Question 1

All of the following represent a significant drawback of conducting a longitudinal study EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The cohort effect is not a drawback of conducting a longitudinal study; rather, longitudinal studies are designed to study the same group of individuals over time, which helps in controlling for the cohort effect. The cohort effect refers to variations in characteristics or experiences of different generational groups, which can influence research outcomes. By focusing on the same group over time, longitudinal studies can more effectively isolate and examine changes or developments in the participants, thereby minimizing the impact of differences between cohorts.

Question 2

Dr. Livingston is conducting a study on the effectiveness of a new time-release antidepressant medication. Once a week, participants receive a small white pill from Dr. Stanley, which they take immediately without knowing whether the pill is the new medicine or a placebo. Dr. Livingston then observes the participants, without knowing which participants received the placebo. This type of study uses the

Accepted Answer

This study is an example of a double-blind procedure because neither the participants nor the researcher (Dr. Livingston) knows who has received the placebo or the actual medication, eliminating bias from both the subjects and the observer.

Question 3

Dr. Segal is testing the hypothesis that television watching in children under the age of 2 enhances the development of language skills. In this study, the use of random assignment

Accepted Answer

Random assignment in experimental research helps to distribute individual differences evenly across all groups, thereby minimizing the impact of these differences on the outcome. This process does not ensure that dependent variables reflect personal qualities (A), directly address situational confounders like time of day or weather (B), or ensure that the independent variable reflects outcomes of the dependent variables (C).

Question 4

An experimental design for assessing age-related changes in which data are obtained from the same individuals at intervals over a long period is called a

Accepted Answer

A longitudinal study is designed to examine changes in the same individuals over a long period, making it the best choice for assessing age-related changes. A cross-sectional study compares different individuals of different ages at the same time. A correlational study is designed to examine the relationship between two variables but does not necessarily involve studying changes over time. A mixed longitudinal study combines aspects of both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs.

Question 5

Which term describes a research design in which neither the participant nor the experimenter observing the participant knows which participants were given an active substance and which were given a placebo?

Accepted Answer

A double-blind procedure is a research design in which neither the participant nor the experimenter observing the participant knows which participants were given an active substance and which were given a placebo. This helps to eliminate bias and increase the validity of the results. A clinical trial is a type of research study that tests the effectiveness and safety of new medical treatments. An open trial is a type of clinical trial in which both the participant and the researcher know which treatment is being given. A prospective cohort study is a type of observational study that follows a group of individuals over a period of time to observe and collect data on specific outcomes.

Question 6

A quality of a measure that leads to meaningful conclusions (i.e., the measure measures the concept it was designed to measure) is called

Accepted Answer

Validity is the quality of a measure that ensures it measures the concept it was designed to measure, thereby leading to meaningful conclusions. Reliability ensures consistency in measurements, variability measures the spread or dispersion of data, and statistical significance determines the likelihood that an observed effect is not due to chance.

Question 7

Conducting a meta-analysis often provides a

Accepted Answer

Meta-analysis combines results from multiple studies to provide a clearer, more comprehensive understanding of a phenomenon than any single study could offer.

Question 8

Participants in an experiment on stress management are given stress reduction techniques and then measured for the effect. What is the role of the control group in this experiment?

Accepted Answer

The control group is important in this experiment because it allows for a comparison between the group that received stress reduction techniques and the group that did not. By measuring both groups, the researchers can determine if any changes in stress levels are due to the stress reduction techniques or to other factors. Option A is incorrect because the control group must be measured in order to compare it to the experimental group. Option B is incorrect because randomly assigning stress reduction techniques may introduce a bias into the study. Option D is incorrect because the control group should not receive the same treatment as the experimental group.

Question 9

A group of researchers is using an experimental design that obtains data simultaneously from people of differing ages for assessing age-related changes. They are conducting a

Accepted Answer

A cross-sectional study involves collecting data at a single point in time from participants of different ages to assess age-related changes, unlike longitudinal studies which follow the same group of individuals over time.

Question 10

A particular challenge that meta-analyses face is

Accepted Answer

Publication bias is a significant challenge for meta-analyses because studies with positive results are more likely to be published than those with negative or inconclusive results, potentially skewing the analysis.

Question 11

Dr. Segal is studying the effects of television watching on the language development of children under the age of 2. Because of room scheduling issues, the children in the experimental group underwent testing in the morning and the children in the control group underwent testing in the afternoon. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

This scenario describes a situational confounding factor because the time of day (morning vs. afternoon) could influence the outcomes of the study independently of the variable being studied (television watching). This difference in testing times between groups introduces a potential variable that could affect the results, making it a situational confounding factor.

Question 12

A method for assessing age-related changes that combines the cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches by observing a cross-section of participants over a relatively limited period of time is called a

Accepted Answer

A mixed longitudinal study combines the benefits of both cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches, by observing a cross-section of participants over a relatively limited period of time. This allows for the examination of age-related changes while minimizing the potential biases that can occur with a cross-sectional or longitudinal study alone.

Question 13

In Dr. Segal's study of the effects of television watching on the language development of children under the age of 2, which of the following would you recommend to operationalize the dependent variable?

Accepted Answer

To operationalize the dependent variable, which is the language development of children, measuring the number of words each child knows at both the beginning and end of the study provides a clear, quantifiable change in language ability.

Question 14

The cross-sectional method is subject to the generational effects of having been born at a particular point in history, which is called

Accepted Answer

The cohort effect refers to the influence that being born in a particular time period has on the development and views of a specific generation, which is relevant in the context of cross-sectional research methods.

Question 15

A statistical analysis of many previous experiments on a single topic is called a

Accepted Answer

A statistical analysis of many previous experiments on a single topic is called meta-analysis. This involves combining and analyzing data from various studies to identify patterns, inconsistencies, or other significant findings that may not be evident in individual studies.

Question 16

Defining variables in measurable terms is called

Accepted Answer

Defining variables in measurable terms is called operationalization. This involves identifying the specific characteristics or behaviors that will serve as indicators for the variable and creating a method for measuring those indicators.

Question 17

Which of the following is a drawback of longitudinal studies?

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal studies involve tracking individuals over time, which means there is a risk of attrition or participant drop-out over time. This can lead to a biased or incomplete sample, which can limit the generalizability of findings. Additionally, attrition can make it difficult to draw conclusions about causality since participants who drop out of a study may differ systematically from those who remain. While cohort effects and limited generalizability may also be potential drawbacks, they are not necessarily inherent to longitudinal studies as a method.

Question 18

A variable that is irrelevant to the hypothesis being tested and can alter a researcher's conclusions is called a(n)

Accepted Answer

A confounding variable is an extraneous variable that is not accounted for in the study and can affect the results, leading to incorrect conclusions. The other options (B, C, D) all refer to variables that are directly related to the hypothesis being tested.

Question 19

A limitation of the experimental method is that

Accepted Answer

Participants in experimental studies may alter their behavior if they are aware that they are being observed, which could impact the validity of the results. This is known as the "observer effect" or "demand characteristics."

Question 20

An inactive substance or treatment that cannot be distinguished from a real, active substance or treatment is called a

Accepted Answer

An inactive substance or treatment that cannot be distinguished from a real, active substance or treatment is called a placebo. A false positive is a result that wrongly indicates the presence of a condition or substance. Remedy refers to a treatment or solution for a problem. Sample refers to a representative group or subset of a larger population.

Quiz 2: The Measure of Mind Methods of Psychology