Deck 1: Introduction to Educational Psychology

Question 1

Which one of the following is the best example of qualitative research?

A)Comparing average achievement test scores for students at three different schools
B)Finding out how long it takes 6-year-olds to assemble challenging picture puzzles
C)Interviewing adolescents about the nature of their relationships with other students
D)Examining the number of days students were absent from school to identify potential school dropouts

Answer 1

Interviewing adolescents about the nature of their relationships with other students

Question 2

A researcher is interested in the effect of teacher-student ratios. She finds 10 fifth-grade classrooms with 30-40 students per class and 10 others with 15-25 students per class. She discovers that there is a negative correlation between class size and student achievement. Which one of the following conclusions can we draw from this study?

A)Although class size doesn't necessarily cause changes in achievement,class size can help us predict school achievement.
B)Classes should be as large as reasonably possible.
C)Classes should be as small as reasonably possible.
D)The researcher has conducted a descriptive study.

Answer 2

Although class size doesn't necessarily cause changes in achievement,class size can help us predict school achievement.

Question 3

Which one of the following statements is consistent with research findings described in the textbook?

A)Repeating something over and over is usually the most effective way to learn it.
B)Tailoring instruction to students' individual learning styles does not noticeably increase students' learning.
C)For optimal performance,students should never feel any anxiety in the classroom.
D)Children's personalities are not affected by the genetics they inherit from their biological parents.

Answer 3

Tailoring instruction to students' individual learning styles does not noticeably increase students' learning.

Question 4

Which one of the following alternatives best describes learner-centered instruction?

A)Instruction that is tailored to students' characteristics and behaviors
B)Instruction in which students determine the specific topics they will study
C)Instruction geared primarily toward students who are highly motivated to learn
D)Instruction geared primarily toward students who are not very motivated to learn

Question 5

Which one of the following alternatives best describes learner-centered instruction?

A)Students choose the learning objectives that they want to complete for most of the lessons
B)Students' characteristics and behaviors drive almost everything that teachers do in the classroom
C)Students must work together in small groups or teams for most of the lessons
D)Students must complete a project or solve a problem

Question 6

In a study of 405 high school juniors,students who spent more time paying attention to their teacher scored higher on their end-of-grade tests. This fictitious study is an example of what type of study?

A)A descriptive study
B)A correlational study
C)An experimental study
D)A qualitative study

Question 7

Which one of the following conclusions could be drawn from a descriptive study?

A)Approximately 80% of the students at Southside High School are planning to go to college.
B)Students are more likely to appreciate classical music if they are exposed to it on a regular basis.
C)Concrete experiences help students understand abstract ideas better.
D)Students do better in school when they have warm,supportive relationships with their teachers.

Question 8

Judging from the textbook's discussion of educational research,which one of the following would be the best course of action for teachers to take?

A)Teachers shouldn't take research findings very seriously,because there are too many gaps in the knowledge we've gained from research.
B)Teachers should focus on research that relates to a single theoretical perspective (such as Piaget's theory or information processing theory).
C)Teachers can use findings from educational research to guide their classroom decision making.
D)Teachers should always go with their common sense and "gut" feelings about how to teach,regardless of any research findings to the contrary.

Question 9

Imagine you are an educational researcher who wants to learn about the type of psychological environment in which middle school students feel most comfortable and best able to concentrate on their studies. You plan to examine a wide variety of factors that might contribute to such an environment,including physical factors (e.g.,cleanliness and colorfulness of the school building)and social factors (e.g.,teacher-student relationships,general tolerance for diverse behaviors and beliefs). You realize that students might identify important factors that you yourself haven't even thought of. In this situation,your best choice would probably be:

A)A descriptive,quantitative study.
B)An experimental study with at least three treatment groups.
C)An experimental study with one treatment group and one control group.
D)A qualitative study.

Question 10

A research study finds that,on average,students who weigh more do better in school. Which one of the following is an appropriate deduction from this information?

A)Parents should feed their children as much as possible.
B)The school cafeteria should decrease the fat content of the food it serves.
C)On average,students who eat more do better in school.
D)There is a correlation between weight and classroom performance.

Question 11

Dr. Lesgold finds that students in private schools perform better on achievement tests than do students in public schools. He can conclude that:

A)The difference is probably due to differences in family income.
B)The difference is probably due to the fact that private schools have smaller classes.
C)The difference is probably due to the fact that private schools are more likely to "teach to the test."
D)Students' achievement test scores can be predicted to some extent by the kind of school they attend.

Question 12

Which one of the following statements is consistent with research findings described in the textbook?

A)Students who play video games are more likely to have delays in their cognitive development than students who play video games infrequently.
B)Students learn a new idea most effectively when they keep it simple,without trying to remember its potential implications or applications.
C)Students use both their right and left hemispheres for completing even simple tasks.
D)Students are usually the best judges of what they do and don't know.

Question 13

Mr. Jones,a physical education teacher,notices that some of his students are better basketball players than others. He wonders if having a basketball net at home fosters the development of basketball skills. He gives his students a short survey that asks them if they have a basketball net at home. Sure enough,Mr. Jones finds that the better basketball players are more likely to have a net at home. He concludes that having a basketball net at home facilitates the development of basketball skills. Is his conclusion appropriate?

A)No,because he didn't conduct an experimental study
B)No,because his study wasn't conducted in a scientific laboratory
C)Yes,assuming that his students responded truthfully to the survey
D)Yes,because he used random assignment

Question 14

Which of the following three sentences (numbered for clarity in this question)is consistent with APA style? (#1)Students who are motivated tend to learn more than students who are not motivated (Beamer,2010; Fuente,2016). (#2)However,some researchers have found that unmotivated students can learn too (Paterno; Franklin). (#3)In fact,one unmotivated student received a higher grade than any of the motivated students (2010; 2016).

A)The first sentence
B)The second sentence
C)The third sentence
D)All three sentences are consistent with APA style

Question 15

Which one of the following teaching practices is definitely an example of evidence-based practice?

A)A kindergarten teacher asks students to bring something from home that begins with the letter B.
B)A fourth-grade teacher uses a reading program that research has shown to be effective for fourth graders.
C)A seventh-grade science teacher asks students to conduct experiments in which they must determine which one of several variables makes a pendulum swing fast or more slowly.
D)A high school art teacher encourages students to choose a medium (e.g.,clay,watercolor paints)that they can best use to express themselves.

Question 16

Experimental research requires which one of the following?

A)Manipulating an aspect of the environment
B)Being able to predict two or more variables
C)Describing each variable in considerable detail
D)Studying behavior in an actual classroom environment

Question 17

A study that tells us whether two variables are associated,but does not tell us if one variable causes or influences the other,is:

A)A descriptive study.
B)A correlational study.
C)An experimental study without a control group.
D)An experimental study with one or more control groups.

Question 18

Which one of the following is not true? Educational psychologists:

A)Use evidence from systematic research to inform teaching and learning practices.
B)Publish their research findings in journals and books.
C)Use the MLA (Modern Language Association)style when citing references in their publications.
D)Belong to national organizations to share their research with others.

Question 19

Which one of the following is an example of elaboration?

A)Sharon automatically knows how she can best study for an upcoming history test.
B)When Melissa first learns about inertia,she thinks of examples of it in her own life to expand on the idea.
C)Darren repeats the detailed excuses his friend Logan suggests he use to explain why he didn't do his homework.
D)Rosie repeats the spelling of each word several times the night before her spelling test.

Question 20

Which one of the following is not true? Educational psychology is an academic discipline that:

A)Studies how humans learn.
B)Studies factors that motivate students in learning environments.
C)Does not study how children develop over time.
D)Uses the results of research to identify effective teaching practices.

Question 21

Which one of the following statements is most accurate regarding psychological principles?

A)Principles are comprised of many different theories.
B)Principles are fairly unstable,and thus change over time.
C)Principles tell teachers what factors are important in affecting other factors.
D)Principles are more helpful for teaching than for learning.

Question 22

Which one of the following statements about educational research is true?

A)Experimental research can only be conducted in the laboratory under somewhat artificial conditions.
B)Descriptive research gives us the most information for making decisions about teaching practice.
C)Experimental research allows us to draw cause-and-effect conclusions.
D)Correlational research is more difficult and time-consuming than experimental research.

Question 23

The practice of inclusion involves which one of the following?

A)Keeping students with disabilities together in one class so that they can take part in all of their classroom's activities
B)Selecting high-achieving students to assist with the instruction of students who have special educational needs
C)Educating students with special needs in general education settings alongside students without special needs
D)Incorporating instruction in social skills into the regular classroom curriculum

Question 24

Dr. Kenney conducts a study in which she gives some students (chosen randomly)logically organized learning material; she gives other students the same material presented in a haphazard,unpredictable sequence. She finds that students with the organized material remember more. This study can best be described as:

A)A descriptive quantitative study.
B)A qualitative study.
C)An experimental study.
D)A correlational study.

Question 25

Which of the following is not typically involved in action research?

A)Collecting data.
B)Analyzing and interpreting data.
C)Implementing an action plan.
D)Publishing the results in an academic journal.

Question 26

To find out if visual imagery (i.e.,"picturing" things in one's mind)is more effective than verbal repetition in learning French vocabulary words,a French teacher develops two different study guides for her students: one that tells students how to use visual imagery to learn French words,and one that tells them to just repeat the words over and over. She randomly distributes the two study guides to her students. Over the next few weeks,the teacher finds that students using visual imagery study guides achieve higher average quiz scores. Because all of the students used their given study guides and there was no reason to suspect other differences between the two groups of students,she concludes that the visual imagery study guide helped her students to learn their French vocabulary words more than the other study guide. Is the teacher's conclusion valid for her students?

A)No,because she used random assignment
B)No,because her experiment wasn't conducted in a laboratory
C)Yes,because her students probably all had similar IQ scores
D)Yes,because she was able to manipulate a variable in the environment

Question 27

Which of the following is inconsistent with the recommendations provided in the textbook about studying?

A)Determine when you are most mentally alert and study at those times.
B)It is important to determine what you want to accomplish during a study session and plan the session accordingly.
C)Study for several hours at a time without a break to ensure that you don't lose your thought process related to the information.
D)You can study in a coffee shop as long as the noise and activity doesn't distract you from concentrating.

Question 28

Mr. Jacobs wants to find out whether a new program for teaching physical education promotes students' physical development. So he gives his students a number of tests before they begin the program (pretests)and the same tests again after they have been in the program for eight months (posttests). He finds that the students' posttest scores are higher than their pretest scores and so concludes that the program is effective. What is definitely wrong with Mr. Jacobs' conclusion?

A)Eight months is too short a time for such a program to have a long-term effect.
B)There are other possible explanations for his results.
C)Tests are not a good measure of physical development.
D)The posttests should always be different from the pretests.

Question 29

Professor Moriarty conducts an experiment to test whether or not the Holmes Approach to Studying Psychology (HASP)is superior to the Watson Approach to Studying Psychology (WASP). He convinces Dr. Ormrod to use HASP in her 9:00 class and WASP in her 10:00 class. Students exposed to the HASP method do better on the final exam than students exposed to the WASP method. Prof. Moriarty concludes that HASP is better than WASP. What is definitely wrong with Moriarty's experiment?

A)The final exam is not a good measure of what students have learned.
B)Students in the 9:00 class are probably more motivated.
C)Students in the 9:00 class are probably smarter.
D)There are several possible explanations for his results.

Question 30

In psychology,a theory can best be characterized as:

A)A description of the results of a particular research study.
B)A statement that describes how a particular variable affects learning or development.
C)An integrated set of concepts and principles that explain a phenomenon.
D)An objective measure of how a person behaves in a particular situation.

Question 31

Which one of the following high school teachers clearly has high self-efficacy about his or her teaching?

A)Mr. Abbot thinks that teaching is simply a matter of reading textbook passages aloud to his history class.
B)Ms. Bouthot has a hypothesis about why some students in her English class rarely turn in their assignments.
C)Ms. Crosby insists that students complete their math homework using a particular format.
D)Mr. Driver is confident that he can get even seemingly "unmotivated" students excited about science.

Question 32

Which one of the following is the best example of a teacher's pedagogical content knowledge?

A)Knowing what researchers have discovered about the effectiveness of discovery-learning approaches to instruction
B)Knowing several effective ways to teach students about negative numbers
C)Making a reasonable guess as to why a particular student misbehaves just before lunch time every day
D)Understanding why water expands when it freezes

Question 33

In general,experimental studies have which one of the following advantages over descriptive and correlational studies?

A)Only experimental studies allow us to be specific about our teaching objectives.
B)Only experimental studies allow us to determine what caused something.
C)Only experimental studies allow us to analyze data statistically and therefore arrive at precise results.
D)Only experimental studies enable us to draw accurate conclusions.

Question 34

Students with special needs are students who:

A)Have cognitive and emotional deficits that impair their classroom performance.
B)Have physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy,multiple sclerosis,spinal cord injury,epilepsy,or AIDS.
C)Have inherited conditions (e.g.,Down syndrome,some instances of dyslexia)that adversely affect their ability to achieve at appropriate levels in the classroom.
D)Are different enough from their peers that specially adapted instruction or materials are necessary to promote their success at school.

Question 35

The textbook offers several suggestions for studying a textbook effectively. Which one of the following is not necessarily recommended?

A)Take detailed notes on the book's content.
B)Occasionally stop and check to make sure you understand.
C)Draw inferences from the things you read.
D)Relate new ideas to your own past experiences.

Question 36

Which strategy is not consistent with the study strategies presented in the textbook?

A)At the beginning of a study session,Erika quickly reviews what she had studied in her prior study session.
B)Erika studies one day a week for 4 hours instead of 4 days a week for one hour during each study session.
C)Erika uses visual images to help her remember information.
D)Erika plans specific times in her schedule to review what she has already studied.

Question 37

Which one of the following is the best example of action research?

A)A teacher gives her students a questionnaire that asks them to describe how often they study and what kinds of strategies they use when they study. She will use the results to develop several lessons on effective study skills.
B)A graduate student quietly observes adolescents' behaviors in the school cafeteria. He plans to describe his observations in his master's thesis.
C)A college professor recruits sixth graders to come to his lab,where she assesses their responses and reaction times in a variety of challenging problem-solving tasks. Her results will help her refine the theory of problem solving she has been developing.
D)All of the school districts in a particular state are instructed to give the same mathematics achievement test to their high school juniors. The average test scores for each district will be presented in a report that will be released to the general public.

Question 38

Which one of the following conclusions can be drawn only from an experimental study?

A)Drugs administered during childbirth affect a child's early development.
B)Boys are more likely to show aggressive behavior than girls.
C)Children's muscular coordination improves as they grow older.
D)Children grow taller as they get older.

Question 39

Which one of the following statements is most accurate regarding psychological theories?

A)Theories have been proven to be true and no more research is needed.
B)Theories are continually modified as new data emerge.
C)Theories will eventually be replaced by physiological (brain-based)explanations of behavior.
D)Any single theory can be used to explain all aspects of human behavior.

Question 40

Which one of the following teachers is most clearly engaging in reflective teaching?

A)An art teacher lets students choose which of three media they would like to use in their painting: acrylics,oils,or watercolors.
B)When students are clearly bored during a class lecture,a history teacher thinks about ways in which he might make the subject matter more interesting.
C)A math teacher gives her students homework every night so that they can practice using the new procedures they've learned in class that day.
D)A science teacher writes and administers a multiple-choice test to assess what students have learned in a recent unit about mollusks and crustaceans.

Question 41

Select a question that a teacher could address using action research. Provide the question and then describe how you would use the action research process to answer the question.

Question 42

You are tutoring a seventh-grade student who is getting poor grades in her classes. After working with her for a week or two you realize that she does not regularly use any effective reading or study strategies. For the next tutoring session,you decide to teach her some strategies for learning and studying effectively. Choose a content area and something that the student is learning or studying and describe some strategies that you would share with her to help her learn more effectively.

Question 43

A psychologist conducts a research study and finds that abused children have more difficulty in school than non-abused children.
a. Is this a descriptive,correlational,or experimental study? Justify your choice.
b. Based on the study,the psychologist draws the conclusion that an abusive home life leads to poorer school performance in school. Is this conclusion justified? Why or why not?

Question 44

Dr. Carey gives a variety of achievement and aptitude tests to 1,000 ten-year-old children from Southside Elementary School and 1,000 ten-year-old children from Northside Elementary School. He finds that,on average,the Southside students perform better on the tests than the Northside students. He concludes that the teachers at Southside are superior to those at Northside. Is this conclusion warranted? Why or why not?