Question 1

The __________ problem is concerned with whether or not an additional variable may have caused the outcome.

Accepted Answer

The third-variable problem is concerned with whether or not an additional variable may have caused the outcome.

Question 2

In correlational studies it can be hard to show which variable led to a change in the other variable.This is a problem with

Accepted Answer

Directionality refers to the difficulty in determining which variable caused a change in the other, and is a common problem in correlational studies. This is because correlational studies only examine the relationship between variables and cannot establish causation. Therefore, it is difficult to show which variable led to a change in the other variable.

Question 3

Directionality is best addressed by

Accepted Answer

Directionality refers to the question of which variable is causing the other. A longitudinal design, which follows participants over time, can identify the direction of causality by allowing researchers to observe changes in both variables over time. The other options (control group, case study, correlational design) do not address directionality as directly or effectively.

Question 4

Dr.Hall found a positive correlation between depression and child abuse; depressed mothers were more likely to abuse their children.Which of the following explanations best illustrates the third-variable problem?

Accepted Answer

The third-variable problem suggests that there may be another variable that is causing both depression and child abuse. In this case, poverty could be that third variable, as it has been linked to both depression and child abuse.

Question 5

Professor Misha collects data showing a correlation between grades and happiness.He concludes that being happy helps students to get better grades.Which of the following illustrates the "directionality problem" in Professor X's conclusion?

Accepted Answer

The directionality problem refers to the inability to determine which variable is causing the observed effect. In this case, while Professor Misha concluded that being happy helps students get better grades, it is also possible that the opposite is true - that good grades produce happiness. Therefore, option B illustrates the directionality problem, as it presents an alternative explanation for the correlation observed by Professor Misha. Options A, C, and D do not address the directionality problem.

Question 6

Farrah is working on a study that selected a group of teenage girls diagnosed with an eating disorder and plans to measure risk variables in this sample repeatedly for the next 25 years.Farrah is most likely working on a study with a

Accepted Answer

Farrah's plan to measure risk variables repeatedly in the same sample over 25 years suggests a longitudinal design. This design involves measuring the same group of individuals over a period of time to examine changes or stability in variables of interest. The other options (experimental, correlational, and cross-sectional) do not involve measuring the same sample repeatedly over time.

Question 7

Which statement is TRUE regarding correlation?

Accepted Answer

Correlation does not imply causation, meaning that just because two variables are correlated does not mean one causes the other.

Question 8

If a correlation between depressive symptoms and active treatment is clinically significant this means

Accepted Answer

A clinically significant correlation between depressive symptoms and active treatment means that the effect of the treatment is large enough to provide meaningful information in predicting or treating depression. It does not necessarily imply causation and may or may not be statistically significant.

Question 9

When studying the relationship between social class and anxiety disorders,Dr.Stewart follows 50 children whose parents were diagnosed with an anxiety disorder from birth to age 30.This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The described study is an example of the high-risk method, which involves studying individuals who are at high risk for developing a particular disorder due to familial or genetic factors. In this case, the children of parents with anxiety disorders are at higher risk for developing anxiety themselves, and the study follows them over a long period of time to assess the prevalence and characteristics of anxiety in this population. The experimental method involves manipulating variables to test causal hypotheses, an epidemiological study examines patterns and causes of health and disease in populations, and a behavioral-genetics study focuses on the role of genetic and environmental factors in behavior.

Question 10

Epidemiology is the study of

Accepted Answer

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health and disease conditions in populations. Therefore, it focuses on the rates and correlates of disorders in a population, such as the incidence and prevalence of a given disorder and the factors that contribute to its development. Options A, C, and D are too narrow in scope to encompass the entire field of epidemiology.

Question 11

Eric is concerned about the distribution of schizophrenia in a particular city.To answer his question he would have to look at the findings of a(n)__________ study.

Accepted Answer

Epidemiological research studies the distribution and determinants of health and disease in populations, including the incidence and prevalence of specific disorders like schizophrenia. This would be the most appropriate type of study for Eric's question. Episodic, occasional, and representative research do not necessarily focus on population-level health outcomes.

Question 12

Several studies have found a correlation between schizophrenia and family conflict.Which of the following explanations illustrates the directionality problem?

Accepted Answer

The directionality problem refers to the difficulty in determining which variable is causing the other. In this case, it is unclear if family conflict is causing schizophrenia or if schizophrenia is causing family conflict. Choice D reflects this issue by presenting two possibilities.

Question 13

Which of the following findings is most likely to be statistically significant?

Accepted Answer

A larger sample size (350 in option A) increases the likelihood of a finding being statistically significant compared to a smaller sample size (200 in options B and C) for the same correlation magnitude (.30 in A and B, -.25 in C). Larger samples provide more reliable estimates of population parameters, making it easier to detect true effects.

Question 14

Dr.Samuelson finds that the relation between level of hopelessness and suicide is .35,and there is a less than 5 in 100 probability that this was found by chance alone.What would be concluded about this correlation?

Accepted Answer

A correlation coefficient of .35 indicates a moderate positive relationship between level of hopelessness and suicide. The fact that there is a less than 5 in 100 probability that this correlation was found by chance alone suggests that it is statistically significant. This means that the correlation is unlikely to be a result of random chance, and is likely to reflect a true relationship between the variables.

Question 15

Psychopathologists rely upon correlational research since

Accepted Answer

Psychopathologists often study complex and dynamic factors that cannot be easily manipulated in experimental settings. For example, they may investigate the correlation between past trauma and the development of mental disorders. Therefore, correlational research is an appropriate method for psychopathologists to examine the relationships among variables that cannot be manipulated.

Question 16

Dr.Less collected data showing that depressives were less interested in interacting with nondepressives.She concluded that their depression had caused them to withdraw from nondepressives.However,later research showed that depressives had not interacted with nondepressives even before they became depressed.Dr.Less failed to consider __________ problems.

Accepted Answer

Dr.Less failed to consider the directionality problem, which arises when the direction of causality between variables is unclear. In this case, it is not clear whether depression caused the withdrawal from nondepressives or if withdrawal from nondepressives caused the depression. The later research suggested that the latter was more likely the case, meaning that depression was a result of withdrawal from nondepressives rather than the cause of it.

Question 17

A research team found that men who did not exercise had a higher rate of heart disease.Which of the following explanations best illustrates the third-variable problem?

Accepted Answer

Smoking is a third variable that could cause both heart disease and reluctance to exercise. Therefore, the relationship between exercise and heart disease might be spurious.

Question 18

You hypothesize that low social class causes poor school grades.You find that the correlation between low social class and school grades is .01.What can you conclude?

Accepted Answer

Correlational studies can reveal whether there is a relationship between two variables, but they cannot determine causation. The low correlation (.01) indicates little to no linear relationship between social class and school grades, but it does not test the causal direction hypothesized.

Question 19

Dr.Fiedler found that people with schizophrenia are more likely to have lower socioeconomic status than those who do not have schizophrenia.What can you conclude from this study?

Accepted Answer

The study found a correlation between schizophrenia and lower socioeconomic status, indicating that the two factors are related. It does not provide evidence that poverty causes schizophrenia or that economic reform would reduce the incidence of schizophrenia.

Question 20

Ava wants to design a study in which the causes and effects are measured at the same point in time because it is more cost-efficient.This type of study design is called

Accepted Answer

The study design in which the causes and effects are measured at the same point in time is called a cross-sectional study. This type of study design is more cost-efficient than longitudinal studies, which measure causes and effects over a longer period of time. Correlational studies examine the relationship between variables, but may not establish causality. Epidemiological studies focus on the distribution and determinants of health and disease in populations.

Quiz 4: Research Methods in Psychopathology