Question 1

When you pair two variables,and as one increases so does the other,your data will show:

Accepted Answer

A positive correlation means that as one variable increases, so does the other variable. Therefore, when you pair two variables and see this pattern in your data, you have a positive correlation between those variables. Choice A (standardized range) does not accurately describe this pattern, and choices C (inferential statistics) and D (validity) are not related to the pattern itself.

Question 2

How is a meta-analysis different from other types of studies?

Accepted Answer

A meta-analysis combines data from multiple studies into a single analysis, allowing for a larger sample size and more comprehensive understanding of the research question. Replication and detection of significant differences can still occur within a meta-analysis, and effect sizes are actually a key component of the analysis.

Question 3

Students who study little for tests tend to make more errors on tests; students who study a lot tend to make fewer errors.If a researcher collected data on both amount of studying and test scores,he or she would likely spot a(n):

Accepted Answer

The answer of Students who study little for tests tend...

Question 4

What do we mean when we say that inferential statistics allow researchers to make generalizations?

Accepted Answer

When we say that inferential statistics allow researchers to make generalizations, we mean that inferential statistics can be used to determine the likelihood that findings in a sample reflect true differences in a population. This allows us to make generalizations about the population based on the sample data.

Question 5

What type of study can be described as a "study of studies"?

Accepted Answer

A meta-analysis is a study that analyzes and combines findings from multiple studies on the same topic, often using statistical techniques to synthesize the results. It could also be described as a "study of studies" because it focuses on analyzing and synthesizing findings from multiple studies.

Question 6

Jana conducts a study and finds a positive relationship between sensitive parenting and children's academic achievement.If she wants to make a judgment as to whether the same pattern would be found in the population,she would use:

Accepted Answer

Inferential statistics allow us to make conclusions about the population based on the data obtained from a sample. In this case, Jana conducted a study and found a positive relationship between sensitive parenting and children's academic achievement. In order to determine whether this pattern would hold true in the population, Jana would need to use inferential statistics to test the significance of her findings and make conclusions about the population as a whole.

Question 7

If the difference between two groups is statistically significant,it suggests that:

Accepted Answer

If the difference between two groups is statistically significant, it suggests that if the experiment were repeated, the same results would likely occur. This is because statistical significance means that the results are not due to chance, but rather a real difference between the groups. A positive correlation (A) or low levels of systematic error (B) do not necessarily have to be present for a statistically significant difference. Descriptive statistics (C) may help in understanding the results, but they cannot be used to test the validity of the results as they are simply used to describe the data.

Question 8

If a researcher believes that participants in a single group will score differently from one another on a task,the researcher can find out if that is true by looking at the:

Accepted Answer

The standard deviation measures the amount of variation or spread in scores within a group. If there is a high standard deviation, it suggests that participants scored differently from one another on the task. The mean and median alone do not provide information about the variation in scores, and the correlation coefficient measures the relationship between two variables, but does not address individual differences within a single group.

Question 9

Researchers have found that taller people tend to have higher levels of self-esteem than shorter people.This pattern of data reflects:

Accepted Answer

This pattern of data reflects a positive correlation between height and self-esteem, indicating that as height increases, self-esteem tends to increase as well.

Question 10

Which of the following best represents a medium negative correlation?

Accepted Answer

A negative correlation means that as one variable increases, the other decreases. The closer the correlation coefficient is to -1, the stronger the negative correlation. Option B has a correlation coefficient of -0.53, which represents a medium negative correlation.

Question 11

When a researcher cannot manipulate variables in a project,he or she is forced to collect naturally occurring data.The data analysis would probably involve:

Accepted Answer

Correlational analysis is used to examine the relationship between variables when manipulation is not possible, allowing researchers to observe naturally occurring relationships.

Question 12

Jamal is performing statistical analyses to determine whether the effects of the treatment in his experiment might actually have reflected chance; Kendra is performing an analysis to combine the results of a number of experiments to yield an overall conclusion.Jamal is performing a ________; Kendra is performing a ________.

Accepted Answer

Jamal is performing a significance test, which is used to determine whether the effects of the treatment in his experiment might actually have reflected chance. Kendra is performing a meta-analysis, which combines the results of a number of experiments to yield an overall conclusion. Therefore, the correct choice is C.

Question 13

Miranda is statistically combining the results of all the published studies on the effects of the presence of a weapon on eyewitness accuracy.Miranda is performing a(n):

Accepted Answer

Miranda is conducting a meta-analysis, which is a statistical approach that combines the results from multiple studies to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a particular research question. This is the best choice because a meta-analysis is specifically designed to combine the results of multiple studies, whereas the other options focus on different types of statistical analyses.

Question 14

In what way are a scatterplot and a correlation coefficient similar?

Accepted Answer

Both a scatterplot and a correlation coefficient represent the association between two variables, but in different forms: a scatterplot visually and a correlation coefficient numerically.

Question 15

Why do scientists and researchers use statistical methods to determine whether their results are statistically significant?

Accepted Answer

Scientists and researchers use statistical methods to determine whether their results are statistically significant because they want to find out whether their findings would be likely to occur by chance. This helps them to make sure that their results are reliable and not simply a fluke occurrence.

Question 16

When you pair two variables,and as one increases the other decreases,your data will show:

Accepted Answer

A negative correlation means that as one variable increases, the other variable decreases. Therefore, this is the best choice as it directly relates to the scenario given in the question. The other options (standardized range, inferential statistics, and validity) are not directly related or applicable in this situation.

Question 17

If you created a scatterplot of your data,what type of statistic would you have computed?

Accepted Answer

A scatterplot displays the relationship between two variables through the use of dots on a graph. Correlation measures the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables, which is the type of statistic that would be computed with a scatterplot. Range is a measure of the spread of the data, median is a measure of central tendency, and inferential statistics involve making inferences and predictions about a broader population based on the sample data collected.

Question 18

Which of the following is closest to a perfect positive correlation?

Accepted Answer

A perfect positive correlation would have a correlation coefficient of +1. The closest option to this is 0.98.

Question 19

Casey is using statistical techniques to examine whether children with autism differ in the amount of self-esteem they report as compared to children without autism.She finds a significant difference,which suggests that the results of her analysis:

Accepted Answer

A significant difference indicates that the probability of the results occurring by chance is less than 5 percent, which is the standard level of significance used in statistical analyses. Choice B is incorrect because statistical techniques and meta-analyses serve different research purposes, and there is no basis for comparison. Choice C is incorrect because replicability refers to the ability to obtain consistent findings across multiple studies, not within a single study. Finally, choice D is not necessarily true without further evidence or explanation.

Question 20

Research has shown that some types of behavioral or psychiatric disorders are more prevalent among people with low levels of education.This pattern of data is best represented by:

Accepted Answer

Negative correlations indicate that as one variable increases, the other variable decreases. In this case, the variable of education level and the variable of prevalence of behavioral or psychiatric disorders have a negative correlation, meaning as education level decreases, the prevalence of these disorders increases. Descriptive statistics, validity, and standard deviations do not specifically reflect this pattern of data.

Quiz 2: Research Methodology