Question 1

If the goal of social psychology is not to provide answers to moral questions, such as whether abortion is right or wrong, then what can social psychological research actually tell us about these and similar issues?

Accepted Answer

The results of social psychological research can inform politicians about who engages in various forms of behavior and why, as well as the consequences of different types of behavior. This information can then be used to inform the political process.

Question 2

Which of the following characteristics of experimental research is the biggest threat to external validity?

Accepted Answer

Participants may pay more attention to information provided in the lab than in some other setting. This can lead to artificial results that cannot be applied to real-world situations. The other options are not as threatening to external validity.

Question 3

Lin is from a collectivist culture and endorses this view of herself. Lin would most likely agree with which of the following statements?

Accepted Answer

Lin is from a collectivist culture, which means she prioritizes the group over the individual. Therefore, she would most likely agree with the statement "My family comes first." The other choices, such as "I am a unique individual" and "I am looking out for number one," prioritize the individual over the group, which goes against collectivist values.

Question 4

Dr. Zen is conducting a study on altruistic helping behavior with a group of Buddhist monks as her participants. She is excited to eventually make broad claims about helping behavior based on her findings from the monks. Based only on the limited information provided, which type of validity would appear to be the weakest in this study?

Accepted Answer

The sample of Buddhist monks may not be representative of the broader population, which limits the generalizability of the findings to other groups. This is a weakness in external validity, which refers to the degree to which the findings can be generalized to other populations or situations.

Question 5

Why should researchers be concerned about using college students as research participants?

Accepted Answer

College students, often used as research participants, may not be representative of the general population due to their younger age and higher intelligence levels. This can limit the generalizability of research findings.

Question 6

_______ validity is the extent to which results of one study can be generalized to other groups, whereas _______ validity is the extent to which changes in the independent variable caused changes in the dependent variable.

Accepted Answer

External validity refers to the ability to generalize the results beyond the sample used in the study. Internal validity, on the other hand, refers to the extent to which the independent variable caused changes in the dependent variable, without the influence of extraneous variables. Construct validity refers to the degree to which a measure assesses what it claims to measure. Therefore, choice C best fits the provided definitions.

Question 7

If a researcher is unable to manipulate certain variables for ethical or practical reasons, then they will probably NOT conduct which type of study?

Accepted Answer

Experiments require the ability to manipulate variables in order to establish cause-and-effect relationships. If a researcher is unable to manipulate certain variables, then they cannot conduct an experiment.

Question 8

Edward has been trained to act like a regular participant, but subtly mimic the behavior of his partners (who are the real participants in the study) without their knowing. Research assistants like Edward, who are accomplices of the experimenter are known as ________.

Accepted Answer

Research assistants like Edward, who are accomplices of the experimenter and subtly mimic the behavior of the real participants without their knowing, are known as confederates. They help researchers carry out experiments by creating situations that allow for the accurate collection of data.

Question 9

Imagine that a researcher wants to study the impact of humorous advertisements on intention to buy a product. Which of the following is an example of how the researcher could manipulate the independent variable in this study?

Accepted Answer

The researcher could manipulate the independent variable (humorous advertisement) by having half of the participants read funny advertisements and the other half read neutral advertisements. This is called a between-subjects design and ensures that the only difference between the groups is the type of advertisement they view, allowing the researcher to make causal inferences about the impact of humor on intention to buy. Option B does not manipulate the independent variable as all participants view the same advertisement, and option C is a general statement about random assignment that does not explain how the independent variable is manipulated. Option D is not a method for manipulating the independent variable, but rather a potential outcome measure.

Question 10

Dr. Spock is examining the effect of mood on liking for another person. When participants show up for his study, Dr. Spock flips a coin to determine whether participants will be in the happy condition or the sad condition. Dr. Spock is using _______ to determine the condition in which the participants will be placed.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Spock is using random assignment to determine which condition each participant will be placed in. This helps to control for any potential confounding variables that may influence the results, such as preexisting mood differences among the participants. By randomly assigning participants to either the happy or sad condition, Dr. Spock can be more confident that any observed differences in liking for another person are due to the manipulation of mood rather than other factors.

Question 11

In their study of the contact hypothesis among Canadian ethnic groups, Kalin and Berry (1982) found that greater contact led to more positive attitudes toward different ethnic groups. What is one potential threat to the internal validity of their study?

Accepted Answer

Each option represents a potential threat to the internal validity of the study. A) suggests a selection bias, B) indicates a potential for shared environmental or cultural factors influencing attitudes, and C) highlights the issue of assuming causality from correlation.

Question 12

In the study by Kalin and Berry (1982), Canadians were asked how much they liked other Canadians from different ethnic groups. The results of their survey showed that people who lived in areas with a relatively high percentage of a particular group liked that group more than those who did not live near members of that ethnic group. This study of the contact hypothesis is using which type of research design?

Accepted Answer

The study is using a correlational research design as it is examining the relationship between two variables (proximity to a particular ethnic group and level of liking for that group) without manipulating any variables or using an experimental approach.

Question 13

Jamie is conducting a study examining the relationship between playing violent video games and violence at school. If Jamie wants to ensure that his study has high internal validity, which type of research method or study should he use?

Accepted Answer

The experimental method would provide Jamie with the highest level of internal validity because he could manipulate the independent variable (playing violent video games) and measure the effect on the dependent variable (violence at school) while controlling for extraneous variables. This would allow Jamie to make causal inferences about the relationship between playing violent video games and violence at school.

Question 14

The owner of a large tuna canning factory wants to find ways to make his employees more productive. The owner hires a group of researchers who systematically vary aspects of the work environment (such as the lighting and temperature) and then observe how those changes impact the behavior of the employees. Much to the owner's delight, simple changes such as lowering the temperature and increasing the lighting, improved the productivity of his employees. Which of the following revelations would ca

Accepted Answer

The scenario described is an example of the Hawthorne Effect, where individuals modify an aspect of their behavior in response to their awareness of being observed. This means the productivity improvements could be due to the employees knowing they were being studied, rather than the specific environmental changes made.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a way to ensure construct validity? REWORD

Accepted Answer

Decreasing internal validity would not help ensure construct validity. In fact, it could have a negative impact on construct validity. The other choices, using multiple measures, using appropriate measures, and decreasing social desirability bias, can all help to ensure construct validity.

Question 16

The 2000 study by Elizabeth Phelps and her colleagues showed that white participants who were more prejudiced showed greater amygdala activation when viewing images of African Americans. Dr. Phelps used which type of measure?

Accepted Answer

The study by Elizabeth Phelps and her colleagues used physiological measures, specifically measuring the amygdala activation of white participants when viewing images of African Americans.

Question 17

________ measures are those in which traces of past behavior, such as news reports or old Facebook posts, are examined.

Accepted Answer

Archival measures involve examining documented traces of past behavior, such as news reports or old Facebook posts. Physiological measures involve direct assessment of bodily responses, observational measures involve observing behavior in real-time, and self-report measures involve individuals reporting on their own behavior or experiences.

Question 18

In a study examining people's reactions toward homosexual individuals, a researcher measures how close heterosexual participants sit next to another individual they presume to be gay. Which type of measure is being used in this study?

Accepted Answer

The researcher is measuring observable behavior (how close people sit) rather than asking them to report their opinions or feelings (self-report measure), examining previous records or data (archival measure), or measuring physiological responses (physiological measure). Therefore, an observational measure is being used in this study.

Question 19

Whenever people are aware that they are being studied, whether in the lab or in the field, they may wonder about the purpose of the research and these questions may influence their behavior. In this case, the people's behavior is being influenced by _________ .

Accepted Answer

Demand characteristics refer to cues or situations that suggest to the participants what the experimenter expects to find or what the study is about. This can lead to participants altering their behavior and responses in order to fit the perceived expectations. In this case, participants being aware they are being studied can trigger demand characteristics that may influence their behavior.

Question 20

What is the best way to ensure external validity in a study?

Accepted Answer

External validity refers to the generalizability of research findings to other populations, settings, and contexts. Ensuring external validity requires multiple strategies, including having a representative sample of participants (option A), selecting a setting that is similar to the larger population (option B), and replicating the study across multiple populations and settings (option C). Therefore, the best way to ensure external validity is through all the above options, which can help to enhance the generalizability of the research findings beyond the specific sample and context of the study.

Quiz 2: Asking and Answering Research Questions