Question 1

A researcher finds that attendance at horror movies is associated with neuroticism. They believe that attending horror movies causes people to be more neurotic. Which of the following statements does NOT describe a problem with the researcher's claim?

Accepted Answer

Correlation does not imply causation, so the statement that one variable may cause the other is not a problem with the claim; it is a possibility that needs further investigation.

Question 2

In an experiment, participants are randomly assigned to levels of the:

Accepted Answer

Participants are randomly assigned to different levels or conditions of the independent variable in an experiment. The dependent variable is measured or observed to see if there are any effects of the independent variable on it. The third variable is any other variable that could potentially be influencing the results, but is not being manipulated or measured in the current study.

Question 3

Which of the following problems is not primarily solved by random assignment to a condition?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following problems is not...

Question 4

A researcher conducts a study in which men and women are asked to rate their level of self-esteem with reference to both appearance and intellectual ability. The researcher predicts that there will be differences between men and women on these variables. This study is best characterized as:

Accepted Answer

This study is best characterized as a quasi-experiment because the researcher cannot randomly assign participants to gender groups and manipulate their gender. The independent variable is the participant's gender, which is a quasi-independent variable because the researcher cannot randomly assign participants to a particular gender. The researcher is also measuring two dependent variables: self-esteem with reference to appearance and self-esteem with reference to intellectual ability. By comparing men and women on these two dependent variables, the researcher is able to identify potential gender differences.

Question 5

_____ methods are preferable for determining causal relationships between variables, but _____ methods are preferable for determining the influence of personality or dispositional variables.

Accepted Answer

Experimental methods involve manipulating the independent variable to determine its effect on the dependent variable, thus allowing for causal relationships to be established. However, when examining personality or dispositional variables, it is not ethical or practical to manipulate these traits. Correlational methods can be used to identify connections between these traits and other variables, but longitudinal methods that measure changes over time are more useful in determining their influence. Therefore, experimental methods are preferable for determining causal relationships between variables, but longitudinal methods are preferable for determining the influence of personality or dispositional variables.

Question 6

Research demonstrates that when Black and White students are reminded of their race (or not) before taking a test, Black students show lowered performance in the condition where they are reminded of their race. This result is MOST accurately interpreted as:

Accepted Answer

This result is best interpreted as an interaction between race and the extent to which people are thinking about their race before a test, as the performance difference is specifically observed when race is made salient.

Question 7

A study in which a researcher takes active control of an independent variable, manipulates it, and observes its effect on a dependent variable is called a(n):

Accepted Answer

An experiment is defined as a study in which a researcher actively manipulates an independent variable and observes its effect on a dependent variable. This is the only option that fits this definition. Choice A involves only observing relationships between variables without manipulating them. Choice B involves observing the same participants over an extended period of time. Choice D involves manipulating an independent variable but lacks random assignment to conditions, making it less controlled than a true experiment.

Question 8

A pattern of results in which the effect of one independent variable on a dependent variable depends on the level of another independent variable is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

An interaction refers to a pattern of results in which the effect of one independent variable on a dependent variable depends on the level of another independent variable. A main effect refers to the effect of one independent variable on the dependent variable regardless of the level of the other independent variable. A correlation refers to the relationship between two variables, and a correlation coefficient is a measure of the strength and direction of that relationship.

Question 9

What is the best research method for determining whether one variable has a causal influence on another?

Accepted Answer

An experiment is the best research method for determining causality because it allows for manipulation of the independent variable and control of extraneous variables, which helps to establish a causal relationship between variables.

Question 10

_____ refers to the judgment that an experimental finding can be generalized across people, time, and settings, while _____ refers to the judgment that an independent variable caused a change in a dependent variable within an experiment.

Accepted Answer

Internal validity refers to the judgment that an independent variable caused a change in a dependent variable within an experiment, while external validity refers to the judgment that an experimental finding can be generalized across people, time, and settings. Therefore, the correct choice is D: external validity; internal validity.

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT a reason why experiments help researchers determine causality?

Accepted Answer

Experiments do not necessarily have greater external validity because they take place in a controlled laboratory setting. In fact, one limitation of experiments is that they may lack external validity because they often take place under artificial conditions that do not reflect real-world situations. The other choices are all reasons why experiments can help researchers determine causality.

Question 12

A quasi-experiment is:

Accepted Answer

A quasi-experiment is a study in which naturally occurring groups of participants are compared on a dependent variable without random assignment.

Question 13

A study was conducted showing that the amount of violent television watched in childhood positively predicted the number of aggressive acts committed in adulthood. This study is BEST considered an example of a:

Accepted Answer

The answer of A study was conducted showing that the...

Question 14

In experimental research, the _____ is what we believe is being affected by the _____, which we believe to be the "cause."

Accepted Answer

In experimental research, the dependent variable is what researchers believe is being affected by the independent variable, which they consider to be the "cause."

Question 15

When we manipulate, or assign participants to different conditions of, a variable, what are we manipulating?

Accepted Answer

When we manipulate or assign participants to different conditions of a variable, we are manipulating the independent variable. The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated or changed by the experimenter to see its effect on the dependent variable. The dependent variable, on the other hand, is the outcome measure that is hypothesized to be affected by the independent variable.

Question 16

Walton and Cohen conducted a study in which they intervened in freshman college students' experience by having them read either an essay about how stress is a normal part of the college transition, or a control essay. What did the researchers find when they tracked the students' GPAs over the course of the next three years?

Accepted Answer

The researchers found that Black students who read an essay about stress being a normal part of the college transition had higher GPAs than Black students who did not read the essay. The treatment had no significant effect for White students.

Question 17

Random assignment refers to a procedure through which:

Accepted Answer

Random assignment is the process of assigning participants to different experimental conditions in a way that every individual has an equal chance of being placed in any condition. This ensures that any differences in the outcome between groups are due to the manipulation of the independent variable and not due to pre-existing differences between the groups.

Question 18

A researcher counts the number of people wearing football team T-shirts on a college campus in years when the team is having a good versus a bad season. He finds that more people wear the shirts in years when the team is doing well. This is best conceptualized as an example of:

Accepted Answer

This is an example of field research, which involves observing or collecting data in a natural setting, such as a college campus. It is not experimental research because the researcher is not manipulating any variables, nor is it longitudinal research because the data is only collected at one point in time. Pilot research refers to a small-scale study conducted before a larger study, which does not apply in this scenario.

Question 19

Which of the following conditions does NOT need to be met to test the hypothesis that situations that activate a negative stereotype of a person's group will lead to worse performance than situations that do not?

Accepted Answer

Performance does not need to be assessed before manipulating awareness of the stereotype; it can be assessed after the manipulation to observe the effect.

Question 20

A researcher randomly assigns a group of male and female college students to either gossip about their friends or to play a game of basketball. Afterwards, they administer the students a measure of happiness. They find that students who played basketball are happier than those who gossiped. What is the MOST likely cause of this outcome?

Accepted Answer

The most likely cause of the outcome is that playing basketball made students happier compared to gossiping. This is the only condition that was manipulated between the two groups, so it is likely the cause of the difference in happiness levels. The other options presented are not supported by the given information and are therefore less likely to be the cause of the outcome.

Quiz 1: The Revealing Science of Social Psychology