Question 1

A teacher wants to find out if a problem-based history program is superior to the regular history curriculum being used.The motivation and intelligence of the students participating in the new and the regular history programs would be considered the __________ variables.

Accepted Answer

Motivation and intelligence are extraneous variables because they are not the primary focus of the study but could influence the outcome, potentially affecting the results of the comparison between the two history programs.

Question 2

In an experiment to determine if meditation increases mental concentration, the group of subjects who would be required to meditate would be the __________ group.

Accepted Answer

The experimental group is the group that receives the intervention being tested, which in this case is meditation. The other group, which does not meditate, is the control group. Therefore, the group required to meditate would be the experimental group.

Question 3

In a controlled experiment, the group of subjects exposed to all experimental conditions or variables except the independent variable is called the __________ group.

Accepted Answer

The group of subjects exposed to all experimental conditions or variables except the independent variable is called the control group. This group serves as a comparison to the group that is exposed to the independent variable, allowing researchers to determine any effects of the independent variable on the outcome. The experimental group is the group that is exposed to the independent variable, while extraneous variables are any variables that are not intentionally manipulated but may affect the outcome of the study. Randomized refers to the process of randomly assigning subjects to either the control or experimental group in order to reduce bias.

Question 4

We wish to test the hypothesis that music improves learning.We compare test scores of students who study to music with those who study in silence.Which of the following is an extraneous variable in this experiment?

Accepted Answer

The amount of time allowed for studying can potentially impact test scores, regardless of whether music is present or not. Therefore, it is an extraneous variable that needs to be controlled in the experiment. A is the independent variable, B is the dependent variable, and D is simply the absence of music, which is already controlled for in the experiment by comparing those who study with music and those who study in silence.

Question 5

Tina is assigned to the group that receives the independent variable.Tina is in the __________ group.

Accepted Answer

Tina is in the experimental group because she is receiving the independent variable, which is being manipulated by the researchers to see its effects on the dependent variable. The control group would not receive the independent variable, and the dependent group, while a term sometimes used, is not a common scientific term in this context.

Question 6

In an experiment to determine if meditation increases mental concentration, the group who would NOT meditate would be the __________ group.

Accepted Answer

The control group is the group that does not receive the intervention (in this case, meditation) and is used as a baseline for comparison to determine the effect of the intervention on the experimental group.

Question 7

A social psychologist measures aggressive responses made by people exposed to violent and nonviolent movies.All of the subjects are tested in rooms having identical room temperature.In this experiment, the room temperature is a(n)__________ variable.

Accepted Answer

In this experiment, the room temperature is not being manipulated or controlled, and there is no reason to believe that it would affect the dependent variable (aggressive responses). Therefore, it is an extraneous variable, which is a variable that may affect the dependent variable but is not being studied or controlled.

Question 8

Antoine is conducting an experiment on the effects of room color on people's ability to concentrate.The dependent variable would be the

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable being measured to see how it changes in response to the independent variable, which in this case is the room color. Therefore, the ability to concentrate is the dependent variable in this experiment.

Question 9

An experiment is performed to see if background music improves learning.Two groups study the same material, one while listening to music and another without music.The independent variable is

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the variable that is being manipulated or changed in the experiment.In this case, the manipulation is the presence or absence of background music. Therefore, the independent variable is music.

Question 10

The control group and the experimental group are treated exactly the same EXCEPT for the __________ variable.

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the only variable that differs between the control and experimental groups. The dependent variable is what is being measured, and extraneous variables are factors that can affect the dependent variable but are not intentionally manipulated in the experiment. Replication refers to repeating the experiment to ensure reliability of results.

Question 11

An experiment is performed to test the effects of sleep deprivation on rote memory.In this experiment, the dependent variable is the

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable being measured or tested in an experiment. In this case, it is the effects of sleep deprivation on rote memory. Therefore, the dependent variable is rote memory scores. The number of hours subjects go without sleep (A), the number of subjects deprived of sleep in the experimental group (C), and the correlation between hours of sleep and fatigue (D) are all independent variables or extraneous variables that are not being tested as the dependent variable.

Question 12

Antoine is conducting an experiment on the effects of room color on people's ability to concentrate.The independent variable would be the

Accepted Answer

The independent variable in this experiment is the room color, as it is the variable that Antoine is manipulating to observe its effect on the subjects' ability to concentrate. The other options listed are either not being manipulated (overall intelligence and ability to concentrate) or not relevant to the experiment (size of the room).

Question 13

Which of the following groups serves as a point of reference for a comparison of results in an experiment?

Accepted Answer

The control group serves as a point of reference for comparison in an experiment because it receives no treatment or receives a standard treatment, allowing researchers to compare results to the experimental group or groups receiving the treatment. The independent group, dependent group, and experimental group are not typically used as reference points for comparison in an experiment.

Question 14

In a controlled experiment, the group of subjects exposed to the independent variable is called the __________ group.

Accepted Answer

The experimental group is the group of subjects that receive the independent variable or treatment being tested. This allows researchers to observe the effects of the independent variable on the dependent variable.

Question 15

Which type of variable is measured in both the experimental and control groups of an experiment?

Accepted Answer

A dependent variable is the variable that is being measured in both the experimental and control groups, and its changes are compared between the two groups.

Question 16

The chief function of the control group in an experiment is that it

Accepted Answer

The control group provides a point of reference against which the behavior of the experimental group can be compared. This allows researchers to determine if the results of the experiment are due to the variables being tested in the experimental group or if they are due to other factors.

Question 17

Nadine is in the group that does not receive the independent variable.Nadine is in the _________ group.

Accepted Answer

Nadine is in the control group, which is the group that does not receive the independent variable. The independent group is the group that does receive the independent variable, the dependent group is the group that is being measured for changes as a result of the independent variable, and the experimental group can refer to either the independent or dependent group depending on the context of the study.

Question 18

In an experiment to study the effects of study skills training on academic achievement, the study skills training would be the __________ variable.

Accepted Answer

The study skills training is the independent variable because it is the variable that is manipulated or changed by the researchers to observe its effect on the dependent variable, which in this case would be academic achievement.

Question 19

A researcher wants to find out if taking a new antidepressant drug will decrease the symptoms of subjects suffering from social anxiety.The number of symptoms exhibited by the subjects would be the __________ variable.

Accepted Answer

The number of symptoms exhibited by the subjects is the variable that is being measured and is dependent on whether or not they take the antidepressant drug, making it the dependent variable. The independent variable is the drug itself, the extraneous variables are any other factors that may affect the results, and the control variable is the variable that is kept constant throughout the study to ensure that it does not affect the results.

Question 20

In an experiment to study the effects of fertilizer on plants, the growth rate of the plants would be the __________ variable.

Accepted Answer

The growth rate of the plants is the variable that is being measured to determine the effect of the fertilizer, making it the dependent variable. The independent variable is the fertilizer, which is being manipulated in the experiment. Extraneous variables are other factors that could potentially impact the growth rate of the plants, but are not being intentionally manipulated in the experiment. Experimental variables are the variables being intentionally manipulated in the experiment, in this case the fertilizer.

Quiz 1: Psychology, Critical Thinking, and Science