Question 1

Jan completes a test called "Your Skill as a Lover" in Cosmopolitan magazine.The test has questions like "what is your favorite color?" and "what kind of pet do you have?" She scores very low and is quite upset.You tell Jan that she should not be upset because the test
A) probably isn't applicable to her age group.
B) is unlikely to be reliable.
C) wasn't written by a psychologist.
D) is unlikely to be a valid measure of skill as a lover.

Accepted Answer

The test is unlikely to be a valid measure of skill as a lover as it consists of questions that do not directly relate to one's ability as a lover. Thus, Jan should not be upset with her score on the test.

Question 2

The variable that is measured by the researcher in an experiment is the
A) independent variable.
B) naturalistic variable.
C) dependent variable.
D) random variable.

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable that is measured or observed by the researcher in an experiment. It is the variable that is affected or influenced by the independent variable.

Question 3

Which of the following is the main advantage of experiments?
A) The researcher can make causal statements.
B) The research is ecologically valid.
C) The findings generalize to other situations.
D) They allow the researcher to generate many hypotheses.

Accepted Answer

The main advantage of experiments is that the researcher can establish cause-and-effect relationships because they can manipulate the independent variable and control other factors that could influence the dependent variable.

Question 4

As the outside temperate goes down,use of home heating oil in New England goes up.This relationship between temperature and heating oil use is an example of a
A) positive correlation.
B) negative correlation.
C) zero correlation.
D) reverse causal relationship.

Accepted Answer

A negative correlation exists when one variable increases as the other decreases. In this case, as the outside temperature decreases, the use of home heating oil increases, indicating a negative correlation.

Question 5

When a researcher can make strong conclusions that the independent variable caused changes in the dependent variable,the study has high ________.
A) complexity
B) external validity
C) internal validity
D) experimenter bias

Accepted Answer

Internal validity refers to the extent to which a study is able to demonstrate a causal relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable while ruling out other potential explanations for the results. If a study has high internal validity, the researcher can confidently conclude that the independent variable caused changes in the dependent variable. Complexity, external validity, and experimenter bias are not directly related to the ability to draw causal conclusions in a study.

Question 6

Which of the following could be considered a limitation to the experimental method?
A) The laboratory settings can be very artificial.
B) The researcher can't make causal statements.
C) The researcher has very little control over what happens in the study.
D) The researcher can't manipulate the independent variable.

Accepted Answer

The laboratory settings may not be representative of real-life situations, and therefore may limit the generalizability of findings to the real world.

Answer: B 
 While the experimental method can establish cause and effect relationships, there may be other factors that could influence the results that the researcher cannot control or account for, leading to limitations in making causal statements.

Answer: C 
 The researcher typically has a lot of control over the study and the conditions in which it takes place, but there may be some factors that cannot be fully controlled or accounted for, which could limit the internal validity of the study.

Answer: D 
 The ability to manipulate the independent variable is a key feature of the experimental method, and without this ability, the study may adopt a weaker design and result in limited conclusions.

Question 7

A researcher wants to conduct an experiment to examine the effect of looking at fashion models on women's self-image.She has ten women from a psychology class come in and look at female models,and has ten women from a different class look at pictures of regular females.She then measures the self-esteem of the women in both groups.What is the problem with this design?
A) Self-esteem isn't a measure of self-image.
B) Men aren't included in her study.
C) Looking at models has no effect on women's self-image.
D) Participants are not randomly assigned to condition.

Accepted Answer

The problem with this design is that participants are not randomly assigned to conditions. This can result in confounding variables, making it difficult to determine if any observed differences in self-esteem between the two groups are due to the manipulation or other factors. Random assignment helps to ensure that any differences between groups are due to the manipulation of interest.

Question 8

Randomly assigning participants to condition allows the researcher to minimize the effects of
A) demand characteristics.
B) the experimental treatments.
C) systematic differences between the groups.
D) placebos.

Accepted Answer

Randomly assigning participants to conditions helps to ensure that there are no systematic differences between the groups at the start of the study. This can help to control for extraneous variables and increase the internal validity of the study. While random assignment may also help to minimize the effects of demand characteristics and experimental treatments, these are not the primary reasons for using random assignment. Placebos are typically only used in studies that involve some kind of medication or treatment, and are not relevant to all types of research.

Question 9

Which of the following correlation coefficients expresses the weakest relationship between two variables?
A) -1.00
B) +.33
C) +.03
D) +.41

Accepted Answer

The correlation coefficient of +.03 is the closest to 0, indicating the weakest relationship between the two variables. A correlation coefficient of -1.00 would indicate a perfect negative relationship, +.33 and +.41 both indicate moderate positive relationships between the two variables.

Question 10

In which type of study do researchers manipulate one factor while holding others constant?
A) correlational
B) multivariate
C) experimental
D) empirical

Accepted Answer

In an experimental study, researchers manipulate one factor (the independent variable) while holding others constant in order to observe its effects on another factor (the dependent variable). This allows them to test causal relationships between variables.

Question 11

Which of the following correlation coefficients expresses the strongest relationship between two variables?
A) -1.00
B) +.33
C) +.03
D) +.41

Accepted Answer

A correlation coefficient of -1.00 represents a perfect negative correlation, meaning that as one variable increases, the other variable decreases in a completely linear, predictable way. This indicates the strongest relationship between two variables.

Question 12

A researcher finds a correlation of -.75 between hours of television watched per week and GPA among high school students.What can the researcher conclude?
A) Watching television causes kids to get bad grades in high school.
B) Smart kids don't watch television.
C) As hours of television watched per week increases, GPA decreases.
D) Having a lower GPA causes kids to watch more television.

Accepted Answer

The negative correlation coefficient (-.75) indicates that as hours of television watched per week increases, GPA decreases. However, correlation does not equal causation, so it would be incorrect to conclude that watching television causes kids to get bad grades in high school. Option B is incorrect because there is no evidence to support the claim that smart kids don't watch television. Option D is incorrect because there is no evidence to support the claim that having a lower GPA causes kids to watch more television.

Question 13

If you observe a correlation between 2 variables,A and B,then you can assume that
A) A may cause B.
B) B may cause A.
C) A third variable C may cause both A and B.
D) Any of the above is possible.

Accepted Answer

While observing a correlation between two variables, it is not possible to assume causation. It could be possible that A causes B, B causes A, or a third variable C causes both A and B. Hence, any of the above options could be possible. Therefore, the correct choice is D.

Question 14

Mann (1981)found a significant positive correlation between crowd size and suicide baiting.What is the most correct way to interpret Mann's findings?
A) People in large crowds feel anonymous and it causes them to bait.
B) Once suicide baiting starts, it causes a crowd to gather.
C) There is no relationship between crowd size and suicide baiting.
D) As crowd size increases, suicide baiting increases.

Accepted Answer

Mann's findings showed a significant positive correlation between crowd size and suicide baiting, indicating that as crowd size increases, suicide baiting also increases. This suggests that there is a relationship between the two variables.

Question 15

To study the effects of aging,Professor Drake compares the reaction times of 60-year-olds with those of 30-year-olds.She tests all younger subjects in the morning,and all older subjects in the afternoon.She concludes that aging causes a decline in the speed of responses.This study lacks ________ because of potential ________.
A) external validity; demand characteristics
B) external validity; confounds
C) internal validity; demand characteristics
D) internal validity; confounds

Accepted Answer

This study lacks internal validity because it is not controlling for potential confounds, such as time of day. By testing younger subjects in the morning and older subjects in the afternoon, the results could be influenced by differences in alertness or fatigue rather than age. Therefore, it is not possible to determine if the observed decline in reaction time is due to aging or another factor.

Question 16

In a study by Phillip Zimbardo,women were either disguised or in regular clothing with name tags.The amount of shock they administered to another person was then measured.The dependent variable in this experiment was
A) the type of dress the women wore.
B) whether or not the women wore name tags.
C) the amount of shock they administered.
D) the amount of time the women waited before delivering the shock.

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable in this experiment was the amount of shock administered by the women, as this is the variable that was being measured and analyzed for differences between the two groups of women (disguised vs. regular clothing with name tags). The other variables (types of dress and name tag usage, and time waited before delivering the shock) are independent variables, as they were manipulated by the experimenter to see if they affected the dependent variable.

Question 17

When every participant in an experiment has an equally likely chance of receiving any one of the treatments,the researcher is using
A) independent assignment.
B) random assignment.
C) direct assignment to condition.
D) systematic assignment.

Accepted Answer

Random assignment ensures that every participant has an equally likely chance of receiving any one of the treatments, therefore reducing the chance of bias and increasing the generalizability of the results. Independent assignment, direct assignment to condition, and systematic assignment do not necessarily ensure randomization and can lead to bias.

Question 18

You weigh 150 pounds.You step on the scale at the gym and it says you weigh 180.You weigh yourself on the same scale the next three days and each time it says you weigh 180.The scale at the gym appears to be a measure that is ________,but not ________.
A) valid; accurate
B) reliable; valid
C) definitive; accurate
D) valid; reliable

Accepted Answer

The scale is reliable because it consistently gives the same measurement (180 pounds) every time you use it, indicating consistency in its readings. However, it is not valid in this context because it does not accurately measure your true weight (150 pounds), meaning the scale's readings do not reflect the actual value they're supposed to measure.

Question 19

Dr.Street wants to measure the effects of watching a movie on mood.He asks students to select either a comedy or a tragedy to watch in a controlled setting.He administers a mood test afterward and finds that the comedy group is significantly happier than the tragedy group.Dr.Street cannot make a causal statement about the effects of movies on mood because
A) he failed to manipulate a variable.
B) he failed to include a dependent variable.
C) he failed to randomly assign participants.
D) he found no correlation between movie and mood.

Accepted Answer

Dr.Street did not randomly assign participants to the comedy or tragedy group, which means that there could be confounding variables that affect the results. Therefore, he cannot make a causal statement about the effects of movies on mood.

Question 20

The variable that is manipulated by the researcher in an experiment is the
A) independent variable.
B) naturalistic variable.
C) dependent variable.
D) random variable.

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the variable that is intentionally manipulated by the researcher in order to observe its effect on the dependent variable. It is the variable that is under the control of the researcher. The other choices do not accurately describe the variable that is manipulated in an experiment.

Quiz 1: Introduction to Social Psychology

Jan completes a test called "Your Skill as a Lover" in Cosmopolitan magazine.The test has questions like "what is your favorite color?" and "what kind of pet do you have?" She scores very low and is quite upset.You tell Jan that she should not be upset because the test

The variable that is measured by the researcher in an experiment is the

Which of the following is the main advantage of experiments?

As the outside temperate goes down,use of home heating oil in New England goes up.This relationship between temperature and heating oil use is an example of a

When a researcher can make strong conclusions that the independent variable caused changes in the dependent variable,the study has high ________.

Which of the following could be considered a limitation to the experimental method?

Randomly assigning participants to condition allows the researcher to minimize the effects of

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

In which type of study do researchers manipulate one factor while holding others constant?

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

A researcher finds a correlation of -.75 between hours of television watched per week and GPA among high school students.What can the researcher conclude?

If you observe a correlation between 2 variables,A and B,then you can assume that

Mann (1981) found a significant positive correlation between crowd size and suicide baiting.What is the most correct way to interpret Mann's findings?

In a study by Phillip Zimbardo,women were either disguised or in regular clothing with name tags.The amount of shock they administered to another person was then measured.The dependent variable in this experiment was

When every participant in an experiment has an equally likely chance of receiving any one of the treatments,the researcher is using

You weigh 150 pounds.You step on the scale at the gym and it says you weigh 180.You weigh yourself on the same scale the next three days and each time it says you weigh 180.The scale at the gym appears to be a measure that is ,but not .

The variable that is manipulated by the researcher in an experiment is the