A researcher investigated the relationship between self-esteem and choice of a partner in a "getting acquainted" situation. To do this, she had students take a personality test and then she gave them feedback (based on random assignment) indicating either that the test found them to be "mature, insightful, and socially skilled" or "immature, inflexible, and overly critical." After receiving this feedback, students chose a partner to interact with by looking at photos of people of the opposite sex who were either high or low in physical attractiveness. The study just described is a(n) __________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an experiment because the researcher manipulated the independent variable (feedback given to the students) and measured the effects on the dependent variable (choice of partner). Random assignment was also used to ensure that the results were not simply due to pre-existing differences in self-esteem between the participants.

A Researcher Investigated the Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Choice of a Partner