Question 1

Dr. Bloomin wants to investigate the impact of talking to plants on their growth. He decides to talk to a group of 40 tulips each day for six weeks. A second group is not talked to at all. After six weeks he discovers that the tulips he talked to are five centimetres taller than the tulips not talked to. This study is best described as:
A) an observational study
B) a case study
C) a meta-analysis
D) an experiment

Accepted Answer

This is an experiment because the researcher manipulated the independent variable (talking to the plants) and measured the dependent variable (plant growth) in order to establish cause-and-effect relationships. The study involved a control group (the group that was not talked to) and experimental group (the group that was talked to), which is a defining characteristic of an experiment.

Question 2

Which of the following is likely to be associated with observer bias?
A) reactivity
B) experience sampling
C) experimenter expectancy
D) the Hawthorne effect

Accepted Answer

Experimenter expectancy, also known as observer bias, occurs when the experimenter's expectations or beliefs influence the results of the study. This can lead to unintended biases in the way that data is collected and analyzed.

Question 3

Wilhelm randomly assigns participants to two groups and compares the group that receives a treatment with the group that receives no treatment. The group that gets the treatment is the:
A) variable group
B) confounded group
C) experimental group
D) control group

Accepted Answer

The group that receives the treatment is the experimental group, as they are the ones being tested in the experiment. The control group is the group that does not receive the treatment and is used as a baseline for comparison. The other options, variable group and confounded group, are not typically used in experimental design terminology.

Question 4

Using correlational studies, psychologists have studied whether exposure to violence in the media leads to violent behaviour. They have found that participants who have been exposed to more violence in the media are, in general, more violent. It is not clear from such research which one causes the other. The problem in interpreting these results involves:
A) directionality
B) selection bias
C) sampling error
D) confounds

Accepted Answer

The problem with interpreting correlational studies on exposure to violence in the media and violent behavior is directionality, meaning it is unclear which variable is causing the other. In this case, it is unclear whether exposure to media violence causes more violent behavior or whether individuals who are predisposed to violent behavior seek out more violent media content. Therefore, directionality is the best choice for this question. Selection bias and sampling error would relate to issues with the selection or representation of the sample, while confounds refer to extraneous variables that interfere with the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.

Question 5

When a researcher who is collecting data does not know a study's hypothesis, the study is a:
A) blind study
B) confounded study
C) meta-analytic study
D) reactivity study

Accepted Answer

A blind study is one in which the researcher collecting data does not know the study's hypothesis, thus eliminating bias that may occur as a result of the researcher's expectations or preconceived ideas. A confounded study is one in which the effects of two or more variables cannot be separated, a meta-analytic study is a statistical analysis that combines the results of multiple studies to draw conclusions, and a reactivity study investigates how the act of observing participants' behavior affects the behavior being observed.

Question 6

Researchers are likely to choose a correlational design when:
A) they are concerned that there will be a third variable problem
B) the directionality problem is likely
C) it is impossible to control the variables being studied
D) they are using psychophysiological assessments

Accepted Answer

Correlational designs are used when it is impossible or unethical to manipulate variables. In this scenario, a correlational design is the best choice as the variables cannot be controlled. Option A refers to the concern of a spurious relationship due to a third variable, making correlation an inappropriate choice. Option B refers to the inability to determine the causal relationship between variables, which is not relevant to the situation described. Option D suggests the use of psychophysiological assessments, which can be used in a variety of research designs, making it too broad to be the best choice for this question.

Question 7

There is a correlation between depression and memory: more frequently depressed people often have worse memory than less frequently depressed people. Genetics, however, may have an effect on a study participant's depression and memory. This is known as:
A) selection bias
B) the experimenter expectancy effect
C) the directionality problem
D) the third variable problem

Accepted Answer

The third variable problem refers to a situation in which a correlation between two variables is actually caused by a third variable. In this case, genetics could be the third variable causing both depression and memory issues, meaning that the correlation between the two is not necessarily indicative of a causal relationship between the two variables.

Question 8

The variable that a researcher manipulates in an experiment is called the:
A) independent variable
B) dependent variable
C) confounding variable
D) stimulus

Accepted Answer

The variable that the researcher manipulates in an experiment is the independent variable. It is independent in that it is not affected by any other variable in the experiment. The dependent variable, on the other hand, is the one that is measured in response to changes in the independent variable. Confounding variables are factors that can influence the results of an experiment but are not being intentionally manipulated by the researcher. A stimulus is any event or object that can elicit a response from an organism.

Question 9

Researchers investigated whether mood affects participants' ratings of jokes. Participants in the first mood group read sad statements. In the second group, participants read neutral statements. In this study, the participants who read the sad statements constituted the:
A) control group
B) population
C) experimental group
D) observational group

Accepted Answer

The participants who read the sad statements were the experimental group because they were the group that was manipulated and exposed to the factor being measured (the effect of mood on joke ratings). The neutral statement group would be the control group because they were not exposed to the manipulated factor and were used to compare the results of the experimental group. The population refers to the entire group of individuals that the researchers are interested in studying, but it is not specified in this question. There is no mention of an observational group in the study.

Question 10

Gwen is studying the effects of comedic film on depressed participants. She is concerned that the data collectors will produce biased observations if they know the purpose of the study. She addresses this problem by using a(n):
A) blind study
B) correlational study
C) experimental study
D) descriptive study

Accepted Answer

Gwen is concerned about experimenter bias, meaning that the data collectors may inadvertently treat the depressed participants differently if they know the purpose of the study. A blind study addresses this problem by withholding information about the purpose or condition from the data collectors. Therefore, a blind study is the best choice. Correlational, experimental, and descriptive studies do not directly address experimenter bias.

Question 11

When two variables are correlated, it is not clear which one is a causal variable and which is an effect. This ambiguity reflects:
A) the third variable problem
B) random error
C) selection bias
D) the directionality problem

Accepted Answer

The directionality problem refers to the difficulty of determining which variable is causing the effect when two variables are correlated. It is characterized by the ambiguity of the cause and effect relationship between two variables, which represents the direction of the causal relationship. Therefore, option D is the correct answer. The third variable problem refers to the possibility that a third variable might cause both variables. Random error refers to measurement errors, while selection bias occurs when the sample is not representative of the population.

Question 12

Paloma randomly assigns participants to two groups and compares the group that receives a treatment with the group that receives no treatment. The group that gets no treatment is the:
A) variable group
B) confounded group
C) experimental group
D) control group

Accepted Answer

The control group is the group that receives no treatment and serves as a baseline for comparison with the experimental group receiving the treatment. Therefore, the correct answer is D, control group. The other options are incorrect: A) variable group is not a common term in experimental design and could refer to either group, B) confounded group refers to a group that is affected by an extraneous variable that is not controlled for, which would not apply in this case, and C) experimental group refers to the group that receives the treatment, which is the opposite of the group that receives no treatment.

Question 13

When a researcher manipulates a variable to see what effect the manipulation has on a study participant's behaviour, the research design involves:
A) a correlational study
B) an experiment
C) naturalistic observation
D) participant observation

Accepted Answer

Manipulating a variable to observe its effect on behaviour is a key feature of experimental design. Choice A (correlational study) does not involve manipulation of an independent variable, Choice C (naturalistic observation) involves observing behaviour in its natural setting without manipulation, and Choice D (participant observation) involves the researcher being a part of the group being observed, but does not necessarily involve manipulation of a variable.

Question 14

Dr. Bloomin wants to investigate the impact of talking to plants on their growth. He decides to talk to a group of 40 tulips each day for six weeks. A second group is not talked to at all. After six weeks he discovers that the tulips he talked to are five centimetres taller than the tulips not talked to. In this example, the dependent variable is:
A) the group of tulips spoken to
B) whether or not the tulips are spoken to
C) the height of the tulips
D) the group of tulips not spoken to

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable being measured in the experiment, which in this case is the height of the tulips. The independent variable is the variable being manipulated, which is whether or not the tulips are spoken to. The groups of tulips are just the different levels of the independent variable, so they are not the dependent variable.

Question 15

A research team told one group of people that they would hear a set of jokes that were very funny and a second group that they would hear jokes that were not very funny. A third group was not told anything about the jokes. The jokes in all conditions were the same. Research with this design is:
A) observational
B) correlational
C) experimental
D) psychophysiological

Accepted Answer

This research design is experimental because it involves manipulating the independent variable (the information given about the jokes) and measuring the effects on the dependent variable (perceived humor of the jokes). The researchers are able to test for causal relationships between the independent and dependent variables.

Question 16

The psychologist Robert Rosenthal told student researchers that some rats in a study would learn a task quickly and others would learn the task slowly. In reality, there was no difference in the rats' ability to learn the task. When the students tested the rats, the animals' learning matched what the students were told. These results reflect:
A) the Hawthorne effect
B) the experimenter expectancy effect
C) the directionality problem
D) the third variable problem

Accepted Answer

This situation reflects the experimenter expectancy effect, also known as the Rosenthal effect, where the expectations of the experimenter influence the behavior of the participants or subjects. In this case, the students' belief that some rats were better at learning the task influenced the way they interacted with and tested the rats, leading to confirmation of their initial expectations.

Question 17

When a researcher's bias affects the coding of data, there is a problem with:
A) the Hawthorne effect
B) experimenter expectancy
C) a third variable
D) confounds

Accepted Answer

Experimenter expectancy occurs when researchers' biases influence the way they interpret data, often leading to unintended alterations in data coding or analysis. The Hawthorne effect refers to the phenomenon in which subjects modify their behavior in response to being observed, leading to inaccurate data. A third variable refers to an extraneous factor that may influence the relationship between the independent and dependent variables but is not being studied. Confounds refer to any variable that varies systematically with the independent variable and can make it difficult to attribute changes in the dependent variable to the independent variable. While confounds can certainly impact the accuracy of data, the specific problem of researcher bias leading to coding errors is most accurately described as experimenter expectancy.

Question 18

If a researcher does not have a clear operational definition of the behaviour he is studying, he might experience:
A) observer bias
B) reactivity
C) confounds
D) a directionality problem

Accepted Answer

If a researcher does not have a clear operational definition of the behaviour he is studying, he might experience observer bias. Observer bias is the tendency for an observer to influence the behaviour of the subject being observed. This can happen when the observer has a preconceived notion about the subject's behaviour, or when the observer's presence changes the subject's behaviour.

Question 19

Samir is conducting a correlational study, and he cannot determine whether one variable causes another. One reason is that the additional variables that he did not study could influence the variables he did study. This reflects the problem with:
A) selection bias
B) response accuracy
C) the third variable problem
D) the occurrence of random error

Accepted Answer

The third variable problem refers to the possibility of an unmeasured variable affecting the relationship between two measured variables, making it difficult to determine causality. This is the problem that Samir is facing in his correlational study, as he cannot determine if one variable caused another or if there is a third variable affecting the relationship. Selection bias refers to the bias introduced when participants are not representative of the population of interest, response accuracy refers to the accuracy of the responses given by participants, and random error refers to the variability in measurements that is due to chance. None of these problems specifically relate to the issue of determining causality in correlational studies.

Question 20

Researchers assess the baseline performance of people with respect to a given behaviour so they can identify what happens to behaviour when they manipulate a variable. The use of baseline groups and groups that experience a manipulation of a variable is characteristic of:
A) correlational studies
B) longitudinal research
C) naturalistic observation
D) experimental research

Accepted Answer

The use of baseline groups and groups that experience a manipulation of a variable is a key characteristic of experimental research. In an experiment, researchers manipulate a variable (independent variable) and measure the effect on another variable (dependent variable) while controlling for other variables that could influence the outcome. A baseline group is used to establish a starting point for the dependent variable before the independent variable is manipulated. This allows researchers to compare the baseline group's performance to that of the group that experienced the manipulation, providing insight into the impact of the variable on the dependent variable.

Quiz 2: Research Methodology

Which of the following is likely to be associated with observer bias?

Wilhelm randomly assigns participants to two groups and compares the group that receives a treatment with the group that receives no treatment. The group that gets the treatment is the:

When a researcher who is collecting data does not know a study's hypothesis, the study is a:

Researchers are likely to choose a correlational design when:

There is a correlation between depression and memory: more frequently depressed people often have worse memory than less frequently depressed people. Genetics, however, may have an effect on a study participant's depression and memory. This is known as:

The variable that a researcher manipulates in an experiment is called the:

Researchers investigated whether mood affects participants' ratings of jokes. Participants in the first mood group read sad statements. In the second group, participants read neutral statements. In this study, the participants who read the sad statements constituted the:

Gwen is studying the effects of comedic film on depressed participants. She is concerned that the data collectors will produce biased observations if they know the purpose of the study. She addresses this problem by using a(n) :

When two variables are correlated, it is not clear which one is a causal variable and which is an effect. This ambiguity reflects:

Paloma randomly assigns participants to two groups and compares the group that receives a treatment with the group that receives no treatment. The group that gets no treatment is the:

When a researcher manipulates a variable to see what effect the manipulation has on a study participant's behaviour, the research design involves:

A research team told one group of people that they would hear a set of jokes that were very funny and a second group that they would hear jokes that were not very funny. A third group was not told anything about the jokes. The jokes in all conditions were the same. Research with this design is:

When a researcher's bias affects the coding of data, there is a problem with:

If a researcher does not have a clear operational definition of the behaviour he is studying, he might experience:

Samir is conducting a correlational study, and he cannot determine whether one variable causes another. One reason is that the additional variables that he did not study could influence the variables he did study. This reflects the problem with:

Researchers assess the baseline performance of people with respect to a given behaviour so they can identify what happens to behaviour when they manipulate a variable. The use of baseline groups and groups that experience a manipulation of a variable is characteristic of: