Question 1

When asked to conduct an experiment for his Research Methods class, Santiago had 10 of his friends self-report on the frequency of their exposure to movie violence, as well as their typical level of aggression. Based on his results he concluded that watching violent movies causes people to be more aggressive. Santiago's teacher tells him that he has failed to conduct an experimental study. Why wouldn't this study be considered an experiment?
A) Santiago fails to establish covariation, which is a criterion for causation.
B) There is no control group.
C) Self-report measures are unreliable.
D) This study is unable to assess gender differences in aggression.

Accepted Answer

Santiago's study lacks a control group, which is essential in experimental designs to compare outcomes between those exposed to the experimental condition and those who are not. Without a control group, it's impossible to determine if the observed effects are due to the variable of interest (exposure to movie violence) or some other factor.

Question 2

Quinn asked his instructor, "in an experiment, what group is compared to the experimental group to determine causation?" Quinn's instructor responds the:
A) simple group.
B) null group.
C) variable group.
D) control group.

Accepted Answer

The control group in an experiment is the group that does not receive the experimental treatment and is used as a benchmark to measure how the other tested subjects do.

Question 3

Another common term for a "simple experiment" is:
A) matched-pair design.
B) two-group design.
C) multifactorial design.
D) quasi-experimental design.

Accepted Answer

A two-group design is often referred to as a simple experiment because it involves comparing two groups, typically an experimental group and a control group, to determine the effect of a variable.

Question 4

If Emmanuel is concerned about social desirability bias having an impact on his results, he should choose to use which of the following?
A) a self-report measure for the independent variable
B) a behavioral measure for the independent variable
C) a self-report measure for the dependent variable
D) a behavioral measure for the dependent variable

Accepted Answer

Using a behavioral measure for the dependent variable can help reduce social desirability bias, as it relies on observable actions rather than self-reported data, which can be influenced by participants' desire to present themselves favorably.

Question 5

The most basic way to establish cause and effect is with a(n):
A) two-group research design.
B) correlation.
C) interview.
D) observational study.

Accepted Answer

A two-group research design, often involving an experimental group and a control group, is the most basic and direct method for establishing cause and effect relationships. This design allows researchers to manipulate the independent variable and observe the effect on the dependent variable, thereby establishing a causal link.

Question 6

If you were conducting an experiment examining the impact of sleep deprivation on physical ability, which of the following would be an appropriate operational definition of sleep deprivation?
A) being without sleep for more than 24 hours
B) getting more than 8 hours of sleep the night before the study
C) participants' self-reported amount of sleep the night before
D) the average amount of sleep Americans get in a given night

Accepted Answer

An operational definition specifies the exact procedures used to measure a variable. "Being without sleep for more than 24 hours" is a clear, measurable condition that defines sleep deprivation for the experiment.

Question 7

Logan is studying for an upcoming psychology exam and is having difficulty understanding the differences between the experimental and control conditions of a given experiment. Logan should remember that participants in the experimental condition:
A) also participate in the control condition.
B) are exposed to all of the same variables as the control condition with the addition of the experimental variable.
C) are not exposed to any of the control condition variables.
D) are exposed to a completely different set of variables than the control condition.

Accepted Answer

Participants in the experimental condition are exposed to the same conditions as those in the control group, with the addition of the experimental variable. This allows researchers to isolate the effects of the experimental variable.

Question 8

In a study examining the impact of dietary supplements on weight loss, an experimenter would manipulate _____ and measure _____.
A) participants' weight loss; dietary supplement use
B) participants' use of dietary supplements; weight loss
C) participants' use of dietary supplements; well-being
D) participants' weight loss; daily caloric intake

Accepted Answer

In an experimental study, the variable that the experimenter manipulates is known as the independent variable, and the variable that is measured to see if it is affected by the manipulation is known as the dependent variable. In this case, the experimenter would manipulate participants' use of dietary supplements (independent variable) to see its impact on weight loss (dependent variable).

Question 9

Lila is interested in examining the hypothesis that women who wear more makeup tend to be greeted with more eye contact and smiles from others. In her study female participants in the experimental group are those who are assigned to _____, while female participants in the control group are assign to _____.
A) smile more; smile less
B) make less eye contact; make more eye contact
C) wear makeup; not wear any makeup
D) make more eye contact; wear makeup

Accepted Answer

The correct setup for Lila's study involves comparing women who wear makeup (experimental group) to those who do not wear any makeup (control group) to examine the impact of makeup on receiving eye contact and smiles from others.

Question 10

Professor Tompkins notices that rats run quickly through a maze when exposed to loud noise. Which of the following is necessary to transform this observation into a two-group experimental design?
A) multiple comparison conditions where rats run through mazes while exposed to several different volumes of noise
B) multiple rats to observe running through the maze with loud noise
C) a control condition where rats run through a maze without exposure to loud noise
D) a subjective way to measure how fast a rat runs

Accepted Answer

A two-group experimental design requires a comparison between two conditions: one with the variable of interest (in this case, loud noise) and a control condition without the variable. This allows for a direct comparison to see if the loud noise indeed affects the rats' speed through the maze.

Question 11

Riya is examining whether exposure to sunlight will minimize the depressive symptoms associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Her study design requires participants to sit outside in direct sunlight rather than use sunlamps because this gives her study more:
A) mundane realism.
B) statistical significance.
C) internal validity.
D) experimental control.

Accepted Answer

Mundane realism refers to how closely an experiment mirrors real-life experiences. By having participants sit outside in direct sunlight, Riya's study more accurately reflects real-world conditions that individuals might experience, thus increasing the mundane realism of her study.

Question 12

Dr. Rice is presenting a lecture to his social psychology class and discusses an example from his own research. Dr. Rice noted that in a recent experimental study he conducted, internal validity was high due to _____ of experimental control was utilized for the study. The _____ experimental control a study has the greater internal validity it has.
A) the high degree; more
B) little regulation; more
C) the lack; less
D) the non-applicability; less

Accepted Answer

High degree of experimental control increases internal validity because it ensures that the observed effects are due to the manipulation of the independent variable and not other factors.

Question 13

Gordon and Jeannette were paired to work as a team on their research methods project. They are very interested in examining the variable of test anxiety, with specific attention paid to the extent the study resembles test anxiety in the classroom or natural environment. Gordon and Jeannette are primarily interested in their study's:
A) mundane realism.
B) control group.
C) internal validity.
D) concurrent validity.

Accepted Answer

Mundane realism refers to the degree to which an experiment is superficially similar to everyday situations. In this context, Gordon and Jeannette are focusing on how much their study on test anxiety resembles the real-life scenario of test anxiety in a classroom, which is directly related to mundane realism.

Question 14

For which of the following would a two-group experimental research design be appropriate?
A) a study examining the effect of high- and low-mortality salience on risk taking
B) an examination of the attachment styles of a mother and her three children
C) an investigation of the developmental differences between children raised by one parent versus both parents
D) interviews of returning soldiers aimed at assessing PTSD risk

Accepted Answer

A two-group experimental research design is appropriate when the researcher wants to compare the effects of two different treatments or conditions on a dependent variable. In this case, the researcher is interested in comparing the effect of high- and low-mortality salience on risk taking.

Question 15

An experimenter conducts a study to examine whether caffeine improves performance on an IQ test. Which of the following represents what happens in the control condition?
A) Participants drink a caffeinated beverage while testing.
B) Participants do not drink a caffeinated beverage while testing.
C) Participants are incentivized to do their best on the IQ test.
D) Participants are incentivized to do their worst on the IQ test.

Accepted Answer

In the control condition of an experiment, participants are not exposed to the experimental treatment, which in this case is caffeine. Therefore, the correct answer is that participants do not drink a caffeinated beverage while testing, as this represents the standard or baseline condition against which the effects of caffeine can be compared.

Question 16

Why do researchers often choose to conduct experiments in a laboratory?
A) It is cheaper than conducting experiments in their natural environments.
B) It is easier than conducting experiments in their natural environments.
C) It increases control over experimental manipulations.
D) Experiments can only be conducted in the laboratory.

Accepted Answer

Conducting experiments in a laboratory allows researchers to control variables more effectively, ensuring that any observed effects are due to the experimental manipulation rather than external factors.

Question 17

How would you increase the mundane realism of a study examining the effect of alcohol consumption on driving ability?
A) Use self-report measures of drinking and driving.
B) Get feedback from informants on past driving ability while impaired.
C) Test participants in a driving simulator after drinking alcohol.
D) Have participants drive real cars while pretending to be under the influence of alcohol.

Accepted Answer

Testing participants in a driving simulator after drinking alcohol increases mundane realism by closely mimicking the real-world scenario of driving under the influence, in a controlled and safe environment.

Question 18

Marcus is interested in examining whether attending preschool makes children more extraverted. In designing a study to examine this relationship, which of the following would NOT be a potential extraneous variable?
A) the personalities of participants' classmates
B) the age at which one starts school
C) the personalities of participants' parents
D) whether the participant attends preschool

Accepted Answer

Extraneous variables are those that are not the independent variable but could affect the outcome of the experiment. In this case, whether the participant attends preschool is not an extraneous variable; it is the independent variable that the study aims to examine for its effect on extraversion.

Question 19

Rebekah has volunteered for a study to earn extra credit for her sociology class. All Rebekah knows is that the study is examining eating habits and social engagement. Rebekah answers a variety of questions regarding herself, including her typical eating habits and social activities. Rebekah is instructed to continue engaging in her normal habits for the next two weeks with no changes. Rebekah is unaware she has been randomly assigned to the control group of the study. Her data and other participants' data in the control group:
A) receive the experimental manipulation.
B) will be observed directly by the experimenter
C) serve as the baseline for comparison.
D) will serve as outcome data for future random assignment.

Accepted Answer

Control groups in experiments do not receive the experimental manipulation but are used as a baseline to compare the effects of the manipulation on the experimental group.

Question 20

In experimental studies examining the effectiveness of new medications, researchers often administer a placebo (an inactive substance that should have no medical effect on the participant). Giving a placebo to participants in the control condition increases:
A) external validity.
B) internal validity.
C) independence.
D) extraneous variables.

Accepted Answer

Internal validity is increased by using a placebo in the control group because it helps to ensure that the observed effects are due to the experimental treatment and not to participants' expectations or psychological factors.

Quiz 8: Two-Group Design: Texting: I Cant Get You Out of My Mind

Quinn asked his instructor, "in an experiment, what group is compared to the experimental group to determine causation?" Quinn's instructor responds the:

Another common term for a "simple experiment" is:

If Emmanuel is concerned about social desirability bias having an impact on his results, he should choose to use which of the following?

The most basic way to establish cause and effect is with a(n) :

If you were conducting an experiment examining the impact of sleep deprivation on physical ability, which of the following would be an appropriate operational definition of sleep deprivation?

Logan is studying for an upcoming psychology exam and is having difficulty understanding the differences between the experimental and control conditions of a given experiment. Logan should remember that participants in the experimental condition:

In a study examining the impact of dietary supplements on weight loss, an experimenter would manipulate _ and measure _.

Lila is interested in examining the hypothesis that women who wear more makeup tend to be greeted with more eye contact and smiles from others. In her study female participants in the experimental group are those who are assigned to _, while female participants in the control group are assign to _.

Professor Tompkins notices that rats run quickly through a maze when exposed to loud noise. Which of the following is necessary to transform this observation into a two-group experimental design?

Riya is examining whether exposure to sunlight will minimize the depressive symptoms associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) . Her study design requires participants to sit outside in direct sunlight rather than use sunlamps because this gives her study more:

For which of the following would a two-group experimental research design be appropriate?

An experimenter conducts a study to examine whether caffeine improves performance on an IQ test. Which of the following represents what happens in the control condition?

Why do researchers often choose to conduct experiments in a laboratory?

How would you increase the mundane realism of a study examining the effect of alcohol consumption on driving ability?

Marcus is interested in examining whether attending preschool makes children more extraverted. In designing a study to examine this relationship, which of the following would NOT be a potential extraneous variable?

In experimental studies examining the effectiveness of new medications, researchers often administer a placebo (an inactive substance that should have no medical effect on the participant) . Giving a placebo to participants in the control condition increases: