Question 1

Gerard wants to study whether traffic volume impacts people's willingness to run a red light. He sits at an intersection in a downtown area and watches when traffic is light and when it is heavy. Gerard is conducting a __________.

Accepted Answer

Gerard is conducting a naturalistic observation because he is observing behaviors in their natural environment without intervening or manipulating the situation.

Question 2

Eating corn flakes is negatively correlated with the incidence of cancer. Based on this information, which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A negative correlation means that as one variable increases, the other decreases. Therefore, if eating corn flakes is negatively correlated with the incidence of cancer, it implies that higher consumption of corn flakes is associated with a lower incidence of cancer.

Question 3

The variable that is measured to determine the impact of an experimenter's manipulation is called the __________ variable.

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable that is measured in an experiment to assess the effects of changing the independent variable.

Question 4

A researcher studies student achievement based on their studying strategies. Students who study a little each day are compared with students who cram before an exam. In this example, the performance on an exam is the __________.

Accepted Answer

The performance on an exam is the dependent variable because it is the outcome that the researcher is measuring to see if it changes as a result of different studying strategies.

Question 5

In an experiment investigating the effectiveness of a new drug to treat depression, one group receives the new drug and the other group receives a placebo. The group receiving the placebo is called the __________ group.

Accepted Answer

The group receiving the placebo is called the control group because it serves as a baseline to compare the effects of the new drug against, ensuring that any observed effects can be attributed to the drug and not to other factors.

Question 6

What is the impact of using random assignment in an experiment?

Accepted Answer

Random assignment in an experiment helps to distribute individual differences evenly across all groups, thereby minimizing the impact of these differences on the experimental outcomes. This process ensures that any observed effects can more confidently be attributed to the experimental manipulation rather than to pre-existing differences between the groups.

Question 7

__________, or the ability to repeat a study and get the same results, is vital to scientific credibility.

Accepted Answer

Replication is crucial for verifying the validity of scientific findings by ensuring that studies can be repeated with the same results, thus supporting their reliability and credibility.

Question 8

Max was observing the group of animals. Knowing that the black rat had been separated from its mother soon after birth, Max immediately scored its lack of movement as depression. Max has possibly introduced __________ into his experiment.

Accepted Answer

Max's interpretation of the black rat's lack of movement as depression, based on its early separation from its mother, suggests that his expectations or hypotheses about the animal's behavior could influence his observations or interpretations of the behavior. This is a classic example of experimenter bias, where the researcher's expectations or biases affect the outcome of the experiment.

Question 9

When psychologists examine the world only through the perspective of their own culture, it is known as __________.

Accepted Answer

Ethnocentrism refers to the act of judging another culture solely from the perspective of one's own culture. It often involves the belief that one's own culture is superior to others. In the context of psychology, when researchers view and interpret behaviors, norms, and practices through the lens of their own culture without considering the cultural context of the subject population, it is referred to as ethnocentrism. This can lead to biased conclusions and a lack of understanding of the cultural factors influencing behavior.

Question 10

If a researcher leaves a study and says to a colleague, "You can't believe the answers I got on my questionnaire from your student Jim Baxter. Let me tell you about him," he has violated what ethical principle?

Accepted Answer

By discussing Jim Baxter's responses with a colleague, the researcher has breached the confidentiality of the data collected, which is a fundamental ethical principle in research.

Question 11

In the study described in your text as changing psychology, what happened when people were lying during the experiment?

Accepted Answer

The fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) showed activity in two brain regions when people were lying, indicating that lying involves cognitive processes that can be detected through changes in brain activity.

Question 12

When compared with the polygraph, an fMRI may be __________.

Accepted Answer

fMRI may be more accurate than a polygraph because it measures changes in brain activity and blood flow, which can be more directly related to lying than the physiological responses measured by a polygraph.

Question 13

In the study presented as changing psychology, what was the goal of the research?

Accepted Answer

The goal was to determine if brain activity differs when a person tells the truth compared to when they lie, which can be studied through imaging techniques like fMRI, highlighting different areas of brain activation during these different tasks.

Question 14

An advancement in brain-imaging techniques allows scientists to view a "video" of your brain in action. It is called a(n) __________.

Accepted Answer

fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) allows scientists to see brain activity and how different parts of the brain work during various tasks by measuring changes in blood flow. This provides a dynamic "video" of the brain in action, unlike traditional MRI which provides static images.

Question 15

In the study looking at brain activity when telling the truth or lying, the independent variable in the experiment was __________.

Accepted Answer

The independent variable in an experiment is the variable that is manipulated or changed by the researcher to observe its effects on the dependent variable. In this case, whether the subject is telling the truth or lying is the variable being manipulated to see its effect on brain activity, making it the independent variable.

Question 16

Distinguish between psychology, pop psychology, and parapsychology, and give examples where appropriate. What do you think are some concerns or dangers associated with pseudoscience masquerading as a science?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Distinguish between psychology, pop psychology, and parapsychology,...

Question 17

Compare and contrast four of the early perspectives in psychology as presented in your textbook. What do you think were the greatest contributions and drawbacks of each perspective?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compare and contrast four of the early...

Question 18

Compare and contrast four of the modern perspectives in psychology as presented in your textbook. What do you think were the greatest contributions and drawbacks of each?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compare and contrast four of the modern...

Question 19

List the steps of the scientific method in their correct order and describe what occurs in each step.

Accepted Answer

The answer of List the steps of the scientific method...

Question 20

Let's say you are given an extra-credit assignment by your psychology professor. You are required to put together a descriptive research study, carry it out, and report on the findings. What question do you think you would ask, what sort of design would you use, and what do you think would be the potential drawbacks to your selection?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Let's say you are given an extra-credit...

Quiz 1: The Science of Psychology