Question 1

Which research method did Sigmund Freud rely upon? Analyze what you know about his theory given your understanding of research methods. What are the strengths and limitations of his approach?

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Question 2

Dr. Alvarez is conducting research comparing the child-rearing styles of mothers in rural China to the child-rearing styles of mother in Papua, New Guinea. It is most likely that she is engaged in:

Accepted Answer

Naturalistic observation involves observing and recording behaviors in their natural setting without any manipulation or control of the environment. In this scenario, Dr. Alvarez is observing and comparing child-rearing styles in two different cultures without manipulating the environment or variables, making it a naturalistic observation. Laboratory observation involves the manipulation of the environment, case study research focuses on a single individual, and experimental research involves manipulating independent variables to observe the effects on dependent variables.

Question 3

In Chapter 2, we read about the disastrous consequences that can take place when conclusions are drawn solely on the basis of case studies. How does the alleged connection between autism and vaccinations illustrate the importance of the critical-thinking guideline, "Don't Oversimplify," discussed in Chapter 1?

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Question 4

Why is it important to go beyond averages when summarizing data? What other descriptive statistics are used to help interpret data?

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Question 5

The president of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is concerned after reading that during puberty children have increased needs for sleep. She wants to find out if other parents of middle-school children would support a later starting time for school. At one of the Tuesday night meetings, she conducts a survey of the PTA members in order to address this question. When she asks those parents in support of the change to raise their hands, she discovers that 85 percent of the parents support a later starting time. What information has she gained by conducting this survey? What shortcomings exist in her survey?

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Question 6

How wise is popular wisdom? In Chapter 1, we pondered how many old sayings have other old sayings that contradict them. For example, a common saying is, "You can't teach old dogs new tricks." But we also hear, "You are never too old to learn." Now that you have read Chapter 2, design a research study in order to test these sayings. Provide your reasoning in selecting a particular research method, subjects, and other key details.

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Question 7

Dr. Hennig has created a personality test, and the results from this test are highly correlated with scores on the MMPI, a well-established personality test. From this information you can deduce that Dr. Hennig's test has:

Accepted Answer

The fact that the results from Dr. Hennig's test are highly correlated with scores on the MMPI indicates that Dr. Hennig's test has criterion validity, meaning that it accurately measures what it is intended to measure (in this case, personality traits).

Question 8

What makes psychological research scientific? This chapter points out the importance of precision in the pursuit of knowledge. How does this principle of good science correspond to the critical-thinking guideline, "Define Your Terms," discussed in Chapter 1?

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Question 9

A researcher hypothesizes that adults will respond differently to the same baby depending on how the child is dressed. Her colleague, on the other hand, hypothesizes that boys and girls are treated equally and that only temperamental differences lead to differences in their handling. Design a research study to test their hypotheses.

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Question 10

When the relationship between age and mental abilities is studied through cross-sectional methods, the results often conflict with the findings from longitudinal studies. Explain the basic procedures in each type of study and then discuss why the two methods sometimes yield different results.

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Question 11

When the textbook authors refer to psychologists as scientists, they do not mean that all psychologists work with complicated gadgets and machines or wear white lab coats. The scientific enterprise has more to do with attitudes and procedures than it does with apparatus and apparel. Describe, in detail, the five key characteristics of the ideal scientist.

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Question 12

Psychologists follow a code of ethics that has been developed by the CPA. Explain the CPA code in regard to research with human participants.

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Question 13

Dr. Mukherjee is a psychologist with a private practice in Vancouver. One of Dr. Mukherjee's long-time clients has been accused of murder and the trial is set to start next year.

Accepted Answer

As a psychologist, Dr. Mukherjee may be called to testify about things his client said during therapy, even though this may breach the confidentiality of the therapeutic relationship. However, there are certain legal and ethical guidelines that require the psychologist to balance their duty to maintain confidentiality with their duty to provide truthful testimony if they are called upon to testify.

Question 14

Unlike plays and poems, scientific theories are not judged by how pleasing they are. Instead, a theory must be backed by empirical evidence if it is to be taken seriously. Integrate this information from Chapter 2 with the critical-thinking guideline, "Avoid Emotional Reasoning," that you studied in Chapter 1.

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Question 15

Rarely does a psychological study have completely straightforward results. Usually there is some possibility that the difference between two groups could be due to chance. Explain how inferential statistics help us determine how statistically meaningful a study's results are.

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Question 16

When Jean-Luc entered college he agreed to participate in a research study that would investigate how college success was related to career success. Every year Jean-Luc had to complete a questionnaire related to his schooling or career. It is evident that Jean-Luc was:

Accepted Answer

Jean-Luc was part of a study that followed him over time by completing surveys annually. This is characteristic of a longitudinal study.

Quiz 2: How Psychologists Do Research