Deck 4: Personality Research Methods and Assessment Issues

Question 1

A variable that is manipulated in an experiment is called the:

A) dependent variable.
B) independent variable.
C) interaction variable.
D) mediator variable.

Answer 1

independent variable.

Question 2

A variable that is measured in an experiment is called the:

A) Dependent variable.
B) Independent variable.
C) Interaction variable.
D) Mediator variable.

Answer 2

Dependent variable.

Question 3

Where one level of the variable is applied to subset of the experimental participants, but a different level is applied to another subset, the variable is called the:

A) dependent variable.
B) independent variable.
C) interaction variable.
D) manipulated variable.

Answer 3

manipulated variable.

Question 4

________ is a key part of experiments that are designed to make inferences about cause and effect relations.

A) Experimental condition
B) Repeated measures
C) Random assignment
D) Order effects

Question 5

When one level of an independent variable is applied to some study participants but not others, it is a(n):

A) dependent variable.
B) within-subject variable.
C) interaction variable.
D) between-subjects variable.

Question 6

A ________ design refers to when a person is measured each time after being exposed to two or more levels of an independent variable.

A) experimental measures
B) repeated measures
C) random measures
D) between subjects

Question 7

A potential problem with a repeated measures study may involve the order in which the conditions are experienced. This refers to:

A) order effects.
B) order bias.
C) hierarchical effects.
D) hierarchical bias.

Question 8

Classification variables that are not manipulated are called:

A) dependent variables.
B) within-subject variables.
C) subject variables.
D) between-subjects variables.

Question 9

When the effect of an independent variable is influenced by the level of another independent variable, it is called a(n):

A) order effect
B) mediator effect
C) interaction (or moderator) effect
D) hierarchical effect

Question 10

The link between variables due to a mutual link with another intervening variable results in:

A) order effects.
B) mediator effects.
C) interaction effects.
D) hierarchical effects.

Question 11

In a(n) ________ model, two variables make independent and significant contributions in predicting an outcome variable.

A) cause-effect
B) moderator
C) interaction
D) additive

Question 12

Participants in experiments often wish to be seen favourably and try to act in accordance with the experimenter's hypotheses. This relates to the concept of:

A) specificity.
B) external reliability.
C) generalizability.
D) demand characteristics.

Question 13

The greatest limitation of experimental research is that it is low in:

A) external validity.
B) internal validity.
C) external reliability.
D) internal reliability.

Question 14

If external validity is a problem, then an experiment is said to be low in:

A) specificity.
B) external reliability.
C) generalizability.
D) demand characteristics.

Question 15

When a number that has been measured and counted is not an accurate reflection of the true value, then this is referred to as:

A) regression to the mean.
B) measurement error.
C) directionality issue.
D) correlational error.

Question 16

________ implies that extreme scores, upon retest, become more reflective of the actual mean for the overall sample as a whole.

A) Measurement resolution
B) Directionality fix
C) Regression to the mean
D) Correlational manipulation

Question 17

A ________ exists when there is a linear relationship between variables, such that as one variable increases, the other variable tends to increase as well.

A) positive correlation
B) negative correlation
C) correlational increase
D) directionality increase

Question 18

A ________ exists when there is a linear relationship between variables, such that as one variable increases, the other variable tends to decrease to a corresponding degree.

A) positive correlation
B) negative correlation
C) correlational decrease
D) directionality decrease

Question 19

The most common statistical test to evaluate the magnitude of a correlation is the:

A) regression to the mean.
B) directionality coefficient.
C) pearson product-moment correlation.
D) correlation factor.

Question 20

The fact that correlation research cannot tell us which variable comes first when two variables are significantly correlated refers to the:

A) directionality issue.
B) correlational issue.
C) linear debate.
D) measurement problem.

Question 21

A significant limitation of correlational research is that assumptions cannot be made about:

A) relationships.
B) associations.
C) causality.
D) linearity.

Question 22

Of the following, which is the least used type of study in the field?

A) Experiments
B) Self-reports
C) Correlation
D) Cross-sectional

Question 23

Most personality studies are ________ and use a one-time assessment of a large sample of students.

A) experimental
B) longitudinal
C) non-linear
D) cross-sectional

Question 24

Close-ended scales in which the scale content has already been determined is called:

A) longitudinal assessments.
B) cross-sectional assessments.
C) structured assessments.
D) unstructured assessments.

Question 25

Open-ended scales in which people generate their responses is called:

A) longitudinal assessments
B) cross-sectional assessments
C) structured assessments
D) unstructured assessments

Question 26

The tendency to create a positive impression in the eyes of other people is referred to as:

A) self-enhancement.
B) social impression bias.
C) self-deception phenomenon.
D) social desirability response bias.

Question 27

In order to evaluate impression management, who created the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding?

A) Kruger
B) Block
C) Paulhus
D) Carlson

Question 28

A safe bet to enhance reliability and validity of assessment is to use multiple measures. This is referred to as:

A) methodological pluralism.
B) multimethod assessment.
C) multiple method approach.
D) multistructured assessment.

Question 29

Parental reports of child personality features are often:

A) accurate.
B) inaccurate.
C) reliable.
D) valid.

Question 30

An abstract concept that reflects the need for personality measure to stem from a theory is called:

A) internal consistency.
B) construct validity.
C) content validity.
D) aggregation.

Question 31

Who emphasized the sequential system of test construction?

A) Jackson
B) Block
C) Paulhus
D) Carlson

Question 32

The level of homogeneity is assessed with what type of reliability?

A) Internal consistency
B) External consistency
C) Differential reliability index
D) Nomological network

Question 33

________ reflects the consistency of measurement.

A) Internal validity
B) External validity
C) Reliability
D) The nomological network

Question 34

Who was responsible for introducing the alpha coefficient?

A) Jackson
B) Block
C) Cronbach
D) Burisch

Question 35

The stability of test scores over time is referred to as:

A) internal consistency.
B) test-retest reliability.
C) differential reliability index.
D) nomological reliability.

Question 36

The ________ is based on the degree of intercorrelations among scale items.

A) alpha coefficient
B) test-retest reliability
C) differential reliability index
D) nomological reliability

Question 37

A measure that has breadth because it has items that fully assess the personality construct in question is said to have:

A) construct validity.
B) face validity.
C) criterion validity.
D) content validity.

Question 38

A test item that simply seems relevant for measuring the personality construct in question is said to have:

A) construct validity
B) face validity
C) criterion validity
D) content validity

Question 39

________ occurs when a measure assesses in reality what it purports to measure.

A) Reliability
B) Consistency
C) Validity
D) Concurrency

Question 40

If a personality scale is unrelated to a measure with which it theoretically should not be correlated, it is said to have:

A) discriminant validity.
B) face validity.
C) criterion validity.
D) content validity.

Question 41

In order to evaluate concurrent and discriminant validity, what technique is used?

A) Ecological factor analysis
B) Multitrait-multimethod matrix
C) Aggregation sampling
D) Experience sampling

Question 42

In order to increase the ecological validity of psychological research, what technique is used?

A) Ecological factor analysis
B) Confirmatory factor analysis
C) Aggregation sampling
D) Experience sampling

Question 43

According to cross-cultural research, conceptual meaning must be addressed. This is referred to as:

A) conceptual understanding.
B) conceptual equivalence.
C) conceptual uniformity.
D) cultural standardization.

Question 44

Differentiate between an independent and a dependent variable.

Question 45

Discuss the significance of using random assignment.

Question 46

Explain the differences between moderator and mediator effects.

Question 47

What are some limitations of experimental research?

Question 48

List some representative items from Paulhus's impression management and self-deception scales.

Question 49

What are some issues that should be considered when collecting data via the Internet?

Question 50

Identify Jackson's four principles as part of the sequential system of test construction.

Question 51

Discuss four types of validity in personality assessment.

Question 52

Highlight some of the major issues when examining personality assessment from a cross cultural perspective.