Question 1

One way Professor Hudgens could use the matching technique to assign the participants to the experimental conditions would be to

Accepted Answer

The matching technique aims to balance the groups on relevant variables or characteristics that could impact the outcome. In this case, parental conflict is a relevant variable that could influence the effectiveness of the intervention. By assigning equal numbers of children with high and low parental conflict to each treatment condition, we can ensure that any differences in outcomes are due to the treatment itself and not confounding variables. The other options do not utilize a matching technique and could potentially introduce bias into the study.

Question 2

In an experiment examining whether a specific type of intervention improves the psychological adjustment of shy children, the independent variable would be the

Accepted Answer

The independent variable in this experiment is the type of intervention being used. This is what is being manipulated and tested to see if it has an effect on the dependent variable (psychological adjustment). The number of shy children or whether they benefit from the intervention are not the independent variable in this experiment. The measure of psychological adjustment is the dependent variable, which is being measured as an outcome of the intervention.

Question 3

Dr. Brenneman's research shows that participation in music programs is positively related to grades in school. Based on the findings from this one study, what can Dr. Brenneman conclude?

Accepted Answer

Dr. Brenneman's research indicates a positive relationship between music program participation and grades, meaning children in music programs tend to have higher grades. However, causation cannot be concluded from this single study.

Question 4

The independent variable is the one that

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the one that the investigator expects to cause changes in another variable. It is manipulated by the researcher to examine its effect on the dependent variable. A is incorrect because the dependent variable is influenced by the independent variable, not the other way around. B is incorrect because random assignment refers to how participants are assigned to different conditions, not the independent variable itself. C is incorrect because the strength of the correlation is related to the nature of the relationship between two variables, and does not pertain to independent variables.

Question 5

In _____________ experiments, control over the treatment is usually weaker than in ______________ experiments.

Accepted Answer

In field experiments, control over the treatment is usually weaker than in laboratory experiments. Therefore, the correct answer is C, where field experiments have weaker control over treatment than laboratory experiments.

Question 6

Immigrant parents of successful youths typically

Accepted Answer

Immigrant parents of successful youths typically develop close ties to an ethnic community as it provides a sense of belonging and support for their family. Research has shown that ethnic community involvement is positively correlated with academic achievement among immigrant youth. Therefore, these parents encourage their children to value their cultural heritage and maintain connections with their ethnic community.

Question 7

Which of the following is a limitation of the ethnographic method?

Accepted Answer

The limitation of the ethnographic method is that investigators' cultural values and theoretical commitments sometimes lead them to observe selectively or misinterpret what they see.

Question 8

A(n) ________ permits inferences about cause and effect.

Accepted Answer

Experimental design is the only technique among the choices that allows one to manipulate an independent variable and observe the effects on a dependent variable, thereby inferring causality. Correlational designs, case studies, and correlation coefficients do not establish cause and effect relationships.

Question 9

When a researcher directly controls or manipulates changes in an independent variable by exposing participants to the treatment conditions,

Accepted Answer

When a researcher directly controls or manipulates changes in an independent variable by exposing participants to the treatment conditions, cause-and-effect relationships can be detected. This is because the researcher can manipulate the independent variable to observe changes in the dependent variable, which cannot be done in a correlational study. Therefore, option B is the correct answer. Option A is incorrect because correlational studies do not involve manipulating independent variables. Option C is incorrect because the correlational coefficient is a statistical measure of the strength of the relationship between two variables and is not applicable in this context. Option D is incorrect because matching is a technique used to control extraneous variables in an experiment but does not directly manipulate the independent variable.

Question 10

Professor Yang wondered if parenting style is related children's achievement test scores. Professor Yang gathered information on the participants, but made no effort to alter their experiences. Professor Yang used

Accepted Answer

Since Professor Yang did not manipulate or intervene in the participants' experiences, it is not an experimental design. Thus, the best option is a correlational design, as it seeks to determine the relationship between two variables without manipulation.

Question 11

In quasi-experiments,

Accepted Answer

The answer of In quasi-experiments,
...

Question 12

In the United States, children who are first-generation and second-generation immigrants

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that first-generation and second-generation immigrant children have similar or greater high school graduation rates than students with native-born parents.

Question 13

A correlation of +.55 between preschool attendance and self-esteem indicates that children who attend preschool have

Accepted Answer

A correlation coefficient of +.55 indicates a moderately strong positive relationship between preschool attendance and self-esteem. This means that on average, children who attend preschool have moderately higher self-esteem scores than children who do not attend preschool. However, the correlation does not imply causation, so the relationship between preschool attendance and self-esteem is not definitive.

Question 14

In the same experiment examining whether a specific type of intervention improves the psychological adjustment of shy children, the dependent variable would be the

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable in this experiment is the measure of psychological adjustment. This is the variable that is being measured to see if it is affected by the intervention.

Question 15

Dr. Riley wanted to know if adolescent computer use has an immediate effect on their sustained attention. Dr. Riley assigned participants into one of two groups (computer use vs. no computer use) by flipping a coin. Dr. Riley used

Accepted Answer

Random assignment is the best choice as it ensures that the two groups are equivalent before the manipulation (computer use) takes place, reducing the potential for confounding variables.

Question 16

The major limitation of correlational studies is that

Accepted Answer

The major limitation of correlational studies is that researchers cannot make inferences about cause and effect. Correlational studies can only identify relationships between variables, but cannot establish which variable causes the other. Therefore, correlational findings do not provide information about the direction of the relationship or the underlying mechanisms.

Question 17

Professor Spinner wanted to compare how children from different family environments made friends at school. He carefully chose participants to ensure that their characteristics were as much alike as possible. Professor Spinner observed the participants in the school setting. Professor Spinner used

Accepted Answer

A field experiment would involve observing participants in a real-world setting, which is what Professor Spinner did in the school setting. Random assignment and correlational designs would not be appropriate for this type of study, and a laboratory experiment would involve manipulating variables in a controlled environment, which is not what Professor Spinner did.

Question 18

Which of the following is true about the correlational design?

Accepted Answer

The correlational design involves gathering information in natural life circumstances without altering experiences. It does not involve manipulation of variables or treatment conditions as in experiments, so options B and C are incorrect. Option D describes the division of variables in an experimental design, which is not applicable to correlational research.

Question 19

Professor Hudgens is studying the impact of adults' angry interactions on children's adjustment. To determine which participants are exposed to each treatment condition, Professor Hudgens draws the participants' names out of a hat. Professor Hudgens is using

Accepted Answer

Random assignment involves assigning participants to treatment groups randomly, such as by drawing names out of a hat, to ensure that the groups are equivalent at the start of the experiment. Therefore, Professor Hudgens is using random assignment. Matching involves assigning participants to groups based on their characteristics or attributes, which does not seem to be the case here. Experimental assignment and cross-sectioning are not appropriate terms for describing the method being used.

Question 20

In interpreting a correlation coefficient,

Accepted Answer

A zero correlation indicates no relationship between the two variables being compared. The other choices are incorrect. The magnitude of the number indicates the strength of the relationship, not the direction. The sign of the number indicates the direction of the relationship, not the strength. And a positive sign means that as one variable increases, the other also increases, not decreases.

Quiz 1: History, Theory, and Research Strategies