled students.Ariana is ensuring that her survey results are accurate by using

Accepted Answer

Ariana is using random sampling by selecting every fifteenth person from the registrar's alphabetical listing. This ensures that every student has an equal chance of being included in the survey, which increases the likelihood that the results will be representative of the entire student population.

Question 17

In their research on people's perception of the relationship between gun violence and gun control in the United States,Dr.Margo and Dr.Dillman have found that people are more approving of "common sense gun legislation" than "banning weapons." This finding demonstrates which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The finding of the research suggests that the way the question is worded can have an impact on people's responses. This is an example of wording effects, where the language used in a survey can influence participants' answers.

Question 18

The finding that twice as many Millennials report having no sexual partners since the age of 18,compared with those born in the 1960s and 1970s,was derived from the use of which research method?

Accepted Answer

The finding was derived from a survey which involved asking a sample of people about their sexual experiences since the age of 18.

Question 19

Dr.Renk would like to study the "hook up" culture among college students.To be able to generalize her findings to all college students,she needs a representative sample.To obtain such a sample,Dr.Renk should

Accepted Answer

To obtain a representative sample, Dr. Renk should seek a random sample of participants. This ensures that all members of the population have an equal chance of being included in the study, which increases the generalizability of the findings. Offering extra credit would create volunteer bias, and naturalistic observation would not allow for a controlled sample recruitment process. Exhibiting sampling bias would also compromise the representative nature of the sample.

Question 20

In a survey,psychologists select a random sample of research participants in order to ensure that

Accepted Answer

Selecting a random sample helps to ensure that the participants in the study are representative of the population of interest, which is important for making generalizations about the larger population. This reduces the potential for bias in participant selection and increases the generalizability of study findings. Choices B, C, and D do not necessarily relate to the purpose of selecting a random sample.

Quiz 2: Thinking Critically with Psychological Science