Question 1

Which procedure helps to ensure that the participants in a survey are representative of a larger population?
A) random assignment
B) replication
C) naturalistic observation
D) random sampling

Accepted Answer

Random sampling involves selecting a sample from a larger population in a way that every individual in the population has an equal chance of being included in the sample. This procedure helps to ensure that the participants in a survey are representative of the larger population, as it minimizes the risk of bias and ensures that every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the survey. Thus, random sampling is the most appropriate procedure for ensuring that the survey results accurately reflect the attitudes and characteristics of the larger population.

Question 2

Researchers examining people's opinion on same-sex marriage have found that respondents are more likely to support references to "marriage equality" than "gay marriage." This finding demonstrates
A) random sampling.
B) naturalistic observation.
C) wording effects.
D) the case study.

Accepted Answer

The finding that respondents are more likely to support references to "marriage equality" than "gay marriage" demonstrates the effect that wording can have on survey responses. This is known as a wording effect. The other answer choices do not accurately describe this finding.

Question 3

Which research method would be most effective for identifying the mating rituals of North American deer?
A) survey research
B) naturalistic observation
C) experimentation
D) the double-blind procedure

Accepted Answer

Naturalistic observation involves observing subjects in their natural environment without any manipulation or intervention. This would be the most effective method for identifying the mating rituals of North American deer as it would provide researchers with a firsthand account of their behavior during mating season. They could observe things like courtship behavior, mate selection, and mating rituals without influencing or altering their behavior.

Question 4

In comparing the pace of life in 31 countries,Robert Levine and Ara Norenzayan found that the pace is fastest in Japan and Western Europe and slower in economically less-developed countries.What research method did they use?
A) case study
B) experiment
C) naturalistic observation
D) survey

Accepted Answer

Levine and Norenzayan used naturalistic observation to compare the pace of life across different countries, observing behaviors in their natural environments without manipulating the situation.

Question 5

Dr.Reed is studying risky sexual behaviors among college students.Which research method is she most likely to use?
A) survey
B) experiment
C) case study
D) naturalistic observation

Accepted Answer

Surveys are commonly used to gather information on people's attitudes and behaviors, making them the most likely choice for studying risky sexual behaviors among college students. Surveys can be anonymous and provide a large sample size, making them an efficient method for data collection. Experiments and case studies may not be as suitable for this type of research, as experiments may be unethical to manipulate risk behaviors and case studies may be too narrow in scope. Naturalistic observation may also be difficult to conduct in this context due to issues of privacy and consent.

Question 6

To study the development of relationships,Dr.Rajiv carefully observed and recorded patterns of verbal and nonverbal behaviors among men and women in singles bars.Which research method did Dr.Rajiv employ?
A) naturalistic observation
B) the survey
C) the case study
D) experimentation

Accepted Answer

Dr. Rajiv was observing and recording patterns of behaviors in a natural setting (singles bars) without manipulating any variables, which is the basis of naturalistic observation research method.

Question 7

To learn about the political attitudes of all students enrolled at Arizona State University,Professor Marlow randomly selected 800 of these students to complete a questionnaire.In this instance,all the students enrolled at Arizona State University are considered to be a(n)
A) independent variable.
B) representative sample.
C) control condition.
D) population.

Accepted Answer

The term "population" refers to the entire group of individuals with certain characteristics being studied, in this case all students enrolled at Arizona State University. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Question 8

Researchers make no effort to manipulate or control factors when they engage in
A) naturalistic observation.
B) the double-blind procedure.
C) replication.
D) experimentation.

Accepted Answer

Naturalistic observation involves observing and recording behavior in a natural setting, without manipulating or controlling any factors. The focus is on simply observing and describing behavior as it occurs naturally.

Question 9

The finding that 68 percent of people say that religion is important in their daily life was derived from the use of which research method?
A) survey
B) experiment
C) case study
D) naturalistic observation

Accepted Answer

The finding that 68 percent of people say that religion is important in their daily life was likely derived from a survey research method, as surveys are commonly used to gather self-reported data about beliefs and attitudes of a population.

Question 10

The children in Mrs.Shashoua's neighborhood make fun of her limp.She concludes that today's kids are typically cruel and insensitive.Mrs.Shashoua ought to remind herself that reasonable generalizations depend on
A) observing representative samples.
B) recognizing that others may not share our opinions.
C) realizing that correlation does not mean causation.
D) eliminating confounding variables.

Accepted Answer

In order to make a reasonable generalization about today's kids, Mrs. Shashoua would need to observe a representative sample of children. Drawing conclusions based on the behavior of a small group of children in her neighborhood may not be indicative of the broader population. Therefore, she should rely on observing a representative sample to make accurate generalizations.

Question 11

Researchers observe random samples because these samples are likely to be
A) easy to observe.
B) homogeneous.
C) representative.
D) easy to debrief.

Accepted Answer

Random samples have an equal chance of including any member of the population, making them more representative than non-random samples. While random samples may not always be easy to observe or homogeneous, they are more likely to provide a true snapshot of the population being studied. The choice of random sampling is also not related to ease of debriefing.

Question 12

Each time Samantha has observed a person using government food vouchers to pay for groceries,the person has been an Hispanic female.Samantha has fallen victim to
A) sampling bias.
B) naturalistic observation.
C) a case study.
D) random sampling.

Accepted Answer

Samantha has only observed a specific group of people (Hispanic females) who use government food vouchers, which is a biased sample. This is an example of sampling bias.

Question 13

Mrs.Blair concludes that boys do not read as well as girls because most of the students in her remedial reading classes are boys.Mrs.Blair's conclusion best illustrates the danger of
A) random assignment.
B) generalizing from vivid cases.
C) confusing correlation with causation.
D) random sampling.

Accepted Answer

Mrs. Blair's conclusion is an example of generalizing from vivid cases. She is basing her conclusion on a small sample size (the students in her remedial reading classes) and ignoring other factors that may contribute to differences in reading ability between boys and girls. This is a common error known as the "availability heuristic," where we rely on easily available information (in this case, the students in her class) rather than seeking out more representative data. Therefore, the answer is B.

Question 14

The whole group from which samples may be drawn is called a(n)
A) control condition.
B) population.
C) case study.
D) independent variable.

Accepted Answer

The term population refers to the whole group from which samples may be drawn. The other options do not accurately describe the entire group being referred to.

Question 15

Which of the following techniques would be the most effective way of investigating the relationship between the political attitudes and the economic status of North Americans?
A) the survey
B) naturalistic observation
C) experimentation
D) the case study

Accepted Answer

The survey would be the most effective technique for investigating the relationship between the political attitudes and economic status of North Americans as it allows for a large sample size and the ability to ask specific questions about both variables. Naturalistic observation would not provide enough information on attitudes or economic status, while experimentation and case studies may not be practical or ethical for this type of investigation.

Question 16

To describe the behavior of animals in their native habitat,researchers are most likely to make use of
A) survey research.
B) random assignment.
C) experimental methods.
D) naturalistic observation.

Accepted Answer

To accurately observe and describe the behavior of animals in their natural habitat, researchers would most likely use naturalistic observation. This method involves systematically observing and recording the behavior of animals in their natural setting, without manipulating or interfering with their behavior. This allows for a more accurate representation of their behavior in their native environment. Option A, survey research, would not be as appropriate because it involves asking questions rather than observing behavior. Option B, random assignment, is not relevant in this situation as it is used in experimental research, which would not be appropriate for studying animals in their natural habitat. Option C, experimental methods, also would not be appropriate as it involves manipulating variables in a controlled environment, which is not possible in a natural setting.

Question 17

Website polls and call-in phone surveys often yield unrepresentative results because they fail to use
A) operational definitions.
B) random sampling.
C) scatterplots.
D) double-blind procedures.

Accepted Answer

Random sampling is a necessary aspect of obtaining a representative sample, and website polls and call-in surveys typically do not use random sampling methods. Other options, such as operational definitions, scatterplots, and double-blind procedures, do not directly address the issue of obtaining a representative sample.

Question 18

A majority of respondents in a national survey agreed that "classroom prayer should not be allowed in public schools." Only 33 percent of respondents in a similar survey agreed that "classroom prayer in public schools should be banned." These differing findings best illustrate the importance of
A) representative samples.
B) the placebo effect.
C) random assignment.
D) wording effects.

Accepted Answer

The differing responses to similar survey questions suggest that the wording of the questions has a significant impact on respondents' answers. This highlights the importance of careful wording and phrasing in survey research.

Question 19

The survey is a research method in which
A) individuals are carefully observed in their natural environment.
B) a representative random sample of individuals are questioned regarding their attitudes or behaviors.
C) an individual or group is studied in great depth.
D) an investigator determines the extent to which two variables influence each other.

Accepted Answer

The survey is a research method in which a representative random sample of individuals are questioned regarding their attitudes or behaviors. This method is used to gather data on a large sample size and can be used to generalize findings to a larger population. It is a common and effective method used in many fields such as psychology, marketing, and political science.

Question 20

A random sample of a large group of people is one in which
A) the number of people included in the sample is determined by chance.
B) every person in the large group has an equal chance of being included in the sample.
C) personality differences among those in the sample are practically nonexistent.
D) all of these situations are true.

Accepted Answer

A random sample is defined by every member of the population having an equal chance of being selected, which ensures that the sample represents the population as closely as possible. Choices A and C do not accurately describe the essential characteristics of a random sample.

Quiz 2: Thinking Critically with Psychological Science

Which procedure helps to ensure that the participants in a survey are representative of a larger population?

Researchers examining people's opinion on same-sex marriage have found that respondents are more likely to support references to "marriage equality" than "gay marriage." This finding demonstrates

Which research method would be most effective for identifying the mating rituals of North American deer?

In comparing the pace of life in 31 countries,Robert Levine and Ara Norenzayan found that the pace is fastest in Japan and Western Europe and slower in economically less-developed countries.What research method did they use?

Dr.Reed is studying risky sexual behaviors among college students.Which research method is she most likely to use?

To study the development of relationships,Dr.Rajiv carefully observed and recorded patterns of verbal and nonverbal behaviors among men and women in singles bars.Which research method did Dr.Rajiv employ?

To learn about the political attitudes of all students enrolled at Arizona State University,Professor Marlow randomly selected 800 of these students to complete a questionnaire.In this instance,all the students enrolled at Arizona State University are considered to be a(n)

Researchers make no effort to manipulate or control factors when they engage in

The finding that 68 percent of people say that religion is important in their daily life was derived from the use of which research method?

The children in Mrs.Shashoua's neighborhood make fun of her limp.She concludes that today's kids are typically cruel and insensitive.Mrs.Shashoua ought to remind herself that reasonable generalizations depend on

Researchers observe random samples because these samples are likely to be

Each time Samantha has observed a person using government food vouchers to pay for groceries,the person has been an Hispanic female.Samantha has fallen victim to

Mrs.Blair concludes that boys do not read as well as girls because most of the students in her remedial reading classes are boys.Mrs.Blair's conclusion best illustrates the danger of

The whole group from which samples may be drawn is called a(n)

Which of the following techniques would be the most effective way of investigating the relationship between the political attitudes and the economic status of North Americans?

To describe the behavior of animals in their native habitat,researchers are most likely to make use of

Website polls and call-in phone surveys often yield unrepresentative results because they fail to use

A majority of respondents in a national survey agreed that "classroom prayer should not be allowed in public schools." Only 33 percent of respondents in a similar survey agreed that "classroom prayer in public schools should be banned." These differing findings best illustrate the importance of

The survey is a research method in which

A random sample of a large group of people is one in which