Deck 2: Conducting Psychological Research

Question 1

The Stanford Prison Experiment was important research in that it showed which of the following?

A) The risks involved when human subjects participate in a psychological study
B) The extreme ways in which seemingly normal people can behave in a given situation
C) A realistic portrayal of guard-prisoner relationships
D) all of these

Answer 1

all of these

Question 2

When we make assumptions about the causes of behavior, collect and analyze data, and support or refute our findings based on empirical evidence, we are conducting __________.

A) speculation
B) biases
C) science
D) hypotheses

Answer 2

science

Question 3

Which of the following is true of human observation?

A) Our brains perceive events as accurately as the best available digital video equipment can.
B) Each of our five senses can be fooled with relative ease.
C) Generalizations based on our sensory experiences are accurate 99.9 percent of the time.
D) none of these

Answer 3

Each of our five senses can be fooled with relative ease.

Question 4

______________ sciences study humans as individuals, groups, and collectively.

A) Intrapersonal
B) Biological
C) Physical
D) Social

Question 5

In claiming that "science is cumulative," B. F. Skinner was stating that __________.

A) all sciences originate from interdisciplinary concepts
B) the process of gaining knowledge changes constantly
C) the science knowledge base builds upon itself
D) science involves a necessary internalization of facts

Question 6

B. F. Skinner said that science is a __________.

A) process
B) static set of facts
C) product
D) thing of the past

Question 7

One important attribute that scientists must have is to __________.

A) trust authority
B) believe what you read
C) be skeptical
D) engage in confirmation bias

Question 8

A good scientist will __________.

A) allow her work to be evaluated by other, knowledgeable scientists
B) avoid being "scooped" and announce her findings immediately after a study
C) ignore data that are contrary to her theory
D) protect her methods of inquiry from others

Question 9

Which of the following is not a basic process of the scientific method?

A) observing
B) falsifying
C) interpreting
D) testing

Question 10

A ______________ is a set of related assumptions from which testable predictions can be generated.

A) replication
B) science
C) hypothesis
D) theory

Question 11

One ________________ would be that older adults are better drivers than are young adults. Thus, a _________________ would be that drivers age 40 and older have fewer traffic accidents than do drivers age 16 to 39.

A) hypothesis; theory
B) theory; tenet
C) tenet; theory
D) theory; hypothesis

Question 12

A good scientific theory can __________.

A) generate expectations
B) be connected with hard evidence
C) be tested systematically
D) all of these

Question 13

A scientist puts forth a theory: People from the West Coast of the United States eat more healthful foods than do people from the East Coast of the United States. Which of the following is a valid hypothesis derived from this theory?

A) Men eat healthier than do women, and men are more likely to get a job in places like California.
B) More movie stars live on the West Coast rather than on the East Coast.
C) There is more nutritious food purchased from health food stores on the West Coast than on the East
Coast.
D) There are many junk food restaurants all over the East Coast, and these restaurants sell mass quantities of unhealthful products.

Question 14

A ________________ is the scientific term for a testable prediction of an outcome based on a given condition.

A) belief
B) variable
C) hypothesis
D) sample

Question 15

Research publications allow scientists to __________.

A) share their conclusions
B) explain their methodology
C) interpret the meaning of their findings
D) all of these

Question 16

What is the most likely scientific reason Dr. Falk would conduct the same study that her colleague, a psychologist at another university, conducted?

A) She wishes to establish that she can conduct the same project with superior methodology than that of her colleague.
B) If she achieves the same results, this would suggest that her colleague's findings were likely not an accident.
C) She would like to publish a paper in the same journal as did her colleague.
D) none of these

Question 17

The repetition of a scientific study to determine the reliability of its findings is called __________.

A) plagiarism
B) replication
C) naturalistic observation
D) descriptive statistics

Question 18

Practitioners of pseudoscience do which of the following?

A) Conduct carefully planned, scientific studies
B) Use faulty logic to advance their conclusions
C) Allow their findings to be rigorously scrutinized
D) Let well-known facts refute their claims

Question 19

A trait, characteristic, or value that changes between or within people, places, objects, or conditions is a __________.

A) control
B) variable
C) constant
D) perception

Question 20

Attitudes toward pork, grooming procedures, educational status, and number of dental visits per year are all ____________ that are different from individual to individual and may be of interest to psychologists.

A) variables
B) commitments
C) attributions
D) methods

Question 21

Jessica wants to conduct a study about differences in jealousy between men and women. She asks 400 college men and women a series of questions about hypothetical scenarios of partner infidelity. What is Jessica's population?

A) Men in the United States
B) Women in the United States
C) The 400 college men and women chosen
D) All men and women

Question 22

Jessica wants to conduct a study about differences in jealousy between men and women. She asks 400 college men and women a series of questions about hypothetical scenarios of partner infidelity. What is Jessica's sample?

A) Men in the United States
B) Women in the United States
C) The 400 college men and women chosen
D) All men and women

Question 23

Jessica wants to conduct a study about differences in jealousy between men and women. She asks 400 college men and women a series of questions about hypothetical scenarios of partner infidelity. Which of the following is the most probable reason Jessica's study may be flawed?

A) Her sample's attitudes may not truly represent the population's attitudes.
B) Everyone knows that men and women are equally jealous.
C) Her sample is not large enough to yield a statistically valid conclusion.
D) She gave the college students little or no choice of participating.

Question 24

A survey is asking Bernie if he has cheated on partners in his romantic relationships. Bernie is reluctant to report that he has, in fact, cheated, because he does not want to look bad. Therefore, he says he has not cheated. This phenomenon of misreporting data is called the __________.

A) actor-observer bias
B) social desirability bias
C) fundamental attribution error
D) Flynn effect

Question 25

In a descriptive research design, a psychologist will __________.

A) make predictions about future outcomes
B) manipulate one variable to determine its effect on another
C) ensure the use of a control group
D) define and describe a phenomenon of interest

Question 26

The following is an excerpt from an in-depth paper Dr. Paxton wrote about her client: "Miss T. experienced the loss of her parents at an early age. She is now 36, divorced, and has two children. Miss T. has difficulty maintaining steady employment. Eight months ago, she met the criteria for diagnosis of major depressive disorder. Miss T. is responding well to an experimental antidepressant and to cognitive behavioral therapy. She has a hopeful prognosis." This research method is considered __________.

A) inferential
B) a case study
C) naturalistic observation
D) correlational

Question 27

Cal believes that a larger percentage of a city's population will engage in public displays of affection in highly populated cities due to feelings of anonymity when an individual is among a lot of other people. He rides a bus in densely populated New York City for five hours straight, watches the bus riders' interactions with each other, and unobtrusively counts the number of couples who are holding hands, hugging, or kissing. He then does the same in the sparsely populated city of Rock Falls, Iowa.

-The research method Cal used is known as __________.

A) a true experiment
B) a case study
C) naturalistic observation
D) interviewing

Question 28

Cal believes that a larger percentage of a city's population will engage in public displays of affection in highly populated cities due to feelings of anonymity when an individual is among a lot of other people. He rides a bus in densely populated New York City for five hours straight, watches the bus riders' interactions with each other, and unobtrusively counts the number of couples who are holding hands, hugging, or kissing. He then does the same in the sparsely populated city of Rock Falls, Iowa.

- What is Cal's sample?

A) All the men and women in New York and in Iowa
B) The people who ride the bus he selected in each city
C) Everyone in Rock Falls, Iowa
D) All people in large cities and all people in small cities

Question 29

Cal believes that a larger percentage of a city's population will engage in public displays of affection in highly populated cities due to feelings of anonymity when an individual is among a lot of other people. He rides a bus in densely populated New York City for five hours straight, watches the bus riders' interactions with each other, and unobtrusively counts the number of couples who are holding hands, hugging, or kissing. He then does the same in the sparsely populated city of Rock Falls, Iowa.

-What is Cal's theory?

A) People will display more affection in densely populated cities because they feel anonymous.
B) People in New York City will be more affectionate than people in Rock Falls, Iowa.
C) Couples are more affectionate when there are a lot of other people around to watch them.
D People who ride public transportation are more likely to hold hands, hug, and kiss than people who do . not ride public transportation.

Question 30

Which of the following is an example of naturalistic observation?

A) A biological psychologist manipulates caffeine dosages administered to rats and records the rats' running distances.
B) A cognitive psychologist who is interested in problem solving asks groups of twenty-year-olds, forty- year-olds, and sixty-year-olds to solve a word puzzle.
C) A clinical psychologist carefully considers his client's responses to questions about her childhood.
D) A developmental psychologist watches, from behind a hidden window, the play patterns of four-year-olds.

Question 31

A distinct advantage of naturalistic observation as a research method is that it ____________.

A) allows us to determine cause and effect
B) provides an opportunity to examine people acting in their normal environments
C) offers the opportunity to manipulate many variables at once
D) lets the scientist carefully control the environmental elements of a study

Question 32

Which of the following is a disadvantage to using surveys to collect behavioral data?

A) Questions can be asked with open-ended response options.
B) Large amounts of data can be gathered quickly and inexpensively.
C) The respondents who agree to participate may not be representative of the population.
D) Researchers can administer surveys using the Internet, saving time and money.

Question 33

A representative sample is a __________.

A) subset of the population that truly reflects the characteristics of that population
B) randomly generated series of numbers that help researchers select people to participate in a study
C) research method that employs such techniques as interviewing and surveying
D) number of individuals a researcher knows whom the researcher can easily persuade to participate in a study

Question 34

One of Alfred Kinsey's contributions to the scientific study of sex was his method of __________.

A) planning careful observations of real-world sexual behavior
B) selecting samples of people worldwide to study human sexual tendencies
C) considering homosexuality as falling on a continuum

Question 35

A psychologist using a correlational study design would be most likely addressing which of the following research questions?

A) Will mice learn to run the maze more quickly if they are given a stimulant?
B) Do children display aggressive behavior if they are exposed to aggressive adult models?
C) If I raise the dosage of an antidepressant, will it alleviate clients' depressive symptoms more quickly compared to a control group?
D) Is there a relationship between parents' income and their children's intelligence test scores?

Question 36

Which of the following is an important mantra of psychologists with respect to correlational studies?

A) Correlation does not indicate causation.
B) Correlational studies will use more laboratory resources.
C) Correlational data are much more difficult to analyze than other data.
D) none of these

Question 37

Dr. Butcher calculated a +.87 correlation coefficient between the number of days students attended class for the semester and their final exam scores. What can he interpret from this finding?

A) Students' absences caused them to do poorly on the final exam.
B) There is a strong relationship between coming to class and performing well on the final exam.
C) The fewer classes a student attended, the higher his or her score was on the final exam.
D) A good attendance record will allow students to perform well on important tests.

Question 38

Which of the following is a key factor of a true experimental design?

A) Measurement of the independent variable
B) Manipulation of the dependent variable
C) Random assignment
D) all of these

Question 39

Dr. Bischer is conducting a study to determine if men who wear a new type of soccer uniform made from a specially designed fabric will perform better in soccer matches. She recruits a professional soccer team to participate. She randomly assigns half of the men to wear the new-material uniforms made in the color blue and the other half to wear old-material uniforms made in the color red. Although the men know of the uniform test, they are not told which of the uniforms is made from the new material. They are asked to wear their assigned uniforms and score as many goals as possible in a practice scrimmage game against one another. Dr. Bischer is noting the number of goals scored. Ultimately, the men who are wearing the old uniforms score more goals and therefore win the game. Dr. Bischer speculates that the new uniforms are not more beneficial to performance than the old uniforms, but she will rerun her study a few more times.

-What is the dependent variable in Dr. Bischer's study?

A) The old uniforms
B) The new uniforms
C) The number of goals scored
D) Blue or red

Question 40

Dr. Bischer is conducting a study to determine if men who wear a new type of soccer uniform made from a specially designed fabric will perform better in soccer matches. She recruits a professional soccer team to participate. She randomly assigns half of the men to wear the new-material uniforms made in the color blue and the other half to wear old-material uniforms made in the color red. Although the men know of the uniform test, they are not told which of the uniforms is made from the new material. They are asked to wear their assigned uniforms and score as many goals as possible in a practice scrimmage game against one another. Dr. Bischer is noting the number of goals scored. Ultimately, the men who are wearing the old uniforms score more goals and therefore win the game. Dr. Bischer speculates that the new uniforms are not more beneficial to performance than the old uniforms, but she will rerun her study a few more times.

-What is the independent variable in Dr. Bischer's study?

A) The type of uniform worn-old or new material
B) The number of goals scored
C) The men who did not know their roles in the study
D) Trying to score as many goals as possible

Question 41

Dr. Bischer is conducting a study to determine if men who wear a new type of soccer uniform made from a specially designed fabric will perform better in soccer matches. She recruits a professional soccer team to participate. She randomly assigns half of the men to wear the new-material uniforms made in the color blue and the other half to wear old-material uniforms made in the color red. Although the men know of the uniform test, they are not told which of the uniforms is made from the new material. They are asked to wear their assigned uniforms and score as many goals as possible in a practice scrimmage game against one another. Dr. Bischer is noting the number of goals scored. Ultimately, the men who are wearing the old uniforms score more goals and therefore win the game. Dr. Bischer speculates that the new uniforms are not more beneficial to performance than the old uniforms, but she will rerun her study a few more times.

-From a scientific viewpoint, why was it important for Dr. Bischer to randomly assign the men to wear new uniforms or old uniforms?

A) Some of the men will feel it was unfair that they did not get new uniforms and will not be motivated to be competitive-in this case, therefore, the uniform assigned was simply the luck of the draw.
B)She wanted to the men to feel they all had a chance of wearing their old uniforms, in which they would likely be more comfortable.
C)Some of the men who could not participate that day were then used as a control group, and she wanted to make sure she had an even number of new and old uniforms left over.
D)She wanted to ensure that the two groups were, on average, similar in ability and motivation, so that any differences in the end would be due to the experimental manipulation.

Question 42

Dr. Bischer is conducting a study to determine if men who wear a new type of soccer uniform made from a specially designed fabric will perform better in soccer matches. She recruits a professional soccer team to participate. She randomly assigns half of the men to wear the new-material uniforms made in the color blue and the other half to wear old-material uniforms made in the color red. Although the men know of the uniform test, they are not told which of the uniforms is made from the new material. They are asked to wear their assigned uniforms and score as many goals as possible in a practice scrimmage game against one another. Dr. Bischer is noting the number of goals scored. Ultimately, the men who are wearing the old uniforms score more goals and therefore win the game. Dr. Bischer speculates that the new uniforms are not more beneficial to performance than the old uniforms, but she will rerun her study a few more times.

-What was the experimental group in Dr. Bischer's study?

A) The men who wore the old-material red uniforms
B) The men who wore the new-material blue uniforms
C) Keeping track of whether or not each man received a new uniform
D) The total number of goals scored by both the red and the blue team

Question 43

Dr. Bischer is conducting a study to determine if men who wear a new type of soccer uniform made from a specially designed fabric will perform better in soccer matches. She recruits a professional soccer team to participate. She randomly assigns half of the men to wear the new-material uniforms made in the color blue and the other half to wear old-material uniforms made in the color red. Although the men know of the uniform test, they are not told which of the uniforms is made from the new material. They are asked to wear their assigned uniforms and score as many goals as possible in a practice scrimmage game against one another. Dr. Bischer is noting the number of goals scored. Ultimately, the men who are wearing the old uniforms score more goals and therefore win the game. Dr. Bischer speculates that the new uniforms are not more beneficial to performance than the old uniforms, but she will rerun her study a few more times.

-Why might Dr. Bischer conduct this study again?

A) She did not believe the initial findings that the old-material uniforms are better.
B) She wants to make sure her findings were not simply due to chance.
C) She wishes to report only data that verify her initial beliefs.
D) none of these.

Question 44

Dr. Bischer is conducting a study to determine if men who wear a new type of soccer uniform made from a specially designed fabric will perform better in soccer matches. She recruits a professional soccer team to participate. She randomly assigns half of the men to wear the new-material uniforms made in the color blue and the other half to wear old-material uniforms made in the color red. Although the men know of the uniform test, they are not told which of the uniforms is made from the new material. They are asked to wear their assigned uniforms and score as many goals as possible in a practice scrimmage game against one another. Dr. Bischer is noting the number of goals scored. Ultimately, the men who are wearing the old uniforms score more goals and therefore win the game. Dr. Bischer speculates that the new uniforms are not more beneficial to performance than the old uniforms, but she will rerun her study a few more times.

-
In Dr. Bischer's study, the men did not know if they were wearing the old or the new uniforms, but Dr. Bischer knew who was wearing what. Thus, the research design can be considered __________.

A) single blind
B) double blind
C) a placebo
D) flawed

Question 45

Regis is conducting a study to see if air fresheners installed in classrooms can lead to students scoring higher grades on exams. What is the dependent variable in this study?

A) Classroom location
B) The type of air freshener installed
C) Students' scores on exams
D) Whether or not students know they are in a study

Question 46

Tracy's study examines whether students to whom she gives chocolate chip cookies will score better on exams than students to whom she gives peanut butter cookies. What is the independent variable in this study?

A) Whether or not someone likes cookies
B) The type of cookie given
C) Students' scores on exams
D) Tracy's favorite cookie flavor

Question 47

The group that will receive a treatment in a study is considered to be the __________.

A) confounding variable
B) control group
C) experimental group
D) dependent variable

Question 48

Why is it important for researchers to use a control group in a scientific study?

A) The control group receives the experimental manipulation or intervention and is therefore the reason one would conduct a scientific study in the first place.
B) When a researcher manipulates the control group, it is always under carefully scrutinized and supervised conditions, thereby increasing the validity of the study.
C) Only when participants listen carefully and follow precisely the instructions of the experimenter will the study be controlled and thus yield valid scientific conclusions.
D) It is important to show that between two groups which were similar from the beginning of the study, theone that received the manipulation is the one that changed.

Question 49

A psychologist in a laboratory is studying participants' perceptions of the attractiveness of several perfume odors. However, as he conducts his study, people are cooking their lunches in the break room next door, and the smell of onions and fish is making its way into the lab. He should cease his experiment for the day because the food smell is most likely __________.

A) pseudoscience
B) a control group
C) a confounding variable
D) random assignment

Question 50

In ___________________ studies, neither the participants nor the researchers administering the treatment know which group is the experimental or the control group.

A) representative sample
B) self-report
C) single-blind
D) double-blind

Question 51

Why would researchers design a study in which neither the participants nor the investigators interacting with them know whether the participants have been assigned to a control group or to an experimental group?

A) In this design it is easier to analyze statistically the results of the study.
B) If the participants were given their choice of groups, the group memberships would likely be uneven.
C) The experimenters' expectancies might influence the participants' behavior.
D) Participation in the study would decrease if people had this knowledge beforehand.

Question 52

Which of the following is an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy?

A) Chad says, "I am going to buy my mother a sweater for her birthday" but ends up buying her a scarf.
B) Margaret says, "I am going to hate this party!" and then has a bad time at the party.
C) Snowy says, "You'd better buy the diamond ring now, because the sale ends today," and the customer does buy it.
D) Xu says, "I am going to make the best pie anyone has ever eaten!" and her family does eat the pie.

Question 53

Interviews and questionnaires are considered to be what type of research measure?

A) experimental
B) physiological
C) behavioral
D) self-report

Question 54

Which of the following is a major advantage of using a behavioral measure in a psychological study?

A) It allows for objective assessments from independent, trained raters.
B) Participants can tell the researcher exactly how they are feeling.
C) It provides an opportunity for participants to evaluate themselves psychologically.
D) Large-scale studies can usually be conducted quickly and inexpensively.

Question 55

Psychologists who employ physiological measures in a research study may be interested in a participant's __________.

A) heart rate
B) blood pressure
C) sweating
D) all of these

Question 56

The best way to further understanding about a particular human behavior is to design a study that incorporates __________.

A) self-reports
B) behavioral measures
C) physiological measures
D) multiple measurements

Question 57

Psychologists use mathematical tools called _________________ to analyze, organize, interpret, and present data about human behavior.

A) placebos
B) statistics
C) self-reports
D) theories

Question 58

As stated in the Feist and Rosenberg text, advertisers can manipulate statistical findings to promote their products by __________.

A) using intentionally vague claims that lead people to make assumptions
B) employing misleading graphic displays
C) reporting research findings that have no real-world practicality
D) all of these

Question 59

Using descriptive statistics, a psychologist can __________.

A) determine differences between groups
B) make judgments about the probability of events
C) summarize and organize data
D) all of these

Question 60

The arithmetic average of a series of numbers is called the __________.

A) mode
B) mean
C) median
D) model

Question 61

What is the mean of the following set of numbers: 10, 10, 20, 20, 40?

A) 10
B) 20
C) 25
D) 100

Question 62

A class's mean score on the midterm exam was 78.2, and the standard deviation was 15.8. The class's mean score on the final exam was 81.3, with a standard deviation of 4.5. From these statistical data, one can interpret which of the following?

A) The class performed much better on the midterm exam than on the final exam.
B) There was more variability in the scores on the final exam than on the midterm exam.
C) The most common score on the final exam was lower than the most common score on the midterm exam.
D) There was more variability in the scores on the midterm exam than on the final exam.

Question 63

The standard deviation of a set of scores will tell us __________.

A) the extent to which the scores vary around a mean
B) the arithmetic average of the scores
C) whether or not groups are statistically different from one another
D) how many scores are in the set being studied

Question 64

Psychologists' work is bound by research _______________, which is a set of rules that govern standards of right and wrong for individuals and groups.

A) ethics
B) theories
C) beliefs
D) hypotheses

Question 65

Which of the following is true of Stanley Milgram's famous study of obedience?

A) It explained many aspects of infant-caregiver interactions.
B) It showed how people are quick to make judgments about groups.
C) Although it yielded powerful results, it placed great distress on participants.
D) all of these

Question 66

It is vital for research participants to understand that their role in a study is completely voluntary, and therefore special consideration must be given to prisoners, children, and mentally challenged people in a guideline is known as __________.

A) beneficence
B) respect for persons
C) informed consent
D) justice

Question 67

Institutions conducting research will evaluate every proposed study's beneficence, which is __________.

A) each participant's guarantee that no personal, confidential information will be revealed
B) each person's awareness that he or she can discontinue participation at any time
C) the ratio of benefits to costs (e.g., stress, discomfort) of the research
D) the extent to which the participant knows his or her role in the study

Question 68

Under the guideline of _________________, researchers must design studies in which there is an equitable selection of participants and in which the participants will share equally the costs and benefits of participating in the study.

A) beneficence
B) justice
C) confidentiality
D) respect for persons

Question 69

After conducting her study, Dr. Moore must _________________ the participants; that is, she must reveal to participants the exact nature of their roles in the study and describe the deceptive practices she used in the study.

A) deceive
B) operationalize
C) debrief
D) recruit

Question 70

Every place research is conducted must have _____________________ that reviews all study proposals to make sure human research conducted under its auspices follows ethical guidelines.

A) one student
B) two fellow researchers
C) a government agent
D) an institutional review board (IRB).

Question 71

With respect to using animals in research, ________________________ is key.

A) humane treatment
B) euthanasia
C) brain imaging
D) selective breeding

Question 72

Making Connections in Psychological Research: Which of the following is a major criticism of using rats as models for understanding the workings of the human brain?

A) Neural growth is not identical between rats and humans, and therefore generalizations should not be made.
B) It is unethical for psychologists to use and kill animals for research's sake.
C)Researchers may not be truly representing enriched environments for rats, and therefore cannot make generalizations about their brain growth.
D) all of these

Question 73

The difference between quasi-experimental research and experimental research is that in quasi-experiments __________.

A) differences between groups occur naturally, such as the participants being either male or female
B) participants are allowed to choose whether they would like to be in the experimental or in the control group
C) experimenters cannot interact directly with participants, as it would likely bias the outcome of the study
D) physiological measurements are recorded but can never be manipulated, for fear of causing physical harm