Question 1

Little Han's extreme fear of horses was observed as part of a(n)

Accepted Answer

Little Han's extreme fear of horses was observed as part of a case study, which involves in-depth, detailed analysis of an individual or a small group. This type of research is often used to gain insights into rare or unusual phenomena, such as phobias.

Question 2

Psychologists who carefully watch the behavior of chimpanzee societies in the jungle are using a research method known as

Accepted Answer

Psychologists who carefully observe the behavior of chimpanzees in their natural habitat are using naturalistic observation, which involves observing and recording behavior in a natural setting without interfering or manipulating the situation. A survey involves asking individuals to report on their behavior or opinions, an experiment involves manipulating variables to test a hypothesis, and a case study involves examining a particular individual or group in great detail.

Question 3

A statement describing the exact procedures for measuring an anticipated experimental outcome is known as a(n)

Accepted Answer

An operational definition is a statement that describes the exact procedures for measuring an anticipated experimental outcome. It defines a concept in a way that is measurable and allows for replication of the experiment. The other options, hypothesis, control condition, and replication, are not descriptions of exact procedures for measuring an experimental outcome.

Question 4

Replication of a research study is most likely to be facilitated by

Accepted Answer

Operational definitions provide clear and specific explanations of the variables and procedures used in a research study, making it easier for other researchers to replicate the study with similar methods and measures. Hindsight bias, debriefing, and the placebo effect do not facilitate replication in the same way.

Question 5

Professor Ambra was skeptical about the accuracy of recently reported research on sleep deprivation. Which process would best enable her to assess the reliability of these findings?

Accepted Answer

Replication is the process of repeating a study to see if the same results can be achieved, and is a key way to assess the reliability of research findings. This process allows researchers to check whether the initial findings were simply chance occurrences or if they can be consistently replicated.

Question 6

A testable prediction that is often implied by a theory is called a(n)

Accepted Answer

A testable prediction is a hypothesis.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

Vivid cases have a powerful impact on people and are often more memorable than ordinary cases. This can lead to overgeneralization or making judgments without considering all possible information.

Question 8

Professor Delano suggests that because people are especially attracted to those who are good-looking, handsome men will be more successful than average-looking men in getting a job. The professor's prediction regarding employment success is an example of

Accepted Answer

The professor's statement is a hypothesis, as it is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon (employment success) based on observations and assumptions. It has not been proven or tested yet. The other options do not fit the description of the professor's statement. The hindsight bias refers to the tendency to overestimate one's ability to have predicted an outcome after knowing it occurred. The placebo effect is the phenomenon where a person experiences a change in their condition due to their belief in a treatment or intervention, even if it has no real effect. A confounding variable is an extraneous factor that might affect the relationship between two other variables being studied.

Question 9

University of Texas students were fitted with belt-worn audio recorders for up to four days so that researchers could sample their daily activities. The researchers employed a scientific method known as

Accepted Answer

The method used in this scenario is naturalistic observation, as the researchers are observing and sampling the participants' daily activities in a naturalistic setting without manipulating any variables. The other options are not applicable in this particular scenario.

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

This question is addressing how the way a question is worded can influence survey responses. The specific example given is how survey respondents are more likely to support "aid to the needy" than "welfare," even though they technically mean the same thing. This suggests that the way a question is worded can influence how people respond, which is known as a wording effect.

Question 11

To understand the unusual behavior of an adult client, a clinical psychologist carefully investigates the client's current life situation and his physical, social-cultural, and educational history. Which research method has the psychologist used?

Accepted Answer

The psychologist has used the case study method, which involves a detailed investigation of a single individual or case. The psychologist is collecting information about the client's current life situation and past history, which is characteristic of a case study approach. The survey method typically involves collecting data from a large group of people through questionnaires or interviews, whereas experimentation involves manipulating variables to test hypotheses. Naturalistic observation involves observing behavior in its natural setting, without manipulation or intervention.

Question 12

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 vivid cases, where he is making a sweeping statement based on a single characteristic of a group. This type of reasoning can lead to stereotypes and discrimination.

Question 13

The biggest danger of relying on case-study evidence is that it

Accepted Answer

Relying solely on case-study evidence may lead to a biased or unrepresentative sample and not provide a complete picture of what is generally true. It is important to also consider other forms of evidence, such as randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses, to ensure more valid and reliable conclusions.

Question 14

Which technique involves repeating the essence of an earlier research study with different participants and in different circumstances?

Accepted Answer

Replication involves repeating the essence of an earlier research study with different participants and in different circumstances. Random sampling involves selecting participants for a study in a way that gives each member of the population an equal chance of being included. Naturalistic observation involves observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without manipulating or controlling the situation. The double-blind procedure is a research method in which both the participants and the researchers who interact with them are unaware of the group or condition to which the participants have been assigned.

Question 15

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

Accepted Answer

A survey would be the most appropriate method as it would allow for the collection of data on the religious beliefs of a large sample of Americans, as well as their attitudes towards abortion. This would provide information on the relationship between these two variables.

Question 16

Professor Ober carefully observes and records the behaviors of children in their classrooms in order to track the development of their social and intellectual skills. Professor Ober is most clearly engaged in

Accepted Answer

Professor Ober is engaging in naturalistic observation by observing the behaviors of children in their natural environment (the classroom) without interfering with or manipulating their behavior in any way.

Question 17

The case study is a research method in which

Accepted Answer

The case study method involves in-depth and detailed investigation of an individual, group or a community. This method is usually used in psychology, social sciences, and medicine to understand complex individual behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes. It is not a method for researching organisms in laboratory environments or manipulating variables. It is also not a method for surveying a representative sample of people regarding their opinions or behaviors.

Question 18

In a written report of their research, psychologists specify exactly how anxiety is assessed, thus providing their readers with a(n)

Accepted Answer

An operational definition is a clear and concise explanation of how a variable is measured or manipulated in a study. In this case, the psychologists are specifying how they measure anxiety, which would be the operational definition.

Question 19

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 without any intervention or manipulation of the situation. The other research methods listed (case study, double-blind procedure, and survey) involve different techniques for collecting data and do not fit the scenario described.

Question 20

In which type of research is a representative, random sample of people asked to answer questions about their behaviors or attitudes?

Accepted Answer

The survey involves asking a representative, random sample of people to answer questions about their behaviors or attitudes. Experimentation involves manipulating variables to test cause-and-effect relationships, while case studies involve in-depth analysis of a single individual or group. Naturalistic observation involves observing and recording behavior in a natural setting without intervention or manipulation.

Quiz 1: Thinking Critically With Psychological Science