Question 1

To discover the extent to which economic status can be used to predict political preferences, researchers are most likely to use

Accepted Answer

To determine the extent to which economic status can be used to predict political preferences, researchers are most likely to use correlational measures. Correlational studies can determine the relationship between two variables, in this case, economic status and political preferences, and can help researchers identify patterns in the data. An experimental approach would not be appropriate since it is not ethical or feasible to manipulate economic status. The case study approach and naturalistic observation would not provide enough data on a large enough number of participants to make generalizations about the relationship between economic status and political preferences.

Question 2

Displaying data in a scatterplot can help us see the extent to which two variables are

Accepted Answer

A scatterplot displays the relationship between two variables, allowing for visual identification of patterns, trends, and the strength of correlation between the variables. Therefore, displaying data in a scatterplot can help us see the extent to which two variables are correlated.

Question 3

A researcher would be most likely to discover a positive correlation between

Accepted Answer

Intelligence and academic success are logically linked, as students with higher intelligence are more likely to excel academically.

Question 4

Which of the following correlation coefficients expresses the weakest degree of relationship between two variables?

Accepted Answer

A correlation coefficient of -0.12 expresses a very weak degree of relationship between two variables. The closer a correlation coefficient is to 0, the weaker the relationship between the variables. Therefore, option A is the correct answer as it has the smallest absolute value among the given options.

Question 5

To represent the correlation between two variables graphically, researchers often construct a

Accepted Answer

A scatterplot is specifically designed to represent the correlation between two variables graphically. It allows researchers to see the relationship between the two variables and identify any patterns, trends, or outliers. Skewed distributions, standard deviations, and bar graphs are not appropriate for representing correlations between two variables.

Question 6

Which of the following correlations between self-esteem and body weight would enable you to most accurately predict body weight from knowledge of level of self-esteem?

Accepted Answer

A correlation of +0.60 indicates a moderate positive relationship between self-esteem and body weight, which would provide the best prediction of body weight based on level of self-esteem. Correlations of +0.01, -0.10, and -0.06 are all weak and would not provide as accurate of a prediction.

Question 7

Correlation is a measure of the extent to which two factors

Accepted Answer

Correlation measures the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables. It indicates how much the variables vary together, and whether they have a positive, negative, or no relationship. Correlation does not necessarily imply causation, or that one variable is influencing the other.

Question 8

Which of the following is a statistical measure of both the direction and the strength of a relationship between two variables?

Accepted Answer

The correlation coefficient is a statistical measure of both the direction (positive or negative) and the strength (weak or strong) of a relationship between two variables. Standard deviation, range, and mean are measures of central tendency and variability, but do not provide information on the relationship between two variables.

Question 9

Suppose that people who watch a lot of violence on TV are also particularly likely to behave aggressively. This relationship would NOT necessarily indicate that watching violence influences aggressive behavior because

Accepted Answer

The statement "association does not prove causation" means that simply observing a correlation between two variables does not necessarily mean that one variable causes the other. There may be other factors or variables at play that influence both the level of TV violence watched and aggression. Therefore, simply observing a correlation between the two is not sufficient evidence to support the claim that watching TV violence causes aggression.

Question 10

If psychologists discovered that wealthy people are less satisfied with their marriages than poor people are, this would indicate that wealth and marital satisfaction are

Accepted Answer

If wealthy people are less satisfied with their marriages than poor people, this suggests that wealth and marital satisfaction are negatively correlated, meaning that as one variable (wealth) increases, the other variable (marital satisfaction) decreases. It does not necessarily indicate causation or independence between the two variables.

Question 11

In a survey, psychologists select a random sample of research participants in order to ensure that

Accepted Answer

Selecting a random sample of research participants helps ensure that the participants are representative of the population the researchers are interested in studying. This helps increase the external validity of the study, meaning the findings can be generalized to the larger population. It does not have to do with the number of participants, personal values of the researcher, or experimental conditions.

Question 12

Governor Donovan was greeted by large, enthusiastic crowds at all of his political rallies. As a result, he became overconfident about his chances of re-election. In this instance, the governor needs to be alerted to the value of

Accepted Answer

The governor needs to be alerted to the value of random sampling, which involves selecting a representative sample of individuals from a larger population. This would help him avoid overestimating his level of support based solely on the enthusiastic crowds at his rallies.

Question 13

To assess reactions to a proposed tuition hike at her school, Ariana sent a questionnaire to every fifteenth person in the registrar's alphabetical listing of all currently enrolled students. Ariana is ensuring that her survey results are accurate by using

Accepted Answer

Ariana is using random sampling to ensure that her survey results accurately represent the opinions of the entire population of currently enrolled students at her school. By selecting every fifteenth person in the alphabetical listing, she is ensuring that every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the survey, which helps to reduce the potential for bias in the results. Random sampling is an important technique for achieving external validity and generalizability in research.

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of If the points on a scatterplot are...

Question 15

A correlation between physical attractiveness and dating frequency of +0.60 would indicate that

Accepted Answer

A correlation coefficient of +0.60 indicates a positive and moderately strong relationship between physical attractiveness and dating frequency. Therefore, option A is incorrect. Option B is also incorrect because the correlation coefficient is positive, indicating that higher levels of physical attractiveness are associated with more frequent dating. Option C is also incorrect because the correlation coefficient suggests that as dating frequency decreases, levels of physical attractiveness are also likely to decrease. Therefore, the best choice is D, which correctly identifies that less frequent dating is associated with lower levels of physical attractiveness.

Question 16

Which of the following is most useful for helping survey researchers avoid false generalizations?

Accepted Answer

Random sampling is the best choice for helping survey researchers avoid false generalizations as it ensures that every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected and therefore provides a representative sample. This reduces the likelihood of bias and increases the accuracy of generalizations made from the survey data. The other options (case study, naturalistic observation, and operational definitions) are useful in different research contexts but do not directly address the issue of false generalizations in survey research.

Question 17

To learn about the TV viewing habits of all the children attending Oakbridge School, Professor DeVries randomly selected and interviewed 50 of the school's students. In this instance, all the children attending the school are considered to be a(n)

Accepted Answer

The entire group of children attending Oakbridge School is being studied, which makes them the population. The 50 students that Professor DeVries selected and interviewed are a sample of that population.

Question 18

If the correlation between the physical weight and reading ability of children is +0.85, this would indicate that

Accepted Answer

A correlation coefficient of +0.85 indicates a strong positive relationship between physical weight and reading ability among children. This means that as physical weight increases, so does reading ability. It is important to note that correlation does not imply causation, so we cannot say that body weight directly causes better reading ability. However, this correlation suggests that there may be some underlying factors or variables that influence both weight and reading ability, such as socio-economic status or access to resources.

Question 19

To determine whether the strength of people's self-esteem is related to their income levels, researchers would most likely make use of

Accepted Answer

Correlational research would be the best choice as it allows researchers to examine the relationship between two variables, in this case self-esteem and income levels. The researchers can use statistical analysis to determine whether there is a significant correlation between the two variables. However, they cannot establish causality or determine which variable is causing the other. Therefore, experimentation is not an appropriate choice. Case studies and naturalistic observation are not as useful for studying relationships between variables as they focus on in-depth examination of a single subject or group without necessarily generalizing to a larger population.

Question 20

Correlational research is most useful for purposes of

Accepted Answer

Correlational research is most useful for predicting the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables, rather than explaining or controlling that relationship. It is not designed to establish cause and effect relationships. Therefore, the best choice is B, prediction.

Quiz 3: Research Strategies