Question 1

What is the term for the study of treatment interventions that may help avert later problems?

Accepted Answer

Selective-prevention research focuses on studying treatment interventions that may help prevent or avert later problems, such as targeting interventions towards individuals who may be at higher risk for certain issues. Preintervention research may refer to studying the effectiveness of interventions before they are implemented, while process-focused research may refer to studying the implementation process of interventions. Outcome-focused research may refer to studying the overall impact or effects of interventions.

Question 2

Your psychology professor is conducting research and desperately needs more research participants because the existing subjects keep running from the building screaming.She tells the class that everyone must be a subject to get a grade in the class and that there are no exceptions.In terms of ethical treatment of research subjects,what would you say about her policy?

Accepted Answer

The professor's policy violates the informed consent concept of volunteerism as she is coercing students into participating by making it mandatory for their grade. This goes against the principle of voluntary participation in research, where participants should have the right to freely choose whether or not they wish to participate without feeling pressured or compelled to do so.

Question 3

In cross-cultural research,what is the usual independent variable?

Accepted Answer

In cross-cultural research, the culture is typically the independent variable being studied. This means that researchers are looking at how cultural differences or variations impact various outcomes, such as mental health or behavior. The other options (treatment method, disorder, environment) may be considered dependent variables, or outcomes that are being influenced by cultural differences.

Question 4

According to the requirements of "informed consent," what are research participants in a blind,placebo-controlled study told?

Accepted Answer

In a blind, placebo-controlled study, participants are told that they may or may not receive treatment, as the study involves randomly assigning some participants to receive a placebo instead of the actual treatment. This is necessary in order to measure the effectiveness of the treatment and to control for the placebo effect. It is important for participants to understand this aspect of the study in order to give informed consent.

Question 5

Krank and colleagues (2005,2006)studied the development of alcohol and drug use in British Columbia youth.To do this,they collected cross-sectional survey data from more than 1300 students in grades 7 to 9.For the longitudinal part of the study,they then re-tested the students once a year for the next two academic years.What is this combination of longitudinal and cross-sectional methods in one study called?

Accepted Answer

This combination of collecting cross-sectional survey data and then re-testing the same group of individuals over time is called a sequential research design. This design allows for both cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis to be conducted within a single study.

Question 6

There are four basic components of informed consent; competence and volunteerism are two of these.What are the other two?

Accepted Answer

The other two components of informed consent are full information and comprehension. Anonymity and knowledge of results may be important in some cases, but they are not considered essential components of informed consent.

Question 7

A new research study is published and becomes the "hot daily news story." This story concerns you because the researchers report that they are the first scientists to find a higher incidence of depression for individuals taking a particular vitamin-the same vitamin that your physician has had you taking for years.While this may be cause for you to investigate further,why should you probably NOT panic?

Accepted Answer

Without replication, the finding could just be due to coincidence. It is important to be skeptical of new research findings, especially if they contradict what has been previously understood about a particular vitamin or supplement. It is possible that this study had errors in methodology or sampling that would invalidate the results. Therefore, it is best not to panic but instead investigate further and wait for further research to confirm or refute the findings.

Question 8

Barlow's research team had reason to celebrate.A similar team at another university had been able to replicate their findings.What did the second team do?

Accepted Answer

The second team repeated the research of the first team and obtained the same results, indicating that the original findings were robust and reliable. This is a crucial step in verifying the validity of the first team's research.

Question 9

One of the problems with longitudinal research is that it may be difficult to generalize the findings to other cohorts whose life experiences are very different from those of the study participants.What is this phenomenon known as?

Accepted Answer

The answer of One of the problems with longitudinal research...

Question 10

What problem is shared by the placebo,control method,and the withdrawal design method?

Accepted Answer

All three methods raise ethical concerns about withholding effective treatment from participants in the study. With the placebo and control methods, participants may not receive the treatment that they need, while with the withdrawal design method, participants who were previously receiving an effective treatment may have it removed. This raises issues around participant well-being and informed consent.

Question 11

What does the most influential and successful research generally involve?

Accepted Answer

The most influential and successful research generally involves a program of research that uses multiple research designs over a period of time. This allows for the replication of findings and the ability to detect patterns and changes over time. Multiple research designs can include longitudinal, correlational, cross-sectional, and experimental studies.

Question 12

Four-year-old Jane took part in a research study that investigated the effects of junk food on obesity in children.When the study was published in a research journal,Jane's name appeared in the article.What guideline of ethical research involving children was violated?

Accepted Answer

The guideline of ethical research involving children violated in this scenario is the confidentiality of a child's identity. Researchers must not reveal the names of participants in research studies, especially children, to protect privacy and prevent potential harm or stigma.

Question 13

In prevention research,what are the two most frequently used methods for examining psychopathology across time?

Accepted Answer

The two most frequently used methods for examining psychopathology across time are longitudinal and cross-sectional. Longitudinal studies follow individuals or groups over an extended period of time and assess changes in behavior or symptoms over time. Cross-sectional studies examine different individuals or groups at one point in time and compare the prevalence of a particular behavior or symptom across those groups. Both methods are important for understanding the development and progression of psychopathology. However, longitudinal studies are particularly useful for examining changes within individuals over time, while cross-sectional studies are helpful for identifying differences between groups at a given point in time.

Question 14

Which of the following is the highest priority when making a decision about whether research is ethical according to the Third Edition of the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists?

Accepted Answer

According to the Third Edition of the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists, the welfare of the research participants is the highest priority when making a decision about whether research is ethical. This includes ensuring that participants are not subject to physical or psychological harm, that their privacy is protected, and that they provide informed consent to participate in the research. While the potential benefits of the research and the validity of the research question are important considerations, they do not supersede the welfare of the participants. The random assignment of participants to research groups is also important for controlling for extraneous variables, but it is not the highest priority when considering the ethical implications of research.

Question 15

What is one problem with longitudinal research?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is one problem with longitudinal research?
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Question 16

Which of the following is a problem in understanding variations in behaviour among individuals from different cultural groups?

Accepted Answer

Understanding variations in behaviour among individuals from different cultural groups is complicated and involves both genetic and cultural factors. The differences may be due to genetic factors, cultural factors, or a combination of both. It is important to consider both nature and nurture in understanding such differences.

Question 17

What is one reason why cross-sectional studies are more common than longitudinal studies?

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal studies take many years to complete, which can make them more expensive and time-consuming to conduct. Cross-sectional studies are often used as a quicker and more cost-effective way to gather data.

Question 18

According to your textbook,what is one of the most important reasons to conduct cross-cultural research in psychopathology?

Accepted Answer

Conducting cross-cultural research in psychopathology is important because it allows us to understand how culture influences the experience and expression of various disorders. This can lead to more culturally sensitive and effective treatments for individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Question 19

At this point,the human genome project has been successful in producing which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The human genome project has produced a rough draft of the mapping of all human genes, known as the human genome sequence. While further research and analysis is ongoing, this represents a major milestone in understanding the structure and function of human genes.

Question 20

When conducting research with adults who have been diagnosed with a psychological disorder,which of the following is essential regarding consent?

Accepted Answer

It is essential to ensure that the psychological disorder they have would not impair their ability to give free and informed consent. This is important to ensure that the participant fully understands the purpose, risks, and benefits of the study and can make an autonomous decision to participate. Informed consent is necessary for all research involving human participants and is a fundamental ethical principle in research. Option B is not always necessary, as the participant may still be mentally competent to make their own decisions. Option C is incorrect, as informed consent is always necessary. Option D is also incorrect, as the research procedures would need to be approved by a research ethics board or institutional review board, not the Canadian Psychological Association specifically.

Quiz 4: Research Methods