Question 1

Dr. Littman-Smith is conducting research in Kenya to learn about the ways that mothers and their toddlers interact as they go about their day. It is most likely that she is engaged in:

Accepted Answer

Dr. Littman-Smith is observing mothers and toddlers in their natural setting, which is the definition of naturalistic observation.

Question 2

Thea agrees to sleep in an artificial setting for three nights so that researchers can obtain information about her brain and muscle activity during sleep. She is taking part in a research method called _______________.

Accepted Answer

The fact that Thea is sleeping in an artificial setting (presumably a laboratory) indicates that she is taking part in a laboratory observation. This involves observing and collecting data in a controlled laboratory setting. The other options are not applicable because they do not describe the specific method in use in this scenario. Single-blind and double-blind studies involve manipulating variables and keeping participants unaware of the group they belong to (control vs. experimental), but this scenario does not mention any manipulation of variables or control groups. Naturalistic observation involves observing the natural behavior of participants in their natural environment, which again is not applicable in this scenario where the setting is artificial.

Question 3

Assessment instruments that are designed to measure beliefs, feelings, or behaviours of which an individual is aware are called:

Accepted Answer

Objective tests are designed to measure beliefs, feelings, or behaviours of which an individual is aware. Other options are not designed for this purpose. Projective tests are designed to reveal unconscious thoughts and emotions, double-blind tests are used in drug trials to prevent bias, and single-blind tests are used to prevent bias by concealing information from either the participant or the researcher.

Question 4

An academic researcher would use the case study method for a research study when:

Accepted Answer

The case study method is often used when ethical considerations prevent the use of other research methods, allowing researchers to explore and understand complex issues in real-life contexts without manipulating the environment or subjects involved.

Question 5

Dawn is systematically recording the behaviours of the kids in a nursery school, taking pains to avoid being obvious about what she is doing. Dawn is engaging in a(n):

Accepted Answer

Dawn is observing and recording the behaviour of children in a nursery school, which makes it an observational study. She is not manipulating any variables or conducting experiments, therefore options B and C are incorrect. Double-blind studies involve both the experimenter and participants being unaware of the treatment being received, but that is not the case here.

Question 6

A researcher studies the history of a suicide bomber who attempted to blow up a police station. The researcher's goal is to understand the events and personality traits that led the person to become a bomber. This type of research is called a(n):

Accepted Answer

A case study is a research method that involves in-depth exploration of a single individual or small group of individuals. In this case, the researcher is focusing on the history and personality traits of a single suicide bomber, making it a case study. Observational studies involve watching and recording behavior in a natural setting, correlational studies examine the relationship between variables, and survey studies collect data through questionnaires or interviews.

Question 7

A major disadvantage of using laboratory observation in a research study is that:

Accepted Answer

The presence of researchers may cause participants to act differently than they would in their natural surroundings, leading to artificial and inaccurate results. This is known as the observer effect.

Question 8

When Haylee takes a personality test, the researcher gives her detailed instructions and plenty of time to complete it. But Tyler takes the same test and is given only vague instructions and a limited amount of time. This procedural difference shows that the test lacks:

Accepted Answer

The procedural difference between how Haylee and Tyler were given the personality test suggests that the test lacks standardization. Standardization involves administering tests under the same conditions to ensure consistency and fairness across all participants. In this case, Haylee and Tyler were given different instructions and time limits, which could affect their test performance and the overall validity and reliability of the test.

Question 9

If a psychological test is standardized:

Accepted Answer

Standardization refers to the development of uniform procedures for administering and scoring a psychological test. A standardized test is designed to be administered and scored in a consistent and objective manner, which helps to ensure its reliability and validity. Approval by the CPA (Canadian Psychological Association) is not necessarily a requirement for a test to be standardized, nor is testing a random sample of participants. Demonstrating validity is an important aspect of test development, but it is not the only requirement for a test to be standardized.

Question 10

_______________ are usually sources of hypotheses, rather than tests of hypotheses.

Accepted Answer

Case studies are typically used as sources of hypotheses because they provide in-depth analysis of a single case or a small number of cases, which can generate new ideas or hypotheses. They are not usually designed to test these hypotheses in a statistically rigorous way.

Question 11

Psychologists sometimes prefer to make observations in a laboratory setting rather than a naturalistic setting. The primary advantage of laboratory observation over naturalistic observation is that:

Accepted Answer

The primary advantage of laboratory observation over naturalistic observation is that researchers have more control over the research study. In a laboratory setting, researchers can control variables and manipulate them to test specific hypotheses. This level of control is not possible in a naturalistic setting where variables cannot be controlled.

Question 12

Which of the following statements is true about case studies?

Accepted Answer

Case studies often involve studying an individual or small group in-depth, making them useful when other methods would be unethical, such as studying the effects of a drug on a pregnant woman or an unethical behavior. However, because case studies involve a small number of participants, the results may not be generalizable to the population as a whole. Conclusions obtained from case studies are also limited by the biases and subjective interpretations of the researcher, making them less reliable than other research methods for establishing cause-and-effect relationships or deriving general principles of behavior.

Question 13

Assessment instruments that are designed to tap unconscious feelings or motives are called:

Accepted Answer

Projective tests are designed to tap into unconscious feelings or motives by presenting ambiguous stimuli and asking the test-taker to project their own interpretations and meanings onto them. Objective tests, on the other hand, have clear and direct questions with predetermined answer choices. Double-blind and single-blind tests are not related to the design of assessment instruments that tap into unconscious feelings or motives.

Question 14

To test whether people in bars drink more when they are in groups than when they are alone, researchers visited all the pubs in a city. They ordered beers and recorded observations on napkins and pieces of newspaper. Why did they keep their identities in disguise?

Accepted Answer

Keeping their identities in disguise would help the researchers to remain inconspicuous and prevent the participants from feeling self-conscious. This would allow for more natural behavior and accurate observations.

Question 15

Procedures used to measure and evaluate personality traits, emotional states, aptitudes, and values are called:

Accepted Answer

Psychological tests are specifically designed to measure and evaluate personality traits, emotional states, aptitudes, and values. Laboratory observations refer to observing behavior in a controlled setting, significance tests are used in statistics to determine if findings are statistically significant, and meta-analyses are a statistical method used to combine the results of multiple research studies.

Question 16

Ping agrees to an evaluation designed to tap her unconscious feelings and motives. Ping will be given a(n):

Accepted Answer

Projective tests are designed to tap into the unconscious feelings and motives of an individual. It involves presenting ambiguous stimuli (such as inkblots or vague images) and asking individuals to describe what they see or how they feel. The responses are then interpreted in order to gain insight into the individual's personality or psychological state.

Question 17

Dr. Sardonicus wants to know whether the first three years of life are critical for acquiring language. She decides to study a child who was tragically deprived of human language by her parents. This type of research is called a(n):

Accepted Answer

The research described involves studying a specific case, making it a case study.

Question 18

An advantage of observational studies is that:

Accepted Answer

Observational studies are useful in providing accurate descriptions of behaviour. They are effective in providing a deep understanding of behaviour without interfering with or altering it. However, they do not allow for manipulation of variables, making it difficult to determine cause and effect.

Question 19

In a(n) _______________ study, a researcher carefully and systematically watches and records behaviour, taking care to avoid affecting the subjects being studied.

Accepted Answer

An observational study involves watching and recording behavior without any manipulation or intervention by the researcher. The researcher observes and takes notes but does not interfere with the subjects being studied.

Question 20

Hadley is told that the achievement test he is taking is a standardized test. This means that:

Accepted Answer

Standardized tests have uniform procedures for giving and scoring the test to ensure consistency and fairness in the assessment process. The other choices are not accurate definitions of standardized testing.

Quiz 2: How Psychologists Do Research