Question 1

The value of a(n) ____can range from -1.0 to 1.0.
A) correlation coefficient
B) dependent variable
C) independent variable
D) sample

Accepted Answer

The correlation coefficient is a statistical measure that calculates the strength of the relationship between the relative movements of two variables. Its values range from -1.0 to 1.0, where -1.0 indicates a perfect negative correlation, 0 indicates no correlation, and 1.0 indicates a perfect positive correlation.

Question 2

You read a research article that concludes that the higher a student's self-esteem, the worse he performs in school. This sort of relationship would best be characterized as
A) a negative correlation
B) no relationship
C) positive correlation
D) cause and effect

Accepted Answer

A negative correlation is indicated when one variable increases as the other decreases, which matches the description of the relationship between a student's self-esteem and their school performance in the research article.

Question 3

Which method of measuring behavior is most likely to be used in combination with other behavioral measures?
A) physiological measures
B) self-reports
C) naturalistic observation
D) sampling behavior with tasks

Accepted Answer

Physiological measures are often used in combination with other behavioral measures to provide a comprehensive understanding of behavior, as they can offer objective data about the biological processes underlying behavior.

Question 4

Population is to sample as
A) small is to large
B) reliability is to validity
C) micro is to macro
D) set is to subset

Accepted Answer

In statistics, a population refers to the entire group that you want to draw conclusions about, while a sample is a subset of that population. Similarly, a set is a collection of distinct objects, and a subset is a portion or part of the set, making "set is to subset" analogous to "population is to sample."

Question 5

Which correlation coefficient value indicates the strongest relationship?
A) -.23
B) .57
C) .15
D) -.82

Accepted Answer

The correlation coefficient ranges from -1 to 1. A value of -1 indicates a perfect negative correlation, while a value of 1 indicates a perfect positive correlation. The strength of the relationship is determined by the absolute value of the correlation coefficient, regardless of the sign. Among the given options, -.82 has the highest absolute value, indicating the strongest relationship.

Question 6

Harold is upset with his grade on his developmental psychology test and says, "I bet if I would've taken that test at another time, I would have done much better." Harold's complaint deals most directly with the questionable ____of the test.
A) validity
B) sample
C) reliability
D) population

Accepted Answer

Harold's complaint is about the consistency of the test results over time, which directly relates to the test's reliability. If he believes his performance could significantly change if the test were taken at a different time, he is questioning whether the test reliably measures what it is supposed to measure across different occasions.

Question 7

Dr. Rubeus is studying how teenagers think about high school by asking them to answer several questions related to their classroom experiences. It is most likely that Dr. Rubeus's research involves a(n) ____ method.
A) naturalistic observation
B) structured observation
C) experiment
D) self-report

Accepted Answer

Dr. Rubeus is using a self-report method, which involves asking participants to provide information or responses to questions about themselves, in this case, about their classroom experiences.

Question 8

Liat takes notes on the behaviors exhibited by college students attending a frat party. This study would best be described as
A) longitudinal
B) systematic observational
C) experimental
D) sequential

Accepted Answer

This study is best described as systematic observational because Liat is observing and recording behaviors in a natural setting without manipulating any variables.

Question 9

Dr. Piro Knesis stages a fire drill at the elementary school in order to study how children respond to potential emergency situations. Dr. Knesis's method would best be described as a(n)
A) structured observation
B) naturalistic observation
C) self-report
D) experiment

Accepted Answer

A structured observation involves creating a specific situation to observe how subjects respond, which is what Dr. Knesis is doing by staging a fire drill.

Question 10

Which research finding supports the idea that a new intelligence test is valid?
A) Individuals earn the same score on the test every time they take it.
B) Individuals score higher on the test when they are older than when they were younger.
C) Scores on the new intelligence test correlate with scores on another valid intelligence test.
D) Most individuals score high on the new intelligence test.

Accepted Answer

Scores on the new intelligence test correlating with scores on another valid intelligence test indicates convergent validity, supporting the idea that the new test is measuring what it intends to measure, hence indicating its validity.

Question 11

Dr. Simpson's students were rightfully upset when he used very accurate weight scales (assessing the poundage of each pupil) to determine their grades in a developmental psychology class. This is partially because his method of assessment lacked
A) a sufficient sample size
B) reliability
C) validity
D) the ability to identify practice effects

Accepted Answer

Dr. Simpson's method lacked validity because the assessment (weight of the students) does not measure what it is supposed to measure (knowledge or skills in developmental psychology). Validity refers to how well a test measures what it is purported to measure.

Question 12

Harvey is interested in doing a study to determine whether a relationship exists between participating in college athletics and self-efficacy for academic work. Because Harvey is not interested in determining a cause-and-effect relationship, he would be best advised to do a(n) ____study.
A) cross-sectional
B) correlational
C) experimental
D) naturalistic observation

Accepted Answer

Correlational studies are designed to determine whether a relationship exists between two variables without inferring a cause-and-effect relationship. Since Harvey is interested in exploring the relationship between participating in college athletics and self-efficacy for academic work without establishing causality, a correlational study is the most appropriate choice.

Question 13

Dr. Nuriama is interested in studying the way people spend their time when they are in their homes alone. Which method is Dr. Nuriama most likely to use for this study?
A) physiological measures
B) naturalistic observation
C) structured observation
D) self-reports

Accepted Answer

Self-reports are commonly used to gather data on personal activities and behaviors when individuals are alone, as they allow participants to describe their own experiences and time use.

Question 14

In a correlational study, variables are always studied
A) as they exist naturally
B) after some manipulation
C) during an experiment
D) at the population level

Accepted Answer

In a correlational study, researchers observe or measure variables as they exist naturally without manipulating them. This type of study aims to identify relationships or associations between variables, not to establish cause-and-effect relationships.

Question 15

Shuntelle is interested in studying the relationship between self-esteem and school grades. She wants to be able to quantify this relationship but wants to avoid any ethical concerns regarding the manipulation of these variables. What sort of method is the best option for Shuntelle?
A) correlational
B) natural observation
C) experiment
D) physiological

Accepted Answer

A correlational study is the best option for Shuntelle because it allows her to quantify the relationship between self-esteem and school grades without manipulating any variables, thus avoiding ethical concerns. This method involves measuring the variables as they naturally occur and analyzing the relationship between them.

Question 16

Mario is going to do a correlational study dealing with playing video games and intelligence. Because he is using this particular method, he will not be able to
A) measure the variables quantitatively
B) determine the direction of the relationship between these two variables
C) determine the magnitude of the relationship between these two variables
D) determine whether changes in one of these variables causes changes in the other

Accepted Answer

Correlational studies can measure variables quantitatively and determine both the direction and magnitude of the relationship between variables. However, they cannot establish causation, meaning they cannot determine whether changes in one variable cause changes in the other.

Question 17

Based on a study that finds that self-esteem is negatively correlated with college grades, which person would you predict would have the highest grades?
A) Michael, who has very high self-esteem
B) Davey, who has average self-esteem
C) Peter, who has very low self-esteem
D) Lisa, who refuses to answer the study questions

Accepted Answer

Given the negative correlation between self-esteem and college grades found in the study, Peter, who has very low self-esteem, would be predicted to have the highest grades.

Question 18

Which method of measuring behavior is most effective at directly studying brain activity?
A) physiological measures
B) self-reports
C) naturalistic observation
D) sampling behavior with tasks

Accepted Answer

Physiological measures, such as fMRI and EEG, directly assess brain activity, making them the most effective method for studying the brain's functions and responses.

Question 19

Virtually all studies done in psychology rely on studying people representative of a larger group. The groups of people who participate in these studies are most commonly known as
A) samples
B) populations
C) mesosystems
D) independent variables

Accepted Answer

Samples are subsets of a larger group (population) that researchers study to make inferences about the entire group.

Question 20

Validity is to reliability as
A) study is to experiment
B) cause is to correlation
C) positive is to negative
D) accuracy is to consistency

Accepted Answer

Validity refers to the accuracy of a measure (whether it measures what it is supposed to measure), while reliability refers to the consistency of a measure (whether it produces the same results under the same conditions).

Quiz 1: The Study of Human Development

The value of a(n) ____can range from -1.0 to 1.0.

You read a research article that concludes that the higher a student's self-esteem, the worse he performs in school. This sort of relationship would best be characterized as

Which method of measuring behavior is most likely to be used in combination with other behavioral measures?

Population is to sample as

Which correlation coefficient value indicates the strongest relationship?

Harold is upset with his grade on his developmental psychology test and says, "I bet if I would've taken that test at another time, I would have done much better." Harold's complaint deals most directly with the questionable ____of the test.

Dr. Rubeus is studying how teenagers think about high school by asking them to answer several questions related to their classroom experiences. It is most likely that Dr. Rubeus's research involves a(n) ____ method.

Liat takes notes on the behaviors exhibited by college students attending a frat party. This study would best be described as

Dr. Piro Knesis stages a fire drill at the elementary school in order to study how children respond to potential emergency situations. Dr. Knesis's method would best be described as a(n)

Which research finding supports the idea that a new intelligence test is valid?

Dr. Simpson's students were rightfully upset when he used very accurate weight scales (assessing the poundage of each pupil) to determine their grades in a developmental psychology class. This is partially because his method of assessment lacked

Harvey is interested in doing a study to determine whether a relationship exists between participating in college athletics and self-efficacy for academic work. Because Harvey is not interested in determining a cause-and-effect relationship, he would be best advised to do a(n) ____study.

Dr. Nuriama is interested in studying the way people spend their time when they are in their homes alone. Which method is Dr. Nuriama most likely to use for this study?

In a correlational study, variables are always studied

Shuntelle is interested in studying the relationship between self-esteem and school grades. She wants to be able to quantify this relationship but wants to avoid any ethical concerns regarding the manipulation of these variables. What sort of method is the best option for Shuntelle?

Mario is going to do a correlational study dealing with playing video games and intelligence. Because he is using this particular method, he will not be able to

Based on a study that finds that self-esteem is negatively correlated with college grades, which person would you predict would have the highest grades?

Which method of measuring behavior is most effective at directly studying brain activity?

Virtually all studies done in psychology rely on studying people representative of a larger group. The groups of people who participate in these studies are most commonly known as

Validity is to reliability as