Question 1

In an experiment on attitudes, participants are given either positive or negative information about a speaker and then asked to evaluate the effectiveness of the speaker. In this experiment, which is the independent variable?
A) The effectiveness of the speaker
B) The type of information the participants are given
C) Attitude change
D) The speaker

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the variable that is purposely manipulated by the researcher in order to observe its effect on the dependent variable, which is the variable being measured. In this experiment, the researcher is manipulating the type of information the participants are given (positive or negative) in order to observe its effect on their evaluation of the speaker's effectiveness. Therefore, the type of information given is the independent variable.

Question 2

Javier wants to study how aggression helps a person adapt to the environment. Which historical approach is Javier emphasizing?
A) Structuralism
B) Psychoanalysis
C) Functionalism
D) Humanism

Accepted Answer

The functionalism approach focuses on understanding how behaviors and mental processes help individuals adapt to their environment. Javier's interest in how aggression helps with adaptation aligns with this approach.

Question 3

A psychologist who studies individual differences in shyness is probably from which specialty area?
A) Cognitive
B) Social
C) Developmental
D) Personality

Accepted Answer

A psychologist who studies individual differences in shyness is likely from the specialty area of personality psychology, as shyness is a trait that falls under the realm of personality.

Question 4

What is the rule for deceiving participants in a psychological research study?
A) Deception is never allowed in psychological research. It is against the law in every state.
B) Deception is allowed only when using animals.
C) Deception is allowed when alternative procedures are unavailable and when participants are debriefed at the end of the study.
D) Deception can be used under any circumstances

Accepted Answer

Deception is allowed when alternative procedures are unavailable, but it is necessary for achieving the study's research goals. However, participants must be debriefed at the end of the study to reduce negative effects and ensure that they are aware of the true purpose and nature of the study. This procedure helps to ensure that the potential benefits of the research outweigh the risks to the participant.

Question 5

Dr. Duarte is studying bullying behavior in children. Every day, he goes to the local playground at 3 P.M., sits on the sidelines, and records the number of times one child bullies another, the sex of the children involved in bullying, and the duration of the bullying. Dr. Duarte is using which research method in his study?
A) An experiment
B) A case study
C) A naturalistic observation
D) A quasi-experiment

Accepted Answer

Dr. Duarte is using naturalistic observation, as he is observing behavior in its natural setting without manipulating any variables. He is not conducting an experiment because he is not manipulating any variables to measure cause-and-effect relationships. He is also not conducting a case study because he is not looking at a single individual or small group in depth. Similarly, he is not conducting a quasi-experiment because he is not manipulating any variables, nor does he have a control group.

Question 6

Dr. Hincapie wants to test the hypothesis that stress increases one's blood pressure. What type of hypothesis is Dr. Hincapie interested in testing?
A) Predictive
B) Causal
C) Correlational
D) Biological

Accepted Answer

Dr. Hincapie is interested in testing a causal hypothesis, which examines the relationship between one variable and another in terms of cause-and-effect. In this case, the hypothesis is that stress causes an increase in blood pressure.

Question 7

The researcher observes that the health club is more crowded in January, February, and March. What sort of action does this behavior convey?
A) Describe
B) Predict
C) Explain
D) Control or change

Accepted Answer

Observing that the health club is more crowded during certain months and noting this trend is an act of describing the situation. It involves recording what is happening without attempting to predict future trends, explain why it is happening, or control/change the situation.

Question 8

Informed consent is one of the _______________ principles of ethical practices.
A) fundamental
B) secondary
C) tertiary
D) voluntary

Accepted Answer

Informed consent is considered a fundamental principle in ethical practices, as it allows individuals to make informed decisions about their own care and treatment.

Question 9

Which of the following professionals is most likely to prescribe medication for a mental health disorder?
A) A clinical psychologist
B) A psychiatrist
C) A biopsychologist
D) An experimental psychologist

Accepted Answer

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illnesses. They have the authority to prescribe medication and can provide other forms of treatment such as psychotherapy. Clinical psychologists and biopsychologists do not have the authority to prescribe medication, and while experimental psychologists may conduct research on medication, they do not prescribe it themselves.

Question 10

Which of the following emphasizes those factors that influence our success or failure at achieving healthy behavior?
A) Foundations in biological psychology
B) Foundations in cognitive psychology
C) Foundations in developmental and social psychology
D) Foundations in physical and mental health

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following emphasizes those factors...

Question 11

The farther a commuter has to drive to get to work, the less likely he or she is to get promoted. This is an example of a ______________.
A) positive correlation
B) negative correlation
C) zero correlation
D) case study

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a negative correlation because as the distance of the commute increases (independent variable), the chances of getting promoted (dependent variable) decreases.

Question 12

When we know that two events regularly occur together, which goal of psychology can be met?
A) Predicting behavior
B) Changing behavior
C) Understanding behavior
D) Explaining behavior

Accepted Answer

When we know that two events regularly occur together, we can use this information to predict future behavior. For example, if we know that a person gets anxious before public speaking, we can predict that they will likely experience anxiety before their next presentation.

Question 13

If a study determined that the more hours students were employed, the less successful they were academically, what type of correlation would this be?
A) Zero
B) Positive
C) Perfect
D) Negative

Accepted Answer

A negative correlation indicates that as one variable increases, the other variable decreases. In this scenario, the more hours students were employed, the less successful they were academically. Therefore, there is a negative correlation between employment hours and academic success.

Question 14

The hypothesis that the number of armed robberies will increase during the summer months is an example of a(n) _________ hypothesis.
A) casual
B) predictive
C) untestable
D) nonscientific

Accepted Answer

The hypothesis is predictive since it is making a statement about what will happen in the future (that the number of robberies will increase during the summer months). It is not casual because it does not suggest a direct cause-and-effect relationship, it is not untestable since it can be tested through data collection, and it is not nonscientific since it can be tested and potentially proven or disproven through scientific methods.

Question 15

On what ethical grounds has Stanley Milgram's famous 1963 obedience study been criticized?
A) Milgram failed to debrief participants after the study.
B) The "learners" were administered painful electric shocks.
C) The "teachers" were legally responsible for the injuries "learners" suffered from electric shocks.
D) Subjects may have been traumatized by participating in the study.

Accepted Answer

Milgram's study has been criticized for potentially causing psychological harm to participants, as they were subjected to stressful situations that could have led to trauma.

Question 16

Which specialty area of psychology studies mental processes such as decision making, problem solving, language, and memory?
A) Cognitive psychology
B) Forensic psychology
C) Developmental psychology
D) Educational psychology

Accepted Answer

Cognitive psychology is the specialty area that studies mental processes such as decision making, problem solving, language, and memory. Forensic psychology is concerned with applying psychology to legal issues, developmental psychology focuses on the study of how individuals develop over their lifespan, and educational psychology is concerned with learning and teaching processes in educational settings.

Question 17

In a double-blind study, who knows which group a person gets assigned to?
A) Both experimenters and participants
B) Neither experimenters nor participants
C) Either experimenters or participants
D) Only participants

Accepted Answer

In a double-blind study, neither the experimenters nor the participants know which group a person gets assigned to. This is done to reduce bias or influence in the results.

Question 18

As perceived stress increases, blood pressure also goes up. This is an example of a ___________ correlation.
A) positive
B) neutral
C) negative
D) dynamic

Accepted Answer

A positive correlation means that as one variable increases, the other variable also increases. In this case, as perceived stress increases, blood pressure also increases, implying a positive correlation.

Question 19

If a study determined that individuals of all ages who exercised an average of an hour a day lived longer than sedentary persons, the study would be termed ______.
A) naturalistic
B) a cohort study
C) correlational
D) a case study

Accepted Answer

The study is correlational because it examines the relationship between two variables (exercising and lifespan) without manipulating or controlling them.

Question 20

Dr. Kwan is performing case study research. She should be most concerned with which of the following ethical principles?
A) Deception
B) Physical harm
C) Debriefing
D) Confidentiality

Accepted Answer

Dr. Kwan should be most concerned with confidentiality, as case study research often involves the use of sensitive and personal information about individuals. It is important that the participants' identities and information are kept confidential to protect their privacy and prevent any potential harm to them. While debriefing is also important in case study research, it is not as critical an ethical principle as confidentiality. Deception and physical harm are not typically issues in case study research.

Quiz 1: The Science of Psychology

In an experiment on attitudes, participants are given either positive or negative information about a speaker and then asked to evaluate the effectiveness of the speaker. In this experiment, which is the independent variable?

Javier wants to study how aggression helps a person adapt to the environment. Which historical approach is Javier emphasizing?

A psychologist who studies individual differences in shyness is probably from which specialty area?

What is the rule for deceiving participants in a psychological research study?

Dr. Hincapie wants to test the hypothesis that stress increases one's blood pressure. What type of hypothesis is Dr. Hincapie interested in testing?

The researcher observes that the health club is more crowded in January, February, and March. What sort of action does this behavior convey?

Informed consent is one of the _______________ principles of ethical practices.

Which of the following professionals is most likely to prescribe medication for a mental health disorder?

Which of the following emphasizes those factors that influence our success or failure at achieving healthy behavior?

The farther a commuter has to drive to get to work, the less likely he or she is to get promoted. This is an example of a ______________.

When we know that two events regularly occur together, which goal of psychology can be met?

If a study determined that the more hours students were employed, the less successful they were academically, what type of correlation would this be?

The hypothesis that the number of armed robberies will increase during the summer months is an example of a(n) _________ hypothesis.

On what ethical grounds has Stanley Milgram's famous 1963 obedience study been criticized?

Which specialty area of psychology studies mental processes such as decision making, problem solving, language, and memory?

In a double-blind study, who knows which group a person gets assigned to?

As perceived stress increases, blood pressure also goes up. This is an example of a ___________ correlation.

If a study determined that individuals of all ages who exercised an average of an hour a day lived longer than sedentary persons, the study would be termed ______.

Dr. Kwan is performing case study research. She should be most concerned with which of the following ethical principles?