Question 1

Questions about the opinions and behavior of large groups of people are often best answered using
A)the clinical method.
B)the correlational method.
C)the survey method.
D)naturalistic observation.

Accepted Answer

The survey method is the best choice when it comes to gathering opinions and behaviors of large groups of people. This involves asking a set of structured questions to a sample of the population to obtain information about their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. The responses are then analyzed to draw conclusions about the larger population.

Question 2

Concerning Internet surveys, which of the following statements is/are TRUE?
A)It is not easy to control who actually answers online questionnaires.
B)Biased samples can limit web-based research.
C)Internet studies have provided interesting information about topics, such as anger, prejudice, religion, and other attitudes.
D)All of these statements are true.

Accepted Answer

All three statements are true. It is not easy to control who actually answers online questionnaires, biased samples can limit web-based research, and internet studies have provided interesting information about topics such as anger, prejudice, religion, and other attitudes.

Question 3

The random selection of subjects by the researcher is used to produce a(n)
A)balance-biased sample.
B)representative sample.
C)balance-biased population.
D)representative population.

Accepted Answer

Random selection ensures that every member of the population has an equal chance of being chosen for the sample, which makes it representative. A balance-biased sample is one that intentionally selects subjects to ensure a balance of certain characteristics, which is not the same as random selection. A balance-biased population is not a standard term in research methodology.

Question 4

By selecting a _____ and polling them, we can draw conclusions about the larger group called the _____.
A)natural clinical trial; sample
B)sample; population
C)population; sample
D)sample; natural clinical trial

Accepted Answer

A sample is a smaller group selected from a larger group called the population. By polling the sample, we can draw conclusions about the larger group or population. Option A is not correct because a natural clinical trial is a type of study design used in research, and it doesn't relate to the question asked. Option C is not correct because we cannot poll a population directly as it is too large, we need to select a smaller group or sample from the population to poll. Option D is not correct because a natural clinical trial is not relevant to the concept of polling or drawing conclusions about a population through a sample.

Question 5

The survey method involves
A)an in-depth study of the opinions and attitudes of a selected individual.
B)an overview of the attitudes and backgrounds of selected groups.
C)direct observation and recording of a representative sample of behavior.
D)careful questioning of a representative sample of people.

Accepted Answer

The survey method primarily involves the careful questioning of a representative sample of people to gather data about their attitudes, opinions, and behaviors. Options A, B, and C describe other research methods such as case studies, ethnography, and observational studies respectively.

Question 6

A local television station conducts what they refer to as "surveys," in which they ask viewers to call in their opinions to various topics.These "surveys" are not considered a scientific poll because the television station
A)does not allow subjects to e-mail their responses.
B)is using a biased sample.
C)limits the response to only 20 minutes.
D)does not separate the responses according to gender or race.

Accepted Answer

The use of call-ins creates a biased sample because only those who choose to call in are represented, and this group may not be representative of the population as a whole.

Question 7

The study of unusual events is to _____ as information from a large number of people is to _____.
A)clinical method; naturalistic observation
B)correlational method; survey method
C)experimental method; naturalistic observation
D)clinical method; survey method

Accepted Answer

The clinical method involves studying unusual events or cases in detail, while the survey method involves collecting information from a large number of people.

Question 8

Meridian Community College has a total of 4,000 students.One hundred of these students are surveyed about the programs offered at the college.All of the students at the college would be the
A)population.
B)sample.
C)control group.
D)independent group.

Accepted Answer

The population refers to the entire group of individuals or instances about whom the information is desired. In this case, all 4,000 students at the college represent the population.

Question 9

Which of the following is a FALSE statement concerning Internet surveys?
A)Web-based research has been disadvantaged because of its high cost in time and money.
B)Web-based research can reach very large groups of people.
C)Biased samples can limit web-based research.
D)Internet studies have provided interesting information about topics, such as anger, prejudice, religion, and other attitudes.

Accepted Answer

Web-based research is often more cost-effective and time-efficient than traditional methods such as phone or mail surveys, making this statement false.

Question 10

Meridian Community College has a total of 4,000 students.One hundred of these students are surveyed about the programs offered at the college.These 100 students surveyed would constitute the
A)population.
B)sample.
C)control group.
D)independent group.

Accepted Answer

The best choice is B because the 100 students surveyed are a subset of the larger population of 4,000 students at the college, making them a sample. A population refers to the entire group of individuals or objects that the researcher is interested in studying, while a sample is a smaller subset of that population that is selected for the purpose of studying it. A control group is a group of individuals or objects that is used as a benchmark or comparison point in a study, and an independent group is not a recognized term in research methods.

Question 11

The use of public polling techniques to answer psychological questions describes the
A)clinical method.
B)case study method.
C)survey method.
D)experimental design method.

Accepted Answer

The survey method involves using public polling techniques to collect data from a large group of people to answer psychological questions. This method is commonly used in social sciences and can provide valuable insights into the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of different populations. The other options (clinical method, case study method, and experimental design method) all involve more in-depth and focused approaches to studying psychological phenomena and typically involve smaller sample sizes.

Question 12

Senior seminar in psychology is open only to psychology majors and all psychology majors must complete the seminar to graduate.A random sample of students in this seminar is representative of all
A)college students in the U.S.
B)students at the college where the seminar is offered.
C)seniors at the college where the seminar is offered.
D)senior psychology majors at the college where the seminar is offered.

Accepted Answer

The senior seminar in psychology is open only to psychology majors and all psychology majors must complete the seminar to graduate. Therefore, the sample is representative only of senior psychology majors at the college where the seminar is offered. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because they are too broad and do not represent the specific population of interest (senior psychology majors at the college where the seminar is offered).

Question 13

A researcher wants to determine the opinion of the average U.S.citizen regarding gun control.He conducts his survey at a national fishing and hunting convention.His survey is
A)based on a biased sample.
B)only limited by the wording of the survey questions.
C)representative of all registered voters.
D)an accurate survey.

Accepted Answer

The researcher's survey is based on a biased sample as they only conducted it at a fishing and hunting convention, which implies that they only surveyed individuals with an interest in firearms and hunting. This sampling method does not represent the views of the average U.S. citizen and may not provide accurate results.

Question 14

A _____ is a small group that accurately reflects a larger population by including the same proportion of men, women, young, old, professionals, blue-collar workers, Republicans, Democrats, whites, African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos, Asians, and so on as found in the population as a whole.
A)correlational group
B)control group
C)representative sample
D)balance-bias sample

Accepted Answer

A representative sample accurately reflects the larger population by including the same proportion of various demographic groups as found in the population as a whole. Correlational group is not a valid term, and control group and balance-bias sample do not reflect the concept of including a representative sample of a population.

Question 15

A representative sample is an essential element of the
A)survey method.
B)psychoanalytic method.
C)natural experiment or case study.
D)clinical method.

Accepted Answer

A representative sample is necessary for ensuring that the results of a survey are valid and accurate. Without a representative sample, the results of a survey could be biased or unreliable, and the findings may not be generalizable to the larger population.

Question 16

A common method for selecting representative samples is to select them
A)randomly from the larger population.
B)strictly from volunteers.
C)by threatening or coercing institutionalized populations.
D)from confidential lists of mail order firms.

Accepted Answer

Selecting a representative sample randomly from the larger population helps to ensure that the sample is not biased towards any particular subset of the population. This increases the generalizability of the findings to the larger population. The other options are either unethical or not representative of the larger population.

Question 17

The Gallup Poll, which is a report that contains the responses of hundreds of people to questions such as how good a job the president is doing with foreign affairs, is an example of the
A)naturalistic observation technique.
B)survey method.
C)field experiment.
D)curvilinear relationship.

Accepted Answer

The Gallup Poll is an example of the survey method, which involves asking people questions about their opinions, attitudes, and behaviors.

Question 18

The town of Indianola, Mississippi wants to know what the community thinks about building a high-tech movie theatre.Increased taxes will be used to pay for the new theatre.Therefore, elected officials are mailing out questionnaires to determine public opinion about the theatre and the use of increased taxes to pay for it.Which type of research method are they using?
A)correlation
B)experiment
C)survey
D)case studies

Accepted Answer

The elected officials are using a survey method to determine public opinion about building a high-tech movie theatre and using increased taxes to pay for it.

Question 19

An entire group of animals or people belonging to a particular category is called a
A)biased sample.
B)representative sample.
C)population.
D)natural clinical trial.

Accepted Answer

A population refers to an entire group of animals or people belonging to a particular category.

Question 20

Researchers conducting web-based research have trouble controlling who actual answer their on-line questionnaires, which places limits on their research due to
A)researcher bias.
B)research participant bias.
C)biased samples.
D)the Barnum effect.

Accepted Answer

Web-based research may attract a biased sample of participants who are more likely to respond to certain types of questions or who may have certain characteristics that differ from the broader population. This can limit the generalizability of the findings. Therefore, researchers need to take into account the potential for biased samples when interpreting the results of web-based research.

Quiz 1: Extension C: Introduction to Psychology and Research Methods

Questions about the opinions and behavior of large groups of people are often best answered using

Concerning Internet surveys, which of the following statements is/are TRUE?

The random selection of subjects by the researcher is used to produce a(n)

By selecting a _ and polling them, we can draw conclusions about the larger group called the _.

The survey method involves

A local television station conducts what they refer to as "surveys," in which they ask viewers to call in their opinions to various topics.These "surveys" are not considered a scientific poll because the television station

The study of unusual events is to _ as information from a large number of people is to _.

Meridian Community College has a total of 4,000 students.One hundred of these students are surveyed about the programs offered at the college.All of the students at the college would be the

Which of the following is a FALSE statement concerning Internet surveys?

Meridian Community College has a total of 4,000 students.One hundred of these students are surveyed about the programs offered at the college.These 100 students surveyed would constitute the

The use of public polling techniques to answer psychological questions describes the

Senior seminar in psychology is open only to psychology majors and all psychology majors must complete the seminar to graduate.A random sample of students in this seminar is representative of all

A researcher wants to determine the opinion of the average U.S.citizen regarding gun control.He conducts his survey at a national fishing and hunting convention.His survey is

A _____ is a small group that accurately reflects a larger population by including the same proportion of men, women, young, old, professionals, blue-collar workers, Republicans, Democrats, whites, African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos, Asians, and so on as found in the population as a whole.

A representative sample is an essential element of the

A common method for selecting representative samples is to select them

The Gallup Poll, which is a report that contains the responses of hundreds of people to questions such as how good a job the president is doing with foreign affairs, is an example of the

An entire group of animals or people belonging to a particular category is called a

Researchers conducting web-based research have trouble controlling who actual answer their on-line questionnaires, which places limits on their research due to