Question 1

Andrea is studying the conditions under which people become attracted to each other.She invites male research participants to visit the lab and interact briefly with an attractive person (a paid research assistant).By flipping a coin,Andrea places participants in one of two conditions: (1)The conversation occurs without incident,or (2)There is a brief blackout in the research lab during the conversation.At the end of each session,the attractive research assistant gives the research participant her home phone number and invites him to call her later.In this study,whether the research participant calls the number is the:
A) operationalization of the dependent variable.
B) operationalization of the independent variable.
C) control variable.
D) predictor variable.

Accepted Answer

The operationalization of the dependent variable is the outcome or behavior that the study is measuring, which in this case is whether or not the research participant calls the given phone number. This is the variable that is influenced by the independent variable (the blackout condition) and is ultimately what the study is interested in examining.

Question 2

The disadvantage to _____ measures is that responses may be weakly correlated with the specific construct of interest.
A) indirect
B) physiological
C) observational
D) self-report

Accepted Answer

Indirect measures rely on cues or behaviors that are assumed to reflect the construct being measured, but these cues may not be strongly correlated with the construct. For example, inferring intelligence from the number of books a person owns may not be a strong indicator of actual intelligence. Physiological measures, observational measures, and self-report measures can all have a stronger direct correlation with the construct being measured.

Question 3

Self-report measures that ask about a wide range of emotions or behaviors associated with a specific topic are considered _____ measures.
A) global
B) omnibus
C) self
D) indirect

Accepted Answer

Omnibus measures refer to self-report measures that ask about a wide range of emotions or behaviors associated with a specific topic. The term "omnibus" means "covering many things," which accurately describes this type of measure. Global measures, on the other hand, typically refer to measures of a more general construct or concept, and may not be specific to a particular topic. Self-measures simply indicate that the measure is completed by the individual being assessed, and indirect measures refer to measures that do not directly measure the construct of interest, but instead measure something related to it.

Question 4

Wei-Chin designed a self-report inventory to measure how intimate partners express affection and hostility toward each other.The inventory is a list of positive behaviors (e.g. ,back rubs,holding hands)and negative behaviors (e.g. ,slamming doors,raising voices).After a wide range of couples completed the inventory,Wei-Chin found that happy couples endorsed all the affection items and unhappy couples endorsed all the hostile items.Which of the following problems prevents Wei-Chin from concluding that happy couples exchange more affectionate behaviors than unhappy couples?
A) sentiment override
B) item-overlap problem
C) correlation does not imply causation
D) social desirability effect

Accepted Answer

The answer of Wei-Chin designed a self-report inventory to measure...

Question 5

You and your friend are discussing what it means to be in love.You think that being in love means that you put your partner's needs above your own,whereas your friend thinks that it means that you want to spend the rest of your life with that person.Given this,you and your friend obviously differ in your:
A) self-report.
B) operationalization.
C) psychological construct.
D) observation.

Accepted Answer

The two individuals are using different operationalizations (definitions) of what it means to be in love. One person's definition focuses on behavior (putting their partner's needs first), while the other focuses on a long-term commitment (wanting to spend the rest of their life together).

Question 6

You are designing an exploratory study on couples who have polyamorous relationships (i.e. ,they have multiple committed relationships at one time).There is very little research in this area,and not much is known about how these couples manage their relationships.Which research approach would be the most appropriate for this new research area?
A) qualitative research
B) observational research
C) correlational research
D) experimental research

Accepted Answer

Because there is very little research in this area and not much is known about how polyamorous couples manage their relationships, a qualitative approach would be most appropriate. Qualitative research allows for in-depth exploration and understanding of a specific phenomenon or experience, which is necessary for this new area of research. Therefore, conducting interviews or focus groups with a sample of polyamorous couples would be the most appropriate approach.

Question 7

Carly and Joan are very happy in their relationship and have been together for a long time.When you ask Carly how often Joan says "I love you," Carly responds that Joan says it almost every day.This is surprising: Joan tells you that she rarely says "I love you" because she reserves those words for special occasions.Why might Carly's report be so different from Joan's?
A) social desirability effect
B) sentiment override
C) prospective bias
D) reactivity

Accepted Answer

Sentiment override refers to the phenomenon where an individual's overall emotional feeling about their partner or relationship can influence their perception of specific behaviors or statements. In this case, Carly's positive feelings about the relationship and Joan might lead her to perceive Joan's expressions of love as more frequent than they actually are, because her overall sentiment towards Joan and their relationship is overriding her perception of specific instances.

Question 8

For Sally's study,one member of a set of married couples carried voice-activated digital recorders for 2 weeks and both spouses made relationship satisfaction ratings at the end of each day.The recordings contained a lot of meaningless information,but they also contained daily conversations that the spouses had with each other.Sally analyzed the conversations and examined whether the positive and negative behaviors on each day predicted the relationship satisfaction ratings on subsequent days.What kind of research is this?
A) home-based observational and cross-sectional
B) home-based observational and experimental
C) home-based observational and correlational
D) daily diary approach and experimental

Accepted Answer

The research is home-based observational because the participating couples carried digital recorders in their home environment. It is correlational because Sally examined whether positive and negative behaviors were related to subsequent relationship satisfaction ratings, without manipulating the behaviors or randomly assigning participants to conditions. Finally, the study is not experimental because there was no manipulation of an independent variable.

Question 9

Jacobson and Moore (1981)found that a spouse's rating of a partner's behavior on the Spouse Observation Checklist often did not match the partner's own rating of his or her behaviors.This study suggested that the Spouse Observation Checklist may have a problem with ________.
A) construct validity
B) operationalization
C) reliability
D) reactivity

Accepted Answer

The study found that the Spouse Observation Checklist did not accurately measure what it was intended to measure, indicating a problem with construct validity.

Question 10

A researcher is surveying men about partner behaviors that are potentially annoying.When presented with a list of possibly annoying behaviors and asked to rate their tolerance of these behaviors that have occurred in the current relationship,respondents indicate a high level of tolerance for all behaviors,even the most annoying ones.What phenomenon might these responses illustrate?
A) inaccurate recall
B) reactivity
C) social desirability effect
D) cognitive editing

Accepted Answer

The high level of tolerance for all behaviors, including the most annoying ones, suggests that respondents may be affected by social desirability bias, which means they may choose to present themselves in a socially desirable way even if their true feelings are different. This may lead them to under-report the degree to which they find certain behaviors annoying in order to appear more accepting and agreeable.

Question 11

You are designing an exploratory study on couples who have polyamorous relationships (i.e. ,they have multiple committed relationships at one time).There is very little research in this area,and not much is known about how these couples manage their relationships.What kind of measurement strategy would be the most appropriate for this new research area?
A) fixed-response scales
B) observational measures
C) global measures
D) open-ended questionnaires

Accepted Answer

Since there is very little research in this area, and not much is known about how these couples manage their relationships, open-ended questionnaires would be the most appropriate measurement strategy. This would allow participants to provide detailed and nuanced responses about their experiences and relationship management strategies. Fixed-response scales, observational measures, and global measures may not capture the complexity and variation of polyamorous relationships.

Question 12

Kahni has developed a measure of conflict,and she is using participants' frequency of conflict to predict their relationship satisfaction.She is assessing relationship satisfaction with the Marital Adjustment Test,which is a self-report measure of satisfaction that taps into how spouses resolve disagreements,how much spouses confide in each other,and how much spouses agree about various topics.Which of the following is NOT a potential problem with using the Marital Adjustment Test in Kahni's study?
A) poor construct validity
B) reactivity
C) social desirability effect
D) sentiment override

Accepted Answer

The Marital Adjustment Test, being a self-report measure, is less likely to cause reactivity, which refers to participants altering their behavior due to the awareness of being observed or studied. The other options (A, C, D) are potential issues with self-report measures, especially in the context of assessing relationship satisfaction.

Question 13

Your professor is interested in doing a quick study on understanding how watching Netflix with or without one's partner may be associated with relationship satisfaction.The grant your professor received was for $200,and she needs to have the results within 3 months.What type of measurement strategy would you suggest she use?
A) physiological measures
B) indirect measures
C) observational measures
D) self-report measures

Accepted Answer

Self-report measures would be the most appropriate and practical for this study as participants can easily report on their own relationship satisfaction and their Netflix-watching habits with or without their partner. It is also a cost-effective method and can be completed within the given timeframe.

Question 14

Andy decides to use the number of times per week research participants talk to their partners as a measure of relationship closeness.According to the chapter on research methods,"how many times per week research participants talk to their partners" is ________.
A) an imaginary construct
B) the operationalization of a psychological construct
C) the predictor variable
D) a psychological construct

Accepted Answer

"How many times per week research participants talk to their partners" is an operationalization of the psychological construct of relationship closeness, as it is a measurable way to assess the concept.

Question 15

Which of the following is a limitation of self-report data in the study of couples?
A) Self-report questionnaires are generally unreliable.
B) Self-report questionnaires are often invalid.
C) Self-report questionnaires cannot capture interactions between partners.
D) When asked to report on their relationship,partners often agree about their interactions.

Accepted Answer

Self-report questionnaires can only capture the individual's perception of their relationship, but cannot capture the actual interactions and behaviors between partners. This limits the accuracy and completeness of the data collected.

Question 16

The measurement of agreement between independent observers,who are studying behaviors that require some interpretation on the part of the observer,is called ________.
A) reactivity
B) construct validity
C) correlation
D) reliability

Accepted Answer

The measurement of agreement between independent observers, who are studying behaviors that require some interpretation on the part of the observer, is referred to as inter-observer or inter-rater reliability. Therefore, choice D is the correct answer. Reactivity refers to the phenomenon where participants modify their behavior in response to being observed or studied, while construct validity refers to the extent to which a measure assesses the intended construct or concept. Correlation refers to the measure of the relationship between two variables.

Question 17

Andy decides to use the number of times per week research participants talk to their partners as a measure of relationship closeness.According to the chapter on research methods,"closeness" is ________.
A) an imaginary construct
B) the operationalization of a psychological construct
C) the predictor variable
D) a psychological construct

Accepted Answer

"Closeness" is a psychological construct, which refers to a concept or characteristic that cannot be measured directly but is inferred from the behavior or responses of individuals.

Question 18

You design a questionnaire where you first ask participants to briefly describe how they met their current romantic partners,and then you ask them to rate,on a scale of 1 to 7,how satisfied they are in their relationships.The first part of the questionnaire is an example of ________ and the second part is an example of ________.
A) a fixed-response scale;open-ended questions
B) open-ended questions;a fixed-response scale
C) open-ended questions;qualitative research
D) qualitative research;correlational research

Accepted Answer

The first part of the questionnaire, where participants are asked to briefly describe how they met their current romantic partners, is an open-ended question. The second part of the questionnaire, where participants are asked to rate their satisfaction in their relationships on a scale of 1 to 7, is a fixed-response scale. Therefore, option B - open-ended questions; a fixed-response scale - is the correct answer.

Question 19

According to the chapter on research methods,which of the following is FALSE?
A) Operationalization refers to the translation of an abstract idea into something concrete and measurable.
B) A specific measure that does not represent a concept very well is said to lack construct operationalization.
C) If a specific measure represents an abstract concept well,it has high construct validity.
D) We cannot directly measure abstract ideas,so they must be made observable or concrete.

Accepted Answer

The statement in option B is false. It should be "a specific measure that does not represent a concept very well is said to lack construct validity" instead of "construct operationalization". Construct operationalization refers to the process of defining and developing a measure for an abstract concept.

Question 20

Specific predictions suggested by ________ are called ________.
A) theories;hypotheses
B) hypotheses;theories
C) theories;data
D) data;hypotheses

Accepted Answer

Theories generate specific predictions called hypotheses, which can then be tested through research.

Quiz 3: Research Methods

The disadvantage to _____ measures is that responses may be weakly correlated with the specific construct of interest.

Self-report measures that ask about a wide range of emotions or behaviors associated with a specific topic are considered _____ measures.

Jacobson and Moore (1981) found that a spouse's rating of a partner's behavior on the Spouse Observation Checklist often did not match the partner's own rating of his or her behaviors.This study suggested that the Spouse Observation Checklist may have a problem with ________.

Andy decides to use the number of times per week research participants talk to their partners as a measure of relationship closeness.According to the chapter on research methods,"how many times per week research participants talk to their partners" is ________.

Which of the following is a limitation of self-report data in the study of couples?

The measurement of agreement between independent observers,who are studying behaviors that require some interpretation on the part of the observer,is called ________.

Andy decides to use the number of times per week research participants talk to their partners as a measure of relationship closeness.According to the chapter on research methods,"closeness" is ________.

According to the chapter on research methods,which of the following is FALSE?

Specific predictions suggested by are called .