Question 1

Which of the following statements is true of meta-analyses?

Accepted Answer

Meta-analyses can overcome some of the problems of small numbers of participants in individual studies by combining data from multiple studies, increasing the sample size and statistical power. However, the other statements are not entirely true. Meta-analyses can have methodological weaknesses, may not be entirely bias-free, and may not equally represent studies that find the expected results versus those that do not.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is NOT true of cross-cultural research?

Accepted Answer

Verbs and pronouns may not be universal across languages, so researchers may need to take additional steps to ensure understanding of first- and second-person references.

Question 3

Alias, a Native American student, was being reprimanded by his third grade teacher for talking during class. The teacher became agitated when Alias constantly looked at the floor while she was talking to him. In the conversation, she repeatedly told Alias, "Look at me when I am speaking to you." Although he attempted to look at the teacher, he found it difficult and his gaze always returned to the floor. What explanation can be offered for this situation from a cross-cultural perspective?

Accepted Answer

In some Native American cultures, direct eye contact with authority figures can be seen as a sign of disrespect. Alias may have been taught to show respect through looking down or away. The teacher's expectation for direct eye contact may have been culturally inappropriate and misunderstood Alias's behavior. Therefore, option D seems to be the most reasonable explanation.

Question 4

Which of the following statements is NOT true of animal studies?

Accepted Answer

Studies conducted on animals can have ethical issues, such as concerns about the welfare of the animals being used and the justification for potentially harmful procedures. The use of animals in research is regulated by ethical committees and laws to minimize harm and ensure responsible use.

Question 5

In a meta-analysis, the results of each study are transformed into a statistic that is common across all studies. This is called the _____.

Accepted Answer

The common statistic used in a meta-analysis is the effect size, which is a measurement of the magnitude of the relationship or difference between variables across different studies. This allows for comparison and integration of findings across studies that may have different methods, samples, or measures.

Question 6

Which of the following types of research provides researchers with the most control over laboratory conditions and third variables?

Accepted Answer

Animal studies provide researchers with the most control over laboratory conditions and third variables, as they can manipulate the environment, genetics, and other factors to a greater degree compared to human laboratory studies. Longitudinal and single-case experimental studies are different types of research and do not necessarily provide as much control over laboratory conditions as animal studies.

Question 7

To conduct family history studies, researchers must _____.

Accepted Answer

To conduct family history studies, researchers must clearly identify the probands (individuals with the disorder being studied) and control groups, and then trace their family trees. This is the fundamental requirement of any family history study. Gathering information from primary care physicians or identifying external stressors may be helpful in understanding the disorder, but it is not a requirement for conducting a family history study. The biopsychosocial methodology is a theoretical framework that integrates biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding a disorder, but it is not a requirement for conducting a family history study.

Question 8

Which of the following is true of single-case experimental designs?

Accepted Answer

Single-case experimental designs are useful for determining the specific effects of interventions on individual participants. They allow for repeated measurement of the same behavior over time, making it possible to identify the effects of the intervention. However, generalizing the results of single-case experimental designs to larger populations can be problematic. Therefore, it may be more suitable to use group designs for generalization purposes. Also, not all hypotheses can be tested with single-case experimental designs.

Question 9

A statistical technique for summarizing the results across several studies is called a _____.

Accepted Answer

A meta-analysis is a statistical technique used to combine and summarize the results of multiple studies on a particular topic. It allows researchers to determine the overall effect size and level of significance of a specific intervention or phenomenon. This technique is often used in fields such as medicine, psychology, and education to provide a more comprehensive and reliable summary of research findings.

Question 10

Seligman and colleagues posited that the learned helplessness deficits in the experimental dogs could be applicable to individuals with the psychological symptoms of:

Accepted Answer

Seligman and colleagues posited that the learned helplessness deficits observed in the experimental dogs could be applicable to individuals with symptoms of depression.

Question 11

Dizygotic twins share _____ percent of their genes.

Accepted Answer

Dizygotic or fraternal twins come from two separate eggs fertilized by two separate sperm, so they share about 50% of their genes, which is the same as any pair of siblings.

Question 12

In single-case experimental designs, a(n) _____ design is the design where an intervention might be given to the same individual but in different settings or to different individuals at different points in time.

Accepted Answer

In the multiple baseline design, different settings or individuals are used to assess the effectiveness of an intervention. This helps to rule out alternative explanations for changes in behavior, such as maturation or history, as the intervention is only applied in certain settings or to certain individuals at specific times. The reversal and ABAB designs both involve applying and withdrawing an intervention to the same individual, and are not relevant to the question posed. The term "single-case experimental" simply refers to the general category of experimental designs that involve studying the effects of an intervention on a single case or individual.

Question 13

For which of the following studies would separating genetic and environmental factors be problematic?

Accepted Answer

The answer of For which of the following studies would...

Question 14

Ryan is interested in conducting a family history study. His focus is on compulsive behaviors. His sample will consist of the first-degree relatives of individuals diagnosed with compulsive behaviors. Therefore, Ryan's sample will probably consist of _____.

Accepted Answer

Ryan is specifically interested in studying the first-degree relatives (parents, siblings, and children) of individuals diagnosed with compulsive behaviors. Therefore, it makes sense for his sample to consist of families with biological children. Families with adopted children or stepchildren would not necessarily have the same genetic predispositions that Ryan is interested in studying. And families without children would not fit his criteria for first-degree relatives.

Question 15

Michael and Michelle are adolescent siblings who share the same birth date. Michael received a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. On the other hand, Michelle shows no signs of mood disturbance. In this example:

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is C because dizygotic twins share about 50% of their genes, similar to regular siblings, and the concordance rate for bipolar disorder among dizygotic twins is lower than that for monozygotic twins. This means that even though they share the same birth date and some genetic material, it's possible for one twin to develop a condition like bipolar disorder while the other does not, due to the lower genetic concordance and the influence of environmental factors.

Question 16

_____ studies allow researchers to search for associations between specific genetic abnormalities and psychopathology.

Accepted Answer

Molecular genetic studies specifically focus on investigating the relationship between specific genes or genetic abnormalities and psychopathology. Adoption studies examine the role of environmental and genetic factors separately, twin studies investigate the influence of genetics by comparing the incidence of psychopathology in monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (fraternal) twin pairs, and family history studies examine the prevalence of a disorder in first-degree relatives of individuals with the disorder.

Question 17

In identical twin pairs, the probability that both twins will have a disorder if one twin has the disorder is called the _____.

Accepted Answer

The concordance rate is the probability that both twins will have a disorder if one twin has the disorder. This is often used in studies of twins to determine the heritability of certain disorders. The other answer choices (A, B, and D) are not relevant to this concept.

Question 18

Studies that do not support the hypothesis they are designed to test are less likely to get published than studies that do. This is known as the _____.

Accepted Answer

The scenario described is known as the file drawer effect, where studies that do not support their hypotheses are less likely to get published and are instead hidden away in a researcher's file drawer. The other options are not relevant to the given scenario.

Question 19

As part of Seligman and colleagues' animal study, it was discovered that the dogs in the experimental group were unable to recognize opportunities for control that arose. The researchers labeled this set of behaviors _____.

Accepted Answer

The description of the dogs being unable to recognize opportunities for control is characteristic of learned helplessness deficits. Option A, locus of control, refers to an individual's perception of control over their life. Option B, aversive conditions, describes negative or unpleasant situations. Option C, learned response deficits, is not a term used in the context of the study.

Question 20

In adoption studies, if a disorder is strongly influenced by _____, then researchers should see _____ rates of the disorder among biological relatives of the adoptee than among the adoptive relatives.

Accepted Answer

If a disorder is strongly influenced by genetics, researchers should see higher rates of the disorder among biological relatives of the adoptee than among the adoptive relatives, because biological relatives share more genetic material with the adoptee.

Quiz 4: The Research Endeavor