Question 1

A researcher creates an online survey to measure flaming (aggressive commentary)on the Internet.The survey is distributed by mailing a web link to randomly selected users of the largest social media service in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Israel.The survey is in English and is sent to 3200 users with a 25% return rate.The questions include "Are you a troll?" and "Do you flame people for the lulz or do they just deserve it?" as well as a standard inventory measuring aggression.The researchers conclude that flaming is higher in the United Kingdom but aggression is higher in Australia.Which of the following statements is true?
A)The study employs a double-barreled question in order to prevent social desirability effects.
B)The study employs a double-barreled question and that is a problem because it is difficult to interpret the answers to such questions.
C)The study employs a double-barreled question and that is a problem because it increases social desirability.
D)The study employs a double-barreled question and that is a problem because it increases non-response.
E)The study does not employ a double-barreled question.

Accepted Answer

The study employs a double-barreled question ("Do you flame people for the lulz or do they just deserve it?") which asks about two separate constructs (motivation for flaming and whether the other person deserves it) and makes it difficult to interpret the answers to such questions. This is a common problem with double-barreled questions.

Question 2

"A specified body of numerical information obtained from a given piece of research." What is this a glossary definition of?
A)A sampling distribution.
B)A descriptive summary.
C)A data file.
D)A data set.
E)A descriptive file.

Accepted Answer

The definition given best fits a data set, which refers to a collection of numerical information obtained from a specific research project or study.

Question 3

"The failure to obtain responses in circumstances where a person is selected from the population but does not actually participate in the survey." What does this glossary entry define?
A)Random error.
B)Undersampling.
C)Missing data.
D)Non-response.
E)Non-specific withdrawal.

Accepted Answer

The glossary entry defines non-response, where a selected individual does not participate in the survey, leading to missing data.

Question 4

"A scheme for converting responses into numerical values.This means is that, when describing results, numbers can be used rather than words." What is this a glossary definition of?
A)Code.
B)Numericalization.
C)Scoring.
D)Score.
E)Conversion.

Accepted Answer

The definition describes the process of assigning numerical values to responses, which is known as "coding."

Question 5

A television news programme conducts a poll in which it asks viewers to phone in and express their views about the current government environmental policy.The results of the survey show that 19% of the 6,000 viewers who ring in support the policy.Which of the following statements is true?
A)The results of this study can only be generalized to people who watch news programmes.
B)The results of this study can only be generalized to people who own a television.
C)The results of this study can only be generalized to people who care about the death penalty.
D)The results of this study can only be generalized to people who do not support the government.
E)None of the above.

Accepted Answer

The survey's methodology, which involves self-selection by viewers who choose to phone in, limits the generalizability of the results. It does not specifically allow for generalization to broader groups such as all news watchers, TV owners, or those with specific views on unrelated topics like the death penalty or government support.

Question 6

A forensic psychologist conducts a study of fear of crime and crime rates in a small city.His hypothesis is that fear of crime is high in areas with moderate crime rates and low in areas with low and high crime rates.Using a map of housing to create a sampling frame he mails a questionnaire to a random sample of 100 residents in six areas: two with moderate crime rates, two with low crime rates and two with high crime rates.Of the 600 questionnaires 350 are returned (180 in the low crime areas, 100 in the moderate crime areas, and 70 in the high crime areas).Which of the following statements is false?
A)The study uses a simple random sample.
B)The study uses a simple random sample because it uses probability sampling.
C)The study could be said to use a simple random sample if the areas had equal-size populations but even if they did the varying return rates complicate the matter.
D)The study uses a simple random sample especially because fear makes people behave erratically.
E)All of the above, except (d).

Accepted Answer

The study does not use a simple random sample because it involves stratification by crime rate areas and does not ensure that every individual in the population has an equal chance of being selected due to the varying return rates and the selection of specific areas. Choice D is incorrect because the presence of fear and its impact on behavior does not justify the use of a simple random sample in this context.

Question 7

In response to a wave of mass killings, a political psychologist sets up an online study to examine attitudes towards gun control in the United States.The study involves collecting a sample of 40,000 Internet users recruited throughout all 50 states using advertisements on political discussion and news sites and including an equal number of men and women and an equal number of supporters of the two main political parties.The survey shows that a large majority favour tighter gun controls.Which of the following statements is false?
A)This is a longitudinal study because it follows a wave of killings.
B)This study has some similar characteristics to the Literary Digest study conducted in the 1950s.
C)Although the study may not tell us what the level of support for gun control is it could still be useful for studying relationships between variables.
D)With a clear sampling frame this design could be adapted to use probability sampling.
E)It is not clear from the description what the independent variables are.

Accepted Answer

The study is not longitudinal because it only involves collecting data at one point in time, rather than at multiple points over a longer period.

Question 8

"A survey research procedure whereby experimental manipulations are included.The most obvious form involves randomly selected participants receiving different questionnaires." What procedure is this a glossary definition of?
A)The split-ballot technique
B)Randomization.
C)Survey maniplation.
D)Experimental maniplation.
E)Matching.

Accepted Answer

The definition describes the split-ballot technique, where different versions of a questionnaire are given to randomly selected participants to test the effect of changes in the questionnaire on the responses.

Question 9

A forensic psychologist conducts a study of fear of crime and crime rates in a small city.His hypothesis is that fear of crime is high in areas with moderate crime rates and low in areas with low and high crime rates.Using a map of housing to create a sampling frame he mails a questionnaire to a random sample of 100 residents in six areas: two with moderate crime rates, two with low crime rates and two with high crime rates.Of the 600 questionnaires 350 are returned (180 in the low-crime areas, 100 in the moderate-crime areas, and 70 in the high-crime areas).Which of the following statements is true?
A)The study uses probability sampling.
B)The study uses convenience sampling.
C)The study uses quota sampling.
D)The study uses alpha sampling.
E)The study uses mean distribution sampling.

Accepted Answer

The study uses probability sampling because the researcher created a sampling frame using a map of housing and randomly selected 100 residents from that frame. Additionally, the response rate of 58%, while not ideal, is high enough to ensure a representative sample.

Question 10

A media psychologist conducts a study of adolescent television viewing and its effects on violent behaviour.He recruits a sample of 300 teenage males and measures their TV viewing behaviour over a period of six months by asking them to press a button on a device whenever they are watching TV (which automatically notes what the programme is).At the beginning, middle, and end of the study he brings the adolescents into the media laboratory and measures violent behaviour (the number of times they punch inflatable dolls that resemble members of a well-known "boy band").Which of the following statement is true?
A)The study is an experiment because it is conducted in a laboratory.
B)The study is not an experiment because even though it is conducted in a laboratory it is a "media" laboratory and media is not scientific.
C)The study is an experiment because it employs a repeated-measure design.
D)The study is an experiment because it has never been done before.
E)None of the above.

Accepted Answer

The study is not an experiment because it lacks manipulation of an independent variable by the researcher. Instead, it observes and measures natural behaviors (TV viewing) and outcomes (violent behavior) without altering conditions or assigning participants to different treatments.

Question 11

In response to a wave of mass killings, a political psychologist sets up an online study to examine attitudes towards gun control in the United States.The study involves collecting a sample of 40,000 Internet users recruited throughout all 50 states using advertisements on political discussion and news sites and including an equal number of men and women and an equal number of supporters of the two main political parties.The survey shows that a large majority favour tighter gun controls.Which of the following statements is true?
A)The survey is biased because of the distorting effect of the mass killings on public opinion.
B)The survey is more valid than most national opinion polls that use samples of 1000 to 2000 people.
C)The survey is biased because the researcher appears to be biased in favour of gun control.
D)This type of survey is called a virtual survey because it is conducted on the Internet.
E)None of the above.

Accepted Answer

The survey's methodology, as described, does not inherently indicate bias due to the researcher's personal views (C), the effect of mass killings (A), or the fact that it's conducted online (D). The size of the sample (B) does not automatically make it more valid than other polls, as validity depends on how representative the sample is, not just its size.

Question 12

"A sampling procedure where a sample is chosen from the people who are available to participate in research.Often just about any person who can understand the instructions and complete the task is acceptable.This is the technique used in many psychological experiments (often involving undergraduate students)." What sampling procedure is this a glossary definition of?
A)Independent sampling.
B)Casual sampling.
C)Random sampling.
D)Purposive sampling.
E)Convenience sampling.

Accepted Answer

This definition is describing convenience sampling, which involves selecting participants who are easily accessible or available to the researcher, rather than choosing a representative sample that accurately reflects the target population. This type of sampling can lead to biased results, as the sample may not be representative of the population being studied.

Question 13

A researcher creates an online survey to measure flaming (aggressive commentary)on the Internet.The survey is distributed by mailing a web link to randomly selected users of the largest social media service in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Israel.The survey is in English and is sent to 3200 users with a 25% return rate.The questions include "Are you a troll?" and "Do you flame people for the lulz or do they just deserve it?" as well as a standard inventory measuring aggression.The researchers conclude that flaming is higher in the United Kingdom but aggression is higher in Australia.Which of the following statements is true?
A)The researcher should not use colloquial terms such as "troll" and "lulz" in scientific research.
B)The researcher can use colloquial terms such as "troll" and "lulz" in scientific research if the research is funded by social media companies.
C)Colloquial terms can be used in psychological research providing that the meaning of the questions is clear and is readily comprehensible to respondents.
D)None of the above.

Accepted Answer

While it is important to use clear and standardized language in scientific research, colloquial terms can be used as long as they are defined and easily understood by respondents. This is particularly important in a study like this, which is focused on Internet culture and behavior. However, the use of colloquial terms should not come at the expense of clarity or precision in the research.

Question 14

A forensic psychologist conducts a study of fear of crime and crime rates in a small city.His hypothesis is that fear of crime is high in areas with moderate crime rates and low in areas with low and high crime rates.Using a map of housing to create a sampling frame he mails a questionnaire to a random sample of 100 residents in six areas: two with moderate crime rates, two with low crime rates and two with high crime rates.Of the 600 questionnaires 350 are returned (180 in the low-crime areas, 100 in the moderate-crime areas, and 70 in the high-crime areas).Which of the following statements is false?
A)The study is an experiment because it has an independent variable.
B)The study does not have an independent variable.
C)The study has an independent and a dependent variable.
D)In this study the independent variable has not been manipulated.
E)Both (a)and (b).

Accepted Answer

The study does not have an independent variable as the researcher did not manipulate any variable. Therefore, statement A is false. This means that the study only has a dependent variable, fear of crime. Hence, statement C is also false.

Question 15

A forensic psychologist conducts a study of fear of crime and crime rates in a small city.His hypothesis is that fear of crime is high in areas with moderate crime rates and low in areas with low and high crime rates.Using a map of housing to create a sampling frame he mails a questionnaire to a random sample of 100 residents in six areas: two with moderate crime rates, two with low crime rates and two with high crime rates.Of the 600 questionnaires 350 are returned (180 in the low-crime areas, 100 in the moderate-crime areas, and 70 in the high-crime areas).Which of the following statements is true?
A)The low return rate in the high-crime area is not a concern as the questionnaires were probably stolen.
B)The low return rate in the high-crime area is a concern as the questionnaires were probably stolen and that violates the ethical principle of integrity.
C)The different return rates from the different areas could introduce bias into the results.
D)The different return rates represent a threat to the internal validity of the research.
E)Both (c)and (d).

Accepted Answer

The different return rates from the different areas could introduce bias into the results as people who are more afraid of crime may be more likely to return the questionnaire. This is a threat to the internal validity of the research as it affects the accuracy of the results. Additionally, the low return rate in the high-crime area is a concern as it suggests that the questionnaires may have been stolen, which violates the ethical principle of integrity. Therefore, both (c) and (d) are correct.

Question 16

A forensic psychologist conducts a study of fear of crime and crime rates in a small city.His hypothesis is that fear of crime is high in areas with moderate crime rates and low in areas with low and high crime rates.Using a map of housing to create a sampling frame he mails a questionnaire to a random sample of 100 residents in six areas: two with moderate crime rates, two with low crime rates and two with high crime rates.Of the 600 questionnaires 350 are returned (180 in the low-crime areas, 100 in the moderate-crime areas, and 70 in the high-crime areas).Which of the following statements is true?
A)The study uses a split-ballot design.
B)The study is a quasi-experiment as it compares three different groups.
C)The study is an experiment because many crimes are random attacks.
D)The different return rates are worth considering closely.
E)None of the above.

Accepted Answer

The different return rates should be closely considered because they may suggest differences in willingness to participate in the study based on factors such as fear of crime or demographic characteristics. This could potentially affect the generalizability of the study's findings. The study is not a split-ballot design because there is no indication that participants were randomly assigned to different versions of the questionnaire. It is not a quasi-experiment because the researcher did not manipulate any independent variables, but rather collected data on pre-existing conditions (crime rates and fear of crime). The statement about random attacks is unrelated to the design of the study.

Question 17

Which of the following is a common reason for administering surveys in certain areas of psychology?
A)The allow researchers to gather data in a range of contexts (including on-line).
B)They allow researchers to examine relationships between variables.
C)They can be used to examine the causal relationship between variables.
D)Both (a)and (b)
E)All of the above.

Accepted Answer

Surveys are often used in psychology to gather data from a range of contexts, including online, and to examine relationships between variables. However, they are not typically used to establish causal relationships between variables, as they cannot demonstrate cause and effect.

Question 18

A researcher creates an online survey to measure flaming (aggressive commentary)on the Internet.The survey is distributed by mailing a web link to randomly selected users of the largest social media service in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Israel.The survey is in English and is sent to 3200 users with a 25% return rate.The questions include "Are you a troll?" and "Do you flame people for fun or do they just deserve it?" as well as a standard inventory measuring aggression.The researchers conclude that flaming is higher in the United Kingdom but aggression is higher in Australia.Which of the following statements is true?
A)The study's design provides a sound basis for the researcher's conclusion.
B)We cannot tell from the information provided whether the study's design provides a sound platform for the researcher's conclusion.
C)The study's design provides a sound basis for the researcher's conclusion because an equal number of people were sampled from each country (eliminating bias).
D)The study's design provides a sound basis for the researcher's conclusion because it employed random sampling.
E)The study's design provides a poor basis for the researcher's conclusion in part because we do not know if we have a representative sample of each country's users.

Accepted Answer

The study's design has several limitations that make it a poor basis for the researcher's conclusion. Firstly, the survey was distributed only to users of the largest social media service in four countries, which may not be representative of all Internet users in those countries. Secondly, the survey was conducted in English, which may limit the sample to English-speaking users and exclude non-English speakers. Thirdly, the survey relies on self-report, which may be biased if respondents are not honest in their answers. Finally, the survey questions themselves may not be a valid measure of flaming or aggression, as they rely on subjective judgments of respondents. Therefore, the conclusion that flaming is higher in the UK and aggression is higher in Australia should be viewed with caution.

Question 19

A researcher creates an online survey to measure flaming (aggressive commentary)on the Internet.The survey is distributed by mailing a web link to randomly selected users of the largest social media service in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Israel.The survey is in English and is send to 3200 users with a 25% return rate.The questions include "Are you a troll?" and "Do you flame people for fun or do they just deserve it?" as well as a standard inventory measuring aggression.The researchers conclude that flaming is higher in the United Kingdom but aggression is higher in Australia.Which of the following statments is false?
A)In order to evaluate the research findings it would be important to know whether all participants could read English proficiently.
B)In order to evaluate the research findings it would be important to know whether the return rates were the same for all four countries.
C)In order to evaluate the research findings it would be important to know whether the standard aggression inventory was valid and reliable.
D)In order to evaluate the research findings it would be important to know whether the flaming measure was valid and reliable (and the phrasing of the items raises concerns).
E)None of the above.

Accepted Answer

All the statements A, B, C, and D are true considerations for evaluating the research findings, making none of them false. Proficiency in English, equal return rates, and the validity and reliability of the measures used are all important factors in assessing the study's conclusions.

Question 20

A researcher creates an online survey to measure flaming (aggressive commentary)on the Internet.The survey is distributed by mailing a web link to randomly selected users of the largest social media service in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Israel.The survey is in English and is sent to 3200 users with a 25% return rate.The questions include "Are you a troll?" and "Do you flame people for fun or do they just deserve it?" as well as a standard inventory measuring aggression.The researchers conclude that flaming is higher in the United Kingdom but aggression is higher in Australia.Which of the following statements is true?
A)The survey uses a standard inventory so it should be possible to estimate standard errors
B)The survey uses a probability sampling method
C)We could conclude whether the survey uses a probability sampling method if we knew how many users each social media service has.
D)We could conclude whether the survey uses a probability sampling method if we knew how many people live in each country.
E)We could conclude whether the survey uses a probability sampling method if we knew how many people who live in each country use social media services

Accepted Answer

The answer of A researcher creates an online survey to...

Quiz 4: Survey Design

"A specified body of numerical information obtained from a given piece of research." What is this a glossary definition of?

"The failure to obtain responses in circumstances where a person is selected from the population but does not actually participate in the survey." What does this glossary entry define?

"A scheme for converting responses into numerical values.This means is that, when describing results, numbers can be used rather than words." What is this a glossary definition of?

A television news programme conducts a poll in which it asks viewers to phone in and express their views about the current government environmental policy.The results of the survey show that 19% of the 6,000 viewers who ring in support the policy.Which of the following statements is true?

"A survey research procedure whereby experimental manipulations are included.The most obvious form involves randomly selected participants receiving different questionnaires." What procedure is this a glossary definition of?

Which of the following is a common reason for administering surveys in certain areas of psychology?