Question 1

Any characteristic that can be measured or observed from the participants can be used to create a ______ variable in a study.
A) bivalent
B) independent
C) quasi-independent
D) dependent

Accepted Answer

Quasi-independent variables are characteristics of participants that can be measured or observed but are not randomly assigned.

Question 2

A survey response scale that involves pictorial response categories for participants with low verbal skills is a ______.
A) verbal scale
B) mute scale
C) nonverbal scale
D) pictorial scale

Accepted Answer

A nonverbal scale uses images or symbols to represent responses, making it suitable for participants with low verbal skills.

Question 3

In the ______ design each participant experiences all levels of the variable.
A) within-subjects
B) between-subjects
C) across-subjects
D) all-subjects

Accepted Answer

In a within-subjects design, each participant experiences all levels of the variable, while in a between-subjects design, each participant experiences only one level of the variable. Across-subjects and all-subjects are not commonly used terms in experimental design.

Question 4

A common interval scale is the Likert scale, where respondents are asked how much they agree or disagree with a statement on a 1 to 5 or a 1 to 7 scale.

Accepted Answer

The Likert scale is a common interval scale where respondents are asked to rate their level of agreement or disagreement on a numerical scale, often ranging from 1 to 5 or 1 to 7.

Question 5

A sugar pill given to the control group in a drug study to allow all groups to believe that they are receiving a treatment is using ______.
A) multi-blind design
B) confounding factors
C) placebo
D) bivalent

Accepted Answer

A placebo is a substance given to a control group in a study that has no therapeutic effect but is used to ensure that any effects observed in the experimental group are actually due to the active treatment rather than the psychological or emotional effects of receiving a treatment.

Question 6

An independent variable that includes two levels is called a(n) ______ variable.
A) amount
B) bivalent
C) multivalent
D) subject

Accepted Answer

A bivalent variable is an independent variable that includes two levels or conditions. It is also sometimes referred to as a dichotomous variable.

Question 7

A procedure used to hide the group assignment from the participants in a study to prevent their beliefs about the effectiveness of a treatment from affecting the results is ______.
A) double-blind design
B) tri-blind design
C) multi-blind design
D) single-blind design

Accepted Answer

A single-blind design is used to hide the group assignment from the participants in a study while keeping the experimenter(s) aware of the group assignment. This helps prevent the participants' beliefs about the effectiveness of a treatment from affecting the results. A double-blind design involves keeping both the participants and the experimenter(s) unaware of the group assignment. Tri-blind and multi-blind designs are not commonly used terms in research methodology.

Question 8

In a ______, both the participants and the researchers who interact with the participants do not know which participants are assigned to the different groups.
A) double-blind design
B) tri-blind design
C) multi-blind design
D) single-blind design

Accepted Answer

In a double-blind design, neither the participants nor the researchers interacting with them know who has been assigned to which group, eliminating bias from both sides.

Question 9

How consistent the measurements are is called ______.
A) reliability
B) validity
C) trustworthiness
D) generalizability

Accepted Answer

Reliability is the term used to describe how consistent the measurements are. Validity refers to the accuracy of the measurements, trustworthiness is a broad term that includes both reliability and validity, and generalizability refers to the extent to which the findings can be applied to other populations or situations.

Question 10

The best way to design a good causal experiment (or even a good quasi-experiment) is to use ______.
A) control for sources of bias
B) published inventories
C) counterbalancing procedures
D) different test for each participant

Accepted Answer

Controlling for sources of bias is essential in designing a good causal experiment or quasi-experiment. This involves selecting appropriate control groups, randomizing participants, and minimizing confounding variables. The other options (B, C, and D) may be helpful in certain experiments, but do not necessarily guarantee a good design.

Question 11

______ validity means that on the surface, a study or scale appears to be intuitively valid.
A) Face
B) Criterion
C) Construct
D) Inter-rater

Accepted Answer

Face validity refers to the extent to which a test or scale appears to measure what it is supposed to measure on the surface. It is a subjective measure of whether the test looks valid or not.

Question 12

The simplest scale of measurement is a ______.
A) ordinal scale
B) nominal scale
C) interval scale
D) ratio scale

Accepted Answer

The nominal scale is the simplest scale of measurement as it categorizes data into distinct categories or groups without any order or ranking. The other scales (ordinal, interval, and ratio) involve some level of order or ranking among the data points.

Question 13

In the ______ design each participant experiences only one level of the independent variable.
A) within-subjects
B) between-subjects
C) across-subjects
D) all-subjects

Accepted Answer

In a between-subjects design, each participant experiences only one level of the independent variable. Within-subjects designs involve the same participants experiencing multiple levels of the independent variable, which is not the case here. Across-subjects and all-subjects are not common terms in experimental design.

Question 14

An experiment conducted in the participants' natural environment is a(n) ______ experiment.
A) environment
B) natural
C) field
D) naturalistic

Accepted Answer

A field experiment is conducted in a natural environment, such as a workplace or school. Therefore, C is the best choice for this question. Option A is too general and option B is redundant since the question already mentions natural. Option D refers to a specific type of observation method where the researcher just observes behavior without manipulating any variables, so it is not the same as a field experiment.

Question 15

Ways to minimize the Hawthorne effect does not include ______.
A) observing the participants unobtrusively
B) using deception
C) making the participants' responses in a study anonymous
D) telling participants you will be observing them

Accepted Answer

The Hawthorne effect occurs when participants alter their behavior because they are aware they are being observed. Telling participants they will be observed does not minimize this effect; rather, it may enhance their awareness and thus their altered behavior. Options A, B, and C are strategies that can help reduce the Hawthorne effect by either reducing participants' awareness of being observed or minimizing the impact of such awareness on their behavior.

Question 16

The best way to minimize regression toward the mean bias effects is to use ______ of the test for within-subjects variables.
A) several repetitions
B) blind procedure
C) repeat surveys
D) remove confounds

Accepted Answer

Several repetitions of the test for within-subjects variables can reduce the impact of random fluctuation and improve reliability, thus decreasing the regression toward the mean bias effects.

Question 17

Nominal scales are considered ______ data.
A) quantitative
B) bivalent
C) multivalent
D) qualitative

Accepted Answer

Nominal scales are used to categorize data into mutually exclusive and exhaustive categories (e.g. gender, religion, race). These categories cannot be ranked or ordered in any meaningful way, which makes nominal scales qualitative rather than quantitative.

Question 18

External validity can be reduced by ______ reducing representativeness of the study.
A) the Hawthorne effect
B) maturation
C) regression toward the mean
D) attrition

Accepted Answer

Attrition refers to participants dropping out of a study, which can create biased results and reduce the representativeness of the study. This can reduce external validity, as the findings may not generalize beyond the specific group of participants who completed the study. The Hawthorne effect, maturation, and regression toward the mean can also impact the internal validity of a study, but they do not relate as directly to the representativeness of the sample.

Question 19

Presence/absence of variables typically includes ______.
A) two levels
B) three levels
C) four levels
D) five levels

Accepted Answer

Presence/absence of a variable typically includes two levels: presence (yes) or absence (no).

Question 20

______ is a source of bias that can occur in a study due to participants changing their behavior based on their perception of the study and its purpose.
A) Demand characteristics
B) Perception characteristics
C) Bias characteristics
D) Study characteristics

Accepted Answer

Demand characteristics refer to participants' tendency to change their behavior or responses in a study because they believe they are supposed to act a certain way. This can occur when participants try to please the researcher, or when they actively try to sabotage the study by behaving in a way that they think will discredit the research. Demand characteristics can affect the validity of study results by introducing bias into the data.

Quiz 5: Variables and Measurement in Research

Any characteristic that can be measured or observed from the participants can be used to create a ______ variable in a study.

A survey response scale that involves pictorial response categories for participants with low verbal skills is a ______.

In the ______ design each participant experiences all levels of the variable.

A common interval scale is the Likert scale, where respondents are asked how much they agree or disagree with a statement on a 1 to 5 or a 1 to 7 scale.

A sugar pill given to the control group in a drug study to allow all groups to believe that they are receiving a treatment is using ______.

An independent variable that includes two levels is called a(n) ______ variable.

A procedure used to hide the group assignment from the participants in a study to prevent their beliefs about the effectiveness of a treatment from affecting the results is ______.

In a ______, both the participants and the researchers who interact with the participants do not know which participants are assigned to the different groups.

How consistent the measurements are is called ______.

The best way to design a good causal experiment (or even a good quasi-experiment) is to use ______.

______ validity means that on the surface, a study or scale appears to be intuitively valid.

The simplest scale of measurement is a ______.

In the ______ design each participant experiences only one level of the independent variable.

An experiment conducted in the participants' natural environment is a(n) ______ experiment.

Ways to minimize the Hawthorne effect does not include ______.

The best way to minimize regression toward the mean bias effects is to use ______ of the test for within-subjects variables.

Nominal scales are considered ______ data.

External validity can be reduced by ______ reducing representativeness of the study.

Presence/absence of variables typically includes ______.

______ is a source of bias that can occur in a study due to participants changing their behavior based on their perception of the study and its purpose.