Question 1

The _____ research approach is distinguished by the _____ of variables.
A) experimental; manipulation
B) experimental; systematic observation
C) descriptive; elimination
D) descriptive; manipulation

Accepted Answer

The experimental research approach is characterized by the manipulation of variables to establish cause-and-effect relationships.

Question 2

Learning how to write neatly is an example of a change in
A) rate.
B) speed.
C) latency.
D) topography.

Accepted Answer

Learning how to write neatly is an example of a change in topography, which refers to the physical form or shape of a behavior.

Question 3

Two researchers have watched the same video in order to determine if incidents of aggression occurred during various intervals of time during a single day in a daycare. One researcher saw incidents of aggression in 8 out of 10 intervals, and the second researcher saw incidents of aggression in 7 out of 10 intervals. They disagreed on 1 out of the 10 intervals. What is being measured in this example?
A) Fault ratio
B) Error rate
C) Interobserver reliability
D) Topography

Accepted Answer

Interobserver reliability is being measured in this example, as it refers to the degree to which different observers agree on their observations, which is relevant when they are watching the same video to determine incidents of aggression.

Question 4

In a series of twenty intervals, John bites his nails the following number of times: 2, 0, 1, 2, 0, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 0, 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 0. Using an interval recording procedure, the overall level of nail-biting calculated is
A) 1%.
B) 20%.
C) 100%.
D) 75%.

Accepted Answer

The overall level of nail-biting is calculated by dividing the number of intervals in which the behavior occurred by the total number of intervals, then multiplying by 100 to get a percentage. In this case, nail-biting occurred in 15 out of 20 intervals (75%).

Question 5

The main advantage of experimental research over descriptive research is the ability to
A) discover salient variables.
B) apply statistical procedures to the results.
C) discover cause-and-effect relationships.
D) study the influence of dependent variables.

Accepted Answer

Experimental research allows researchers to manipulate one variable and observe the effect on another variable, thereby establishing cause-and-effect relationships. Descriptive research, on the other hand, is focused on observing and describing characteristics of a subject without manipulating variables.

Question 6

A rare type of psychiatric disorder is most likely to be studied using the
A) naturalistic observation approach.
B) case study approach.
C) control group design.
D) comparative design.

Accepted Answer

The case study approach is most suitable for studying rare types of psychiatric disorders because it allows for an in-depth examination of a single case or a small number of cases, providing detailed insights that might not be possible through other methods.

Question 7

The intensive examination of a person's life both prior to and after they have experienced an unpredictable traumatic event is an example of the
A) naturalistic approach.
B) case study approach.
C) simple comparison design.
D) reversal design.

Accepted Answer

The case study approach involves an in-depth investigation of an individual or group, including instances where a person's life is examined in detail before and after a traumatic event. This method allows for a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of the event on the individual's life.

Question 8

Descriptive Research Designs can be used to study
A) single examples of people with rare illnesses.
B) the adaptation of a bat trapped in a cave.
C) a case study of a musical genius.
D) All of these are correct.

Accepted Answer

Descriptive research designs are used to observe and describe behavior, and they can include case studies, naturalistic observations, and surveys, which apply to all the examples given.

Question 9

If we wish to discover functional relationships, we are likely to use the _____ research approach.
A) descriptive
B) experimental
C) naturalistic
D) deterministic

Accepted Answer

Experimental research is designed to test hypotheses, establish causation, and discover functional relationships between variables by manipulating one or more variables and observing the effects on other variables.

Question 10

The judges at a high diving competition are mostly concerned with the _____ of the behavior.
A) intensity
B) rate
C) duration
D) topography

Accepted Answer

Topography refers to the specific physical form or shape of the behavior, which is crucial in evaluating a dive's execution, including the diver's form and technique.

Question 11

The _____ methods of research do not involve the manipulation of variables.
A) single-subject
B) experimental
C) control group
D) descriptive

Accepted Answer

Descriptive methods of research involve observing and describing behavior without manipulating variables.

Question 12

If a dog trainer determines whether a dog is correctly performing a complicated trick by examining the physical form of the behavior, she is measuring the behavior's _____, but if she records the number of times the dog makes a mistake, then she is measuring _____.
A) topography; intensity
B) intensity; error rate
C) topography; error rate
D) interval; error rate

Accepted Answer

Topography refers to the physical form or shape of the behavior, while error rate is a measure of how often the dog makes mistakes during the performance of the trick.

Question 13

A restaurant manager keeps track of the number of incorrect orders sent back to the kitchen. In this scenario, the manager records the
A) fault ratio.
B) error rate.
C) interval recording.
D) topography.

Accepted Answer

The term "error rate" refers to the frequency of mistakes, such as incorrect orders in a restaurant, making it the correct term for tracking the number of incorrect orders sent back to the kitchen.

Question 14

Problems with the descriptive research approach include
A) the possibility of oversimplifying the behavior pattern.
B) the inability to determine cause-and-effect relationships.
C) the need for sophisticated statistical analysis of the results.
D) Both b and c are correct.

Accepted Answer

Descriptive research is primarily concerned with describing characteristics of a population or phenomenon being studied. It does not delve into understanding the cause-and-effect relationships between variables, which is a limitation of this approach. Sophisticated statistical analysis is not a specific problem of descriptive research; it can be a requirement depending on the complexity of the data in various types of research.

Question 15

Innate patterns of behavior in animals are often studied using the
A) naturalistic observation approach.
B) case study approach.
C) control group design.
D) single-subject design.

Accepted Answer

Naturalistic observation is a research method often used to study innate patterns of behavior in animals, as it involves observing subjects in their natural environments without manipulation or interference.

Question 16

The topography of a behavior is the
A) physical intensity of the behavior.
B) physical form of the behavior.
C) amount of time it takes to complete a behavioral episode.
D) amount of time it takes to begin a behavioral episode.

Accepted Answer

The topography of a behavior refers to the physical form or shape of the behavior, essentially what the behavior looks like.

Question 17

Which of the following is an acceptable rate of interobserver reliability?
A) 10%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 80%

Accepted Answer

Interobserver reliability refers to the extent to which two or more observers agree in their observations or measurements. An acceptable rate of interobserver reliability is generally considered to be 80% or higher, indicating a high level of agreement among observers.

Question 18

Bird-watching is most similar to what type(s) of research?
A) Case study
B) Naturalistic observation
C) Descriptive research
D) Both b and c are correct.

Accepted Answer

Bird-watching involves observing birds in their natural environment without interfering, which aligns with the principles of naturalistic observation and descriptive research, making both B and C correct.

Question 19

I watch television for several one-hour periods randomly dispersed throughout the month. Each time I watch it, I also make a note of whether at least one murder was depicted during that period of time. This is best described as a(n) _____ method of determining the overall depiction of homicide on television.
A) time-sample
B) duration
C) interval
D) rate

Accepted Answer

The method described is a time-sample method because it involves observing and recording occurrences of behavior (in this case, depictions of murder) during pre-selected, specific periods of time spread out over a longer duration.

Question 20

In a dance competition, the judges are mostly concerned with the _____ of the behavior.
A) topography
B) latency
C) duration
D) intensity

Accepted Answer

Topography refers to the physical form or shape of the behavior, which is crucial in a dance competition as it involves evaluating the precise movements and positions of the dancers.

Quiz 2: Research Methods

The _ research approach is distinguished by the _ of variables.

Learning how to write neatly is an example of a change in

In a series of twenty intervals, John bites his nails the following number of times: 2, 0, 1, 2, 0, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 0, 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 0. Using an interval recording procedure, the overall level of nail-biting calculated is

The main advantage of experimental research over descriptive research is the ability to

A rare type of psychiatric disorder is most likely to be studied using the

The intensive examination of a person's life both prior to and after they have experienced an unpredictable traumatic event is an example of the

Descriptive Research Designs can be used to study

If we wish to discover functional relationships, we are likely to use the _____ research approach.

The judges at a high diving competition are mostly concerned with the _____ of the behavior.

The _____ methods of research do not involve the manipulation of variables.

If a dog trainer determines whether a dog is correctly performing a complicated trick by examining the physical form of the behavior, she is measuring the behavior's _, but if she records the number of times the dog makes a mistake, then she is measuring _.

A restaurant manager keeps track of the number of incorrect orders sent back to the kitchen. In this scenario, the manager records the

Problems with the descriptive research approach include

Innate patterns of behavior in animals are often studied using the

The topography of a behavior is the

Which of the following is an acceptable rate of interobserver reliability?

Bird-watching is most similar to what type(s) of research?

In a dance competition, the judges are mostly concerned with the _____ of the behavior.