Question 1

The belief that strange behavior is linked to the occurrence of a full moon is an example of a(n) ________.

Accepted Answer

This belief is an example of an illusory correlation, where people perceive a relationship between two variables (strange behavior and the full moon) even when no such relationship exists.

Question 2

In order to maximize the chances that experimental groups represent the population of interest, researchers should conduct ________ and ________.

Accepted Answer

Random sampling ensures that the sample represents the population, while random group assignment ensures that each participant has an equal chance of being placed in any group, minimizing bias.

Question 3

The fact that some well-known studies have been repeated without finding results consistent with those in the initial report describes a(n) ________ that is currently affecting research in psychology and other fields.

Accepted Answer

The term "replication crisis" refers to the ongoing issue in various scientific fields, including psychology, where many studies cannot be replicated or reproduced by subsequent research, casting doubt on the reliability of their findings.

Question 4

Studies that cannot ethically be conducted as experiments with typical human participants ________.

Accepted Answer

Animal studies can sometimes be used as an alternative to human studies when ethical concerns prevent direct experimentation on humans.

Question 5

Which of the following research designs will allow cause-and-effect conclusions?

Accepted Answer

Experimental research designs allow cause-and-effect conclusions because the researcher manipulates the independent variable and controls for other variables that could influence the dependent variable.

Question 6

Which word is the most appropriate synonym for the term validity?

Accepted Answer

Accuracy is the most appropriate synonym for validity, as both terms refer to the correctness or truthfulness of something.

Question 7

A group of researchers investigated the effects of two vocabulary learning strategies on word retention two weeks later. In this example, learning strategy is the ________ variable and word retention is the ________ variable.

Accepted Answer

In research, the independent variable is the one that is manipulated or varied by the researcher to observe its effects on another variable, while the dependent variable is the outcome or the variable that is measured. In this case, the learning strategy is manipulated to see its effect on word retention, making learning strategy the independent variable and word retention the dependent variable.

Question 8

Lesley, a sociology major, believes that money is the key to happiness. Her friend Stephen, a psychology major, believes that good health is the key to happiness. How might the two friends resolve their disagreement?

Accepted Answer

Researching peer-reviewed articles would provide scientifically validated information and evidence to support or refute either perspective.

Question 9

What is the role of skepticism in scientific research?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the role of skepticism in...

Question 10

Stan and Jenny are in a psychology course that requires them to repeat an experiment that researchers have conducted in the past, in order to determine whether they produce the same results. This is called ________.

Accepted Answer

Replication is the process of repeating an experiment to see if the original results can be produced again, which is what Stan and Jenny are doing.

Question 11

________ are the most commonly used species for animal research.

Accepted Answer

Rodents, such as mice and rats, are the most commonly used species in animal research due to their genetic similarities to humans, their short life cycles, and their ease of maintenance and breeding in laboratory settings.

Question 12

A(n) ________ is conducted in order to determine whether there are meaningful differences between two groups in a study.

Accepted Answer

A statistical analysis is conducted to determine if there are significant differences between two groups in a study, often involving hypothesis testing or other statistical tests to compare group metrics.

Question 13

Professor Devine and her colleagues are interested in assessing whether active versus passive play causes a preference for sweet or salty foods in toddlers. They assign groups of children to either an active play, passive play, or no play group and record their food choices when presented with a variety of sweet and salty foods. In this study, ________ is the independent variable and ________ is the control group.

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the type of play (active, passive, or no play) because it is what the researchers are manipulating to see its effect on food choice. The control group is the no play group, as it serves as a baseline to compare the effects of active and passive play on food preferences.

Question 14

________ (IRB) reviews research that is involves the use of human participants.

Accepted Answer

The correct term is "Institutional Review Board" (IRB), which is responsible for reviewing research involving human participants to ensure ethical standards are met.

Question 15

An upper-level psychology class is conducting an experiment on racial prejudice that involves having participants rate the likeability of faces in a set of photos. However, they tell participants that the study is about the effects of aging on likeability. When participants are finished, they are thanked for their time and leave the experiment. In this example, the class forgot to ________ in order to resolve the ________ in the study.

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is to debrief participants in order to resolve the issue of deception in the study. Debriefing is essential after using deception in research to ensure participants understand the true nature and purpose of the study.

Question 16

Which of the following is not part of obtaining informed consent?

Accepted Answer

Explaining the hypothesis to participants is not typically part of obtaining informed consent. Informed consent involves informing participants about the nature of the study, their rights, and what their participation will entail, but not necessarily about the specific hypotheses being tested, as this could influence their behavior and thus the results of the study.

Question 17

The ability of a research study or psychological instrument to consistently produce a given result is called ________.

Accepted Answer

Reliability refers to the consistency of a measure. A research study or psychological instrument is considered reliable if it can produce the same results under the same conditions across multiple trials.

Question 18

In a ________ study, both the researchers and the participants are unaware of the group assignments.

Accepted Answer

In a double-blind study, both the researchers and the participants are unaware of the group assignments. This is done to prevent bias from influencing the results of the study.

Question 19

A(n) ________ is a description of how the researchers will measure the variables of interest.

Accepted Answer

An operational definition specifies the exact way in which a variable of interest is measured or manipulated in a study, ensuring clarity and consistency in how the variable is understood and assessed.

Question 20

A major limitation of the case study method is the inability to ________ its findings to other, similar situations or cases.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A major limitation of the case study...

Quiz 2: Psychological Research