Question 1

When researchers collect data in a study, if they unconsciously code a person's behavior to match their expectations, we say there is

Accepted Answer

Observer bias refers to the tendency of researchers to unconsciously code or interpret behavior in a way that confirms their expectations or hypotheses. This can result in inaccurate or biased data collection. A directionality problem refers to uncertainty about the direction of cause and effect in a correlation, a sampling error occurs when a sample is not representative of the population, and reactivity refers to changes in behavior due to being observed or studied.

Question 2

Socially desirable responding is a potential problem in research because it may

Accepted Answer

Socially desirable responding occurs when participants respond in a way they believe will be viewed favorably by others, rather than providing accurate responses. This can interfere with the integrity of data by skewing results and making it difficult to accurately interpret findings. It can also lead to biased or inaccurate conclusions if researchers unknowingly rely on data that has been distorted by socially desirable responding.

Question 3

When a researcher manipulates a variable to see what effect the manipulation has on a study participant's behavior, the research design involves

Accepted Answer

Manipulating a variable to observe the effect on behavior is the hallmark of an experimental design. In a correlational study, variables are simply measured and no direct manipulation occurs. Naturalistic observation involves observing behavior in a natural environment without manipulating any variables. Participant observation involves the researcher becoming a participant in the observed behavior, rather than manipulating any variables. Therefore, the best choice is B) an experiment.

Question 4

When a researcher's bias affects the coding of data, there is a problem with

Accepted Answer

Experimenter expectancy refers to the expectation that the researcher has for a particular outcome, which can influence the coding of data. This bias can lead to inaccurate or inconsistent coding, and can negatively impact the results of a study. The other options listed (Hawthorne effect, third variable, confounds) refer to different issues in research and do not relate directly to the coding of data.

Question 5

In scientific research, a researcher's expectations about a study can lead to systematic errors in observation.This phenomenon is called

Accepted Answer

Observer bias refers to the systematic errors in observation that occur due to a researcher's expectations about a study. These expectations can influence how data is collected, analyzed, and interpreted, leading to flawed conclusions. The other options (B, C, and D) refer to different concepts in scientific research and are not directly related to the phenomenon of observer bias.

Question 6

Samir is conducting a correlational study, and he cannot determine whether one variable causes another.One reason for this indetermination is that the additional variables that he did not study could influence the variables he did study.This result reflects the problem with

Accepted Answer

This situation is an example of the third variable problem, where there may be other variables that influence both the variables being studied, making it difficult to determine causality.

Question 7

In correlational studies, it is always possible that an unmeasured variable is responsible for the relation of interest.This complication is known as

Accepted Answer

The third variable problem arises when an unmeasured variable is responsible for the relationship observed between the two measured variables. This alternative explanation makes it difficult to determine if the relationship between the two variables of interest is truly causal or if it is the result of this unmeasured variable. This is also sometimes called a confounding variable or a spurious relationship.

Question 8

Which of the following is likely to be associated with observer bias?

Accepted Answer

Experimenter expectancy is the tendency of the researcher to unconsciously influence the results of the study by having preconceived notions or expectations about the outcome. This can lead to observer bias where the researcher sees what they expect to see rather than what is actually happening.

Question 9

The psychologist Robert Rosenthal told student researchers that some rats in a study would learn a task quickly and others would learn the task slowly.In reality, there was no difference in the rats' abilities to learn the task.When the students tested the rats, the animals' learning matched what the students were told.These results reflect the

Accepted Answer

This scenario describes the experimenter expectancy effect, which occurs when the expectations of the experimenter inadvertently influence the results of the study. In this case, Robert Rosenthal's expectation that some rats would learn the task quickly and others would learn slowly may have influenced the way the student researchers interacted with the rats or interpreted their behavior, leading to the observed results.

Question 10

The variable that a researcher manipulates in an experiment is called the

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the variable that a researcher intentionally manipulates in an experiment to measure the effect on the dependent variable.

Question 11

When two variables are correlated, it is not clear which one is a causal variable and which is an effect. This ambiguity reflects

Accepted Answer

The directionality problem arises when it is unclear whether changes in one variable are causing changes in the other variable or vice versa. Therefore, when two variables are correlated, it is not clear which one is a causal variable and which is an effect, leading to the directionality problem.

Question 12

Researchers are likely to choose a correlational design when

Accepted Answer

Correlational designs are often chosen when researchers cannot manipulate the variables of interest due to ethical concerns, practical limitations, or the intrinsic nature of the variables, making it impossible to control them directly.

Question 13

In correlational studies, we cannot interpret which variable may be the cause and which variable may be the effect.This phenomenon is known as

Accepted Answer

The directionality problem occurs in correlational studies because we cannot determine which variable is causing the other. It is possible that one variable is causing the other, or they may both be caused by a third variable. However, without experimental manipulation, we cannot determine the direction of the causal relationship. Observer bias and experimenter expectancy effects refer to potential sources of error in research design, while the third variable problem is related to the presence of a confounding variable that may be causing a correlation between the two measured variables.

Question 14

In which of the following types of study do researchers examine the extent to which variables are naturally related in the real world that is, there is NO attempt by the researcher to influence the relation among the variables)?

Accepted Answer

Correlational studies examine the relationship between variables in the real world without attempting to manipulate them. This type of study is useful in identifying associations and patterns but cannot determine causality.

Question 15

Gwen is studying the effects of comedic film on depressed participants.She is concerned that the data collectors will produce biased observations if they know the purpose of the study.She should address this problem by using an) study.

Accepted Answer

A blind study would help mitigate observer bias by ensuring that the data collectors are unaware of the purpose of the study. This would reduce the likelihood of them subconsciously altering their observations to fit the expected results. Correlational studies would not address this issue, experimental studies may still have observer bias despite randomization and controls, and descriptive studies do not involve data collection from observers.

Question 16

If a researcher collecting data does NOT know a study's hypothesis, the study is a study.

Accepted Answer

If a researcher collecting data does not know the study's hypothesis, it is considered a blind study. This is because the researcher is "blind" to the expected outcome and remains unbiased in their data collection, reducing the potential for researcher bias. Confounded studies involve extraneous variables that may interfere with the results, meta-analytic studies are a type of research synthesis, and reactivity refers to changes in behavior that result from awareness of being observed or studied.

Question 17

In observational studies, participants sometimes show reactivity.A related phenomenon in self-report studies is called

Accepted Answer

Socially desirable responding refers to participants providing responses that they believe are socially acceptable or desirable, rather than their true thoughts or behaviors. This can cause biases in self-report studies, similar to the biases that reactivity can cause in observational studies. Participant observation and experimenter expectancy refer to different phenomena than reactivity and socially desirable responding, and the third variable problem refers to a different type of research design issue.

Question 18

A researcher interested in pigeon behavior discovers that the pigeons behave differently whenever they are being observed by a research assistant.This is called

Accepted Answer

The answer of A researcher interested in pigeon behavior discovers...

Question 19

Using correlational studies, Dr.Shemmassian studies whether exposure to violence in the media leads to violent behavior.Suppose she finds that participants who have been exposed to more violence in the media are, in general, more violent, but it is not clear which one causes the other.The problem in interpreting her results involves

Accepted Answer

The problem with interpreting the results is directionality, meaning it is unclear whether exposure to violence in the media leads to violent behavior or vice versa. This makes it difficult to establish causality between the two variables. Selection bias, sampling error, and confounds may also be issues, but they are not specifically mentioned in the scenario provided.

Question 20

There is a correlation between depression and memory: When people suffer from depression frequently, they often display worse memory than people who suffer from depression less frequently.Genetics, however, may have an effect on a study participant's depression and memory.This combination of factors is known as

Accepted Answer

The combination of multiple factors (genetics and frequency of depression) affecting the relationship between depression and memory suggests the presence of a third variable problem. This means that there may be another variable that is influencing both depression frequency and memory, making it difficult to determine causality between depression and memory impairment.

Quiz 2: Research Methodology