Deck 2: Thinking Critically With Psychological Science

Question 1

The King James Version of the Bible was completed when William Shakespeare was 46 years old.In Psalm 46 of this translation,the forty-sixth word is "shake," and the forty-sixth word from the end is "spear." Before concluding that the biblical translators were trying to be humorous with these specific word placements,you would be best advised to recognize the danger of

A) using chance-related explanations.
B) engaging in empirical research.
C) assuming that most people share your opinions.
D) perceiving order in coincidental events.

Answer 1

perceiving order in coincidental events.

Question 2

According to Emily's grandfather,Adolf Hitler's obvious emotional instability made it clear from the beginning days of his international conflicts that Germany would inevitably lose World War II.The grandfather's claim best illustrates

A) hindsight bias.
B) critical thinking.
C) curious skepticism.
D) random sequencing.

Answer 2

hindsight bias.

Question 3

When provided with the unscrambled solutions to anagrams,people underestimate the difficulty of solving the anagrams.This best illustrates

A) evidence-based conclusions.
B) perceiving order in random events.
C) critical thinking.
D) overconfidence.

Answer 3

overconfidence.

Question 4

After predicting world events,such as whether Quebec would separate from Canada,mistaken experts maintained that they were "almost right." This attitude is an example of

A) overconfidence.
B) an empirical approach.
C) critical thinking.
D) chance-related explanation.

Question 5

As scientists,psychologists adopt an attitude of skepticism because they believe that

A) people are unlikely to reveal what they are really thinking.
B) most commonsense ideas about human behavior are wrong.
C) claims about human behavior need to be supported with evidence.
D) events never occur randomly.

Question 6

As students prepare for a test,they often believe that they understand the course material better than they actually do.This best illustrates

A) overconfidence.
B) random sequencing.
C) hindsight bias.
D) critical thinking.

Question 7

Thinking that she had outperformed most of her classmates,Glenda was surprised to receive just an average grade on her psychology test.Glenda's experience best illustrates

A) overconfidence.
B) hindsight bias.
C) unconscious thinking.
D) perceiving order in random events.

Question 8

Hindsight bias most directly contributes to the perception that

A) psychological theories are simply reflections of researchers' personal values.
B) psychological research studies are simplified versions of reality.
C) psychological theories and observations are merely common sense.
D) psychological research studies are unethical.

Question 9

In a random sequence of coin tosses,series of successive heads occur ________ often than people expect and series of tails occur ________ often than people expect.

A) more;less
B) less;more
C) more;more
D) less;less

Question 10

When psychologists insist that "the rat is always right," they are emphasizing the scientific attitude of

A) humility.
B) respect for animals.
C) ecological sensitivity.
D) instinctive awareness.

Question 11

A refusal to consider potential evidence that might conflict with one's preconceived ideas best illustrates a lack of

A) chance-related explanation.
B) critical thinking.
C) intuitive hunches.
D) overconfidence.

Question 12

Dr.Donelian wants to reduce his students' perceptions that psychological research merely documents the obvious.His best strategy would be to ask the students to

A) describe how research predictions were derived from basic psychological principles.
B) predict the outcomes of research studies before they are told the actual results.
C) explain the outcomes of research studies after they are told the actual results.
D) personally engage in observing people in their natural setting.

Question 13

A psychologist notes that we are especially attracted to people whose traits are different from our own.This statement would seem unsurprising to students because

A) most students have often been attracted to people different from themselves.
B) this finding is consistent with common sense.
C) students are eager to interact with those who are different from themselves.
D) students,like everyone else,have a tendency to exaggerate their ability to have foreseen the outcome of past discoveries.

Question 14

Alexandra is told that research supports the value of cosmetic surgery for boosting self-esteem.Belinda is told that the esteem-enhancing value of cosmetic surgery has been refuted by research.Both women consider the research findings to be common sense.This best illustrates the power of

A) an empirical approach.
B) hindsight bias.
C) scientific humility.
D) critical thinking.

Question 15

Daniel and Donald are identical twins who were separated at birth and raised in different countries.When they were finally reunited for the first time as adults,the men were amazed to discover that they were both plumbers,both avid tennis players,and both addicted to chocolates.The men would be best advised to recognize the danger of

A) taking an empirical approach.
B) attributing these three similarities to chance.
C) perceiving order in random events.
D) assuming that most people share their attitudes and interests.

Question 16

Psychologists attempt to let the facts speak for themselves by using an approach that is best described as

A) empirical.
B) intuitive.
C) instinctive.
D) unpredictable.

Question 17

Jennifer's new dorm roommate has the same first name as someone Jennifer dislikes.Without realizing it,Jennifer's immediate gut-level reaction to the name has led her to form a negative first impression of her roommate.This best illustrates the impact of

A) hindsight bias.
B) overconfidence.
C) intuition.
D) critical thinking.

Question 18

Hindsight bias often leads us to place too much faith in

A) curious skepticism.
B) an empirical approach.
C) human intuition.
D) critical thinking.

Question 19

Critical thinkers can best be described as

A) questioning.
B) cynical.
C) pessimistic.
D) impatient.

Question 20

Speedy and automatic conclusions triggered by gut-level feelings are best described as

A) random events.
B) intuitions.
C) predictions.
D) hidden values.

Question 21

To study the development of relationships,Dr.Rajiv carefully observed and recorded patterns of verbal and nonverbal behaviors among men and women in singles bars.Which research method did Dr.Rajiv employ?

A) naturalistic observation
B) the survey
C) the case study
D) experimentation

Question 22

In reporting the effect of drinking alcohol on self-consciousness,psychological researchers would specify exactly how they measured self-consciousness.They are thereby providing a(n)

A) experimental hypothesis.
B) case study.
C) double-blind procedure.
D) operational definition.

Question 23

To better understand how brain malfunctions influence behavior,Dr.Mosher extensively and carefully observes and questions two stroke victims.Which research method is Dr.Mosher using?

A) random sampling
B) the survey
C) the case study
D) experimentation

Question 24

One of your professors has used observational evidence to justify a cause-effect conclusion.Questioning the validity of drawing this conclusion from the evidence best illustrates

A) critical thinking.
B) hindsight bias.
C) overconfidence.
D) perceiving order in random events.

Question 25

Replication involves

A) the selection of random samples.
B) randomly assigning research participants to different groups.
C) repeating an earlier research study.
D) rejecting ideas that cannot be scientifically tested.

Question 26

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

A) naturalistic observation.
B) operational definition.
C) dependent variable.
D) hypothesis.

Question 27

Dr.Birk suggests that since depression is associated with pessimistic thinking,depressed students would be more likely than nondepressed students to perceive themselves as academically incompetent.Dr.Birk's prediction regarding students' self-perceptions is an example of a(n)

A) illusory correlation.
B) placebo effect.
C) confounding variable.
D) hypothesis.

Question 28

Operational definitions are most likely to facilitate

A) replication.
B) positive correlations.
C) regression toward the mean.
D) the placebo effect.

Question 29

Those who rely on the case-study method need to be especially alert to the dangers of

A) the double-blind procedure.
B) replication.
C) random assignment.
D) false generalization.

Question 30

A statement describing how a researcher manipulates an independent variable is known as a(n)

A) control condition.
B) replication.
C) operational definition.
D) hypothesis.

Question 31

Hypotheses are best described as

A) assumptions.
B) replications.
C) explanations.
D) predictions.

Question 32

Naturalistic observation is most useful for

A) describing behaviors.
B) predicting attitudes.
C) explaining complex emotions.
D) detecting cause-effect relationships.

Question 33

An explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events is called a(n)

A) independent variable.
B) hypothesis.
C) theory.
D) scatterplot.

Question 34

According to Professor Fayad,we like people who like us because their affection for us boosts our own self-esteem.His idea is an example of

A) an operational definition.
B) informed consent.
C) replication.
D) a theory.

Question 35

Professor Bolden claims that his experimental research demonstrates that eating an apple every day improves children's reading skills.How might he best offer further support for the reliability of this finding?

A) replication
B) naturalistic observation
C) case studies
D) correlational research

Question 36

To verify the reliability of a new scientific finding,psychological researchers are most likely to engage in

A) naturalistic observation.
B) random sampling.
C) replication.
D) positive correlation.

Question 37

A descriptive technique in which one individual or group is studied in great depth is called a

A) replication.
B) case study.
C) survey.
D) naturalistic observation.

Question 38

After carefully studying how three single parents dealt with the loss of their jobs,Dr.Phong began to overestimate the national rate of unemployment.In this instance,Dr.Phong should be warned that ________ may be misleading.

A) surveys
B) case studies
C) dependent variables
D) random samples

Question 39

Jean Piaget developed his ideas about children's thinking after carefully observing and questioning only a few children.Which research method did he use?

A) the survey
B) the double-blind procedure
C) the case study
D) random assignment

Question 40

To describe the behavior of animals in their native habitats,researchers are most likely to make use of

A) survey research.
B) random assignment.
C) experimental methods.
D) naturalistic observation.

Question 41

Which of the following techniques would be the most effective way of investigating the relationship between the political attitudes and the economic status of North Americans?

A) the survey
B) naturalistic observation
C) experimentation
D) the case study

Question 42

A majority of respondents in a national survey agreed that "classroom prayer should not be allowed in public schools." Only 33 percent of respondents in a similar survey agreed that "classroom prayer in public schools should be banned." These differing findings best illustrate the importance of

A) representative samples.
B) the placebo effect.
C) random assignment.
D) wording effects.

Question 43

To learn about the religious attitudes of all students enrolled at Arizona State University,Professor Marlow randomly selected 800 of these students to complete a questionnaire.In this instance,all the students enrolled at Arizona State University are considered to be a(n)

A) independent variable.
B) representative sample.
C) control condition.
D) population.

Question 44

Researchers observe random samples because these samples are likely to be

A) easy to observe.
B) homogeneous.
C) representative.
D) easy to debrief.

Question 45

A random sample of a large group of people is one in which

A) the number of people included in the sample is determined by chance.
B) every person in the large group has an equal chance of being included in the sample.
C) personality differences among those in the sample are practically nonexistent.
D) all of these situations are true.

Question 46

Which research method would be most effective for identifying the mating rituals of North American deer?

A) survey research
B) naturalistic observation
C) experimentation
D) the double-blind procedure

Question 47

Which of the following statistical measures is most helpful for indicating the extent to which high school grades predict college or university grades?

A) a scatterplot
B) a random sample
C) a correlation coefficient
D) an independent variable

Question 48

The whole group from which samples may be drawn is called a(n)

A) control condition.
B) population.
C) case study.
D) independent variable.

Question 49

Mrs.Blair concludes that boys do not read as well as girls because most of the students in her remedial reading classes are boys.Mrs.Blair's conclusion best illustrates the danger of

A) random assignment.
B) generalizing from select cases.
C) confusing correlation with causation.
D) random sampling.

Question 50

The children in Mrs.Shashoua's neighborhood make fun of her limp.She concludes that today's kids are typically cruel and insensitive.Mrs.Shashoua ought to remind herself that reasonable generalizations depend on

A) observing representative samples.
B) recognizing that others may not share our opinions.
C) realizing that correlation does not mean causation.
D) eliminating confounding variables.

Question 51

A correlation coefficient is a(n)

A) confounding variable.
B) statistical index.
C) dependent variable.
D) double-blind procedure.

Question 52

A correlation coefficient is a statistical measure of the

A) difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution.
B) extent to which two factors vary together.
C) statistical significance of a difference between two sample means.
D) frequency of scores at each level of some measure.

Question 53

Researchers make no effort to manipulate or control variables when they engage in

A) naturalistic observation.
B) the double-blind procedure.
C) replication.
D) experimentation.

Question 54

The survey is a research method in which

A) individuals are carefully observed in their natural environments.
B) a representative,random sample of individuals are questioned regarding their attitudes or behaviors.
C) an individual or group is studied in great depth.
D) an investigator determines the extent to which two variables influence each other.

Question 55

To assess the extent to which death rates increase as people age,researchers would most likely make use of

A) the double-blind procedure.
B) case studies.
C) experimentation.
D) correlation.

Question 56

People from countries with lower economic status have been found more likely to solicit Facebook friendship with those in higher-status countries than vice versa.This information was obtained by means of

A) case studies.
B) experimentation.
C) naturalistic observation.
D) surveys.

Question 57

Website polls and call-in phone surveys often yield unrepresentative results because they fail to use

A) operational definitions.
B) random sampling.
C) scatterplots.
D) double-blind procedures.

Question 58

Which of the following is a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together?

A) replication
B) experimentation
C) correlation
D) extrapolation

Question 59

A count of positive and negative words in millions of Twitter messages suggests that people seem most happy on

A) Mondays.
B) Wednesdays.
C) Fridays.
D) Sundays.

Question 60

Which procedure helps to ensure that the participants in a survey are representative of a larger population?

A) random assignment
B) replication
C) naturalistic observation
D) random sampling

Question 61

A correlation coefficient can range in value from

A) 0 to 100.
B) 0 to 1.00.
C) 1 to 99.
D) -1.00 to +1.00.

Question 62

Gene believes he is much more likely to win the state lottery if he chooses the numbers than if the numbers are randomly generated by a computer program.Gene's belief best illustrates

A) regression toward the mean.
B) an independent variable.
C) an illusion of control.
D) a scatterplot.

Question 63

Incorrectly interpreting a correlation between two factors as evidence of causation is best avoided by making use of

A) experiments.
B) survey research.
C) case studies.
D) naturalistic observation.

Question 64

A research method in which an investigator manipulates factors that potentially produce a particular effect is called a(n)

A) survey.
B) experiment.
C) case study.
D) correlation.

Question 65

If university graduates typically earn more money than high school graduates,this would indicate that level of education and income are

A) positively correlated.
B) independent variables.
C) dependent variables.
D) negatively correlated.

Question 66

A researcher would be MOST likely to discover a negative correlation between

A) body height and body weight.
B) self-esteem and depression.
C) education and personal wealth.
D) intelligence and academic success.

Question 67

If the points on a scatterplot are clustered in a pattern that extends from lower left to upper right,this would suggest that the two variables depicted are

A) random samples.
B) positively correlated.
C) negatively correlated.
D) not correlated.

Question 68

A correlation between levels of impulsiveness and annual income of -0.75 would indicate that

A) lower levels of impulsiveness are associated with lower levels of annual income.
B) higher levels of annual income are associated with lower levels of impulsiveness.
C) it is impossible to predict annual income levels from knowledge of impulsiveness levels.
D) impulsiveness has no causal influence on annual income.

Question 69

Students who score much higher on an exam than they usually do can reasonably anticipate ________ scores when they are retested.

A) very low
B) somewhat lower
C) equally high
D) even higher

Question 70

If those with low self-esteem are also particularly likely to suffer from depression,this would not necessarily indicate that low self-esteem triggers negative emotions because

A) sampling extreme cases leads to false generalizations.
B) a placebo effect may be operating.
C) association does not prove causation.
D) confounding variables may have an effect.

Question 71

If psychologists discovered that people who live at the poverty level have more aggressive children than wealthy people,this would clearly indicate that

A) poverty has a negative influence on children's behavior.
B) the factors that lead to poverty also cause aggressive behavior.
C) people's economic status and the aggressiveness of their children are negatively correlated.
D) all of these statements are correct.

Question 72

Akira dreamed that a handsome young man she had met the previous day asked her for a date.When he actually did call for a date several days later,Akira concluded that dreams accurately predict future events.Her belief best illustrates

A) regression toward the mean.
B) an illusory correlation.
C) random assignment.
D) a scatterplot.

Question 73

Unusual ESP subjects who defy chance when first tested nearly always lose their "psychic powers" when retested.This decline is best explained in terms of

A) illusory correlation.
B) regression toward the mean.
C) a placebo effect.
D) a confounding variable.

Question 74

Which statistical phenomenon refers to the tendency for extraordinary or unusual events to be followed by more ordinary events?

A) random sampling
B) replication
C) regression toward the mean
D) illusory correlation

Question 75

Which of the following correlations between annual income and education level would best enable you to predict annual income on the basis of level of education?

A) +0.05
B) -0.01
C) +0.10
D) +0.50

Question 76

Which of the following correlations expresses the strongest degree of relationship between two variables?

A) +0.10
B) -0.67
C) -0.10
D) +0.59

Question 77

Although Soren once scored 37 points during a single high school basketball game,he was subsequently unable to beat or match this record no matter how hard he tried.His experience may be at least partially explained in terms of

A) an illusion of control.
B) regression toward the mean.
C) illusory correlation.
D) random assignment.

Question 78

A positive correlation between self-esteem and academic success would indicate that

A) a positive self-concept contributes to academic success.
B) academic success contributes to a favorable self-image.
C) those with high self-esteem are more academically successful than those with low self-esteem.
D) all of these statements are correct.

Question 79

Following the scientific discovery that a specific brain structure is significantly larger in violent individuals than in those who are nonviolent,a news headline announced: "Enlarged Brain Structure Triggers Violent Acts." The headline writer should most clearly be warned about the dangers of

A) the placebo effect.
B) regression toward the mean.
C) confusing association with causation.
D) generalizing from unrepresentative samples.

Question 80

A scatterplot graphically depicts the

A) standard deviation of a distribution of scores.
B) arithmetic average of a distribution of scores.
C) total population from which samples may be drawn.
D) degree of relationship between two variables.