Question 1

Which of the following is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

The statement "The gender gap in math and science scores is increasing" is not true. In fact, studies show that the gender gap in math and science scores has been steadily decreasing over the past few decades. The statement that the gender gap in math and science scores is increasing is not true. In fact, studies show that in some countries the gap has narrowed or disappeared altogether in recent years.

Question 2

Which of the following is most likely to decrease with age?

Accepted Answer

Speed of processing is known to decrease with age due to changes in brain structure and function. Vocabulary and accumulated knowledge tend to increase with age due to experience and learning, while practical intelligence remains stable or can even improve with age due to increased experience and expertise.

Question 3

About ________ percent of WAIS scores fall between 70 and 130.

Accepted Answer

The range of scores between 70 and 130 on the WAIS represents two standard deviations from the mean, which covers approximately 95% of all scores. This is referring to the normal distribution of scores on the WAIS, which has a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. Using the empirical rule, approximately 95% of scores fall within two standard deviations of the mean (70-130), leaving only 5% outside of that range.

Question 4

A survey of the history of intelligence testing reinforces the important lesson that

Accepted Answer

The survey of history of intelligence testing shows that even scientists, who strive to be objective, can be biased by their personal beliefs and experiences.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a requirement of a good test?

Accepted Answer

While reliability, standardization, and validity are all key requirements of a good test, heritability is not a requirement. Heritability refers to the proportion of variation in a trait that is attributable to genetic factors, and is not directly related to the quality of a test.

Question 6

Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

The predictive validity of intelligence tests, which refers to how well the test predicts future performance, is generally lower than their reliability, which refers to the consistency of the test results over time.

Question 7

A test has a high degree of validity if it

Accepted Answer

Validity refers to how well a test measures or predicts what it is supposed to measure or predict. Therefore, a test has a high degree of validity if it meets this criterion. Consistency of results (option B) is related to reliability, not validity. A normal distribution of scores (option C) is ideal but is not necessarily indicative of validity. The standardization process (option D) is important for ensuring that a test is administered and scored consistently across all individuals, but it does not guarantee validity.

Question 8

Among entering American collegians, men are ________ likely than women to spend many hours playing video games. Playing action video games has been observed to ________ players' spatial abilities.

Accepted Answer

According to the statement, men are more likely than women to spend many hours playing video games. Additionally, playing action video games has been observed to boost players' spatial abilities. Therefore, the best choice is D which states that men are more likely than women to spend many hours playing video games and playing action video games boosts players' spatial abilities. According to the statement, men are more likely than women to spend many hours playing video games. Also, playing action video games has been observed to boost players' spatial abilities. Therefore, the best choice is D, which states that men are more likely than women to spend many hours playing video games and that playing action video games boosts players' spatial abilities.

Question 9

Although not notably heavier or larger in total size than the typical Canadian's brain, Einstein's brain was 15 percent larger in the lower region of the

Accepted Answer

The answer of Although not notably heavier or larger in...

Question 10

A longitudinal study is one in which

Accepted Answer

A longitudinal study is a research method that involves following the same group of people over an extended period of time and collecting data at multiple points in time. This allows researchers to track changes and identify patterns and trends over time. Therefore, the correct answer is D - the same group of people are tested and retested over a period of years. A longitudinal study is one in which the same group of people are tested and retested over a period of years. Therefore, option D is the correct answer. Option A describes a cross-sectional study, option B describes a single test study, and option C describes a multi-trait assessment study.

Question 11

A bell-shaped pattern that characterizes the distribution of a large sample of intelligence test scores is a graphic representation of a

Accepted Answer

A bell-shaped pattern is a characteristic of the normal curve, also known as the Gaussian distribution, which is commonly used in statistics to describe real-world phenomena. The other options do not directly relate to a bell-shaped pattern of intelligence test scores.

Question 12

After learning about his low score on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Gunter complained, "I don't believe that test is a measure of intelligence at all." Gunter's statement is equivalent to saying that the WAIS lacks

Accepted Answer

Gunter's statement suggests that he does not believe the WAIS measures what it is intended to measure, which is intelligence. This is a critique of the test's validity, indicating that Gunter believes the test does not accurately assess intelligence. Therefore, the best choice is C, validity. Gunter's statement suggests that he does not believe that the WAIS measures what it claims to measure, which is intelligence. This suggests that the test may lack validity, or the ability to accurately measure intelligence. Standardization, reliability, and a normal distribution are important factors for psychological testing, but they do not directly relate to the ability of a test to measure what it claims to measure.

Question 13

"Gifted child" programs can lead to ________ by implicitly labeling some students as "ungifted" and isolating them from an enriched educational environment.

Accepted Answer

Gifted child programs can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies by implying that the students who are not selected for the program are not as intelligent or talented as those who are selected, which can lead to a lack of confidence and motivation in those students. This can perpetuate a cycle of underachievement and reinforce the idea that some students are simply not capable of excelling. "Gifted child" programs can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies, as students who are not labeled as "gifted" may feel isolated from an enriched educational environment and may begin to believe that they are not capable of achieving as much as their "gifted" peers. This can lead to a lack of motivation and decreased academic performance, fulfilling the initial label of being "ungifted."

Question 14

A test is reliable if it

Accepted Answer

A reliable test is one that yields consistent, dependable scores over time and across different populations or samples. This means that if the test were administered again to the same group of people, the results should be very similar. A reliable test may or may not measure what it claims to measure or make accurate predictions, so option A is not necessarily true. Standardization of a test (option C) is important but doesn't guarantee reliability. Likewise, a normal distribution (option D) is not required for a test to be reliable. A reliable test is one that consistently yields consistent scores when administered to the same group of individuals. This means that the test is free from errors such as inconsistent scoring or variations in test administration. While measures such as validity and standardization are important for ensuring the accuracy of a test, they are not directly related to its reliability. Therefore, the best choice is B, which directly addresses the reliability of a test.

Question 15

A 6-year-old who responded to the original Stanford-Binet with the proficiency typical of an average 8-year-old was said to have an IQ of

Accepted Answer

The answer of A 6-year-old who responded to the original...

Question 16

A person who demonstrates an exceptional specific mental skill while otherwise often remaining very limited in intellectual capacity is said to show signs of

Accepted Answer

The described individual is showing signs of savant syndrome, which is characterized by exceptional abilities in one specific area, often in contrast with limited intellectual functioning in other areas. Emotional intelligence (A), stereotype threat (C), and intrinsic motivation (D) do not accurately describe this phenomenon.

Question 17

A frontal lobe area just above the outer edge of the eyebrows becomes especially active in ________ of the brain while contemplating verbal questions and in ________ of the brain while contemplating spatial questions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A frontal lobe area just above the...

Question 18

A college administrator is trying to assess whether an admissions test accurately predicts how well applicants will perform at his school. The administrator is most obviously concerned that the test is

Accepted Answer

The administrator's concern is whether the admissions test is valid, meaning it accurately measures what it is intended to measure (in this case, predicting how well applicants will perform at the school). A standardized test simply means that it is given and scored in a consistent manner, factor analysis is a method of analyzing data, and normal distribution refers to a statistical concept that may or may not be relevant to the validity of the test. The administrator's concern is about whether the admissions test accurately predicts how well applicants will perform at the school. This is a question of validity, or the extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure. A test can be standardized, factor-analyzed, or normally distributed, but none of those factors directly address the administrator's concern about the test's predictive validity.

Question 19

A statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related test items that seem to tap a common ability is called

Accepted Answer

Factor analysis is a statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related test items that seem to tap a common ability or underlying factor. Standardization refers to creating a consistent format for administering and scoring a test, reliability assessment involves analyzing the consistency and stability of test scores over time, and validation involves evaluating the appropriateness and effectiveness of using a test for a particular purpose.

Question 20

Which of the following provides the strongest evidence of the role of heredity in determining intelligence?

Accepted Answer

The fact that the IQ scores of identical twins who are raised separately are more similar to each other than the scores of fraternal twins who are raised together suggests that genetics plays a stronger role in determining intelligence than shared environment does. This is because identical twins share 100% of their genes, while fraternal twins share only 50%, just like ordinary siblings. Therefore, the greater similarity in IQ scores between identical twins points to genetics as the main factor.

Quiz 10: Thinking and Language