Question 1

(Scenario I) Suppose that Merikle and Skanes (1992) had studied ONLY the subliminal and placebo groups. Based on these data, what is the MOST reasonable conclusion?

Accepted Answer

Without a waiting-list control group to compare the results to, it is impossible to determine if the observed weight loss in both groups was due to a placebo effect or the subliminal messages. Therefore, the most reasonable conclusion is that the weight loss could be due to a placebo effect.

Question 2

(Scenario I) If weight loss were due to simply a placebo effect then:

Accepted Answer

If weight loss were due to simply a placebo effect, participants in the subliminal and placebo groups should lose more weight than those on the waiting list. This is because both groups received some form of treatment (the subliminal audiotapes or the belief that they were receiving treatment through the placebo audiotapes) while the waiting list group did not receive any treatment. The data presented in Figure 5.1 shows that the average total weight loss for the subliminal and placebo groups was greater than that of the waiting list group, supporting choice C as the best option.

Question 3

(Scenario II) Based on the results depicted in Figures 5.2B and 5.2C, what can be reasonably concluded?

Accepted Answer

B

Question 4

Scenario II
Scenario II is based on and presents fabricated data consistent with the following study:
Bègue, L., Bushman, B. J., Zerhouni, O., Subra, B., & Ourabah, M. (2013). "Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder": People who think they are drunk also think they are attractive. British Journal of Psychology, 104(2), 225-234. doi:10.1111/j.2044-8295.2012.02114.x
Alcohol myopia refers to the fact that people often react to complex situations in simple ways when intoxicated. For example, we might attend to only highly salient stimuli in a complex social situation. One such stimulus is physical attractiveness. While numerous studies have investigated if alcohol makes us perceive others as more attractive, Bègue and colleagues (2013) wondered if alcohol increases the salience of feelings already held about our own self-attractiveness. In their first study (Figure 5.2A), 19 bar patrons completed a questionnaire and were asked to rank their own physical attractiveness on a scale of 0 (very unattractive) to 7 (very attractive). Then, the researchers measured the blood-alcohol level of each of these patrons using a breathalyzer test. In a second experiment, Bègue and colleagues investigated the relative contributions of alcohol and alcohol expectancies in modulating self-attractiveness. Using random assignment, male participants were administered either alcohol or a placebo that smelled and tasted like alcohol. In each group, a random half were told it was alcohol and the other half were told it was not. All participants were then instructed to create a sales pitch for the beverage that they just consumed. A female experimenter video-recorded the sales pitch. Finally, the participants watched their sales pitch and were asked to rank their self-attractiveness. A set of independent judges-unaware of the condition to which each participant was assigned-also watched every sales pitch and ranked the attractiveness of the participants. Figure 5.2B shows the mean (and standard deviations) self-attractiveness ratings of the participants and Figure 5.2C shows the mean attractiveness ratings as assessed by the judges.
Figure 5.2A (left), 5.2B (middle), and 5.2C (right) 
-(Scenario II) In the first study, what was the manipulated independent variable?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Scenario II
Scenario II is based on and...

Question 5

(Scenario I) Suppose that a company markets a subliminal audio-tape designed for people wanting to lose weight. As evidence that the product is effective, it cites a study based on 100 randomly selected overweight participants demonstrating that people listening to the tapes for 10 weeks lost-on average-6 pounds. Which of these is NOT a reason to be skeptical of these claims?

Accepted Answer

The fact that the weight loss is not representative of how much weight a typical overweight person would lose casts doubt on the generalizability and external validity of the study. The other options (A, C, and D) all suggest alternative explanations for the weight loss that could undermine the validity of the claims made by the company.

Question 6

(Scenario II) Twenty participants were told that they received alcohol and were actually given alcohol. If an equal number of participants were exposed to the other conditions, how many total participants completed the study?

Accepted Answer

The first study consisted of 19 participants and the second study included 40 participants (20 in the alcohol group and 20 in the placebo group). Therefore, a total of 59 participants completed the study. If an equal number of participants were exposed to the other conditions, the total number of participants would be 80 (40 in the alcohol group and 40 in the placebo group). Therefore, the best choice is C.

Question 7

(Scenario I) What were the independent and dependent variables in this study?

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the audio-tape type (subliminal, placebo, none) as it is what the researchers manipulated, and the dependent variable is weight loss as it is what was measured in response to the manipulation.

Question 8

(Scenario II) Based on the description of the first study and the results depicted in Figure 5.2A, what can be reasonably concluded?

Accepted Answer

The results depicted in Figure 5.2A show a clear positive correlation between blood-alcohol levels and ratings of self-attractiveness. This indicates that people tend to rate themselves as more attractive as their blood-alcohol levels increase. Therefore, choice C is the best conclusion that can be drawn from the study.

Question 9

(Scenario II) What was the purpose of obtaining independent assessments of participant attractiveness in the second study?

Accepted Answer

The purpose of obtaining independent assessments of participant attractiveness was to determine if alcohol and/or alcohol expectancies caused participants to behave in ways that really did make them more attractive. This helps to establish whether participants' ratings of their own attractiveness were accurate or merely a result of alcohol-related perceptions or behaviors.

Question 10

Scenario I
Scenario I is based on and presents fabricated data consistent with the following study:
Merikle, P. M., & Skanes, H. E. (1992). Subliminal self-help audiotapes: A search for placebo effects. Journal of Applied Psychology, 77(5), 772-776. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.77.5.772
Merikle and Skanes (1992) investigated the effectiveness of subliminal self-help audiotapes to promote weight loss in overweight females seeking to lose weight. Participants were randomly assigned to groups. Participants in two groups were instructed to listen to audio tapes containing subliminal messages associated with weight loss daily. Group 1 (the subliminal group) actually received these tapes. Group 2 (the placebo group) received tapes containing subliminal messages associated with relieving dental anxiety. Finally, a third group of participants were not given audio tapes and were told that they were on a waiting list to participate in the study. All participants-including the participants on the waiting list-were weighed weekly for 5 weeks. The average total weight loss (and standard deviations) for the three groups after the fifth week is presented in Figure 5.1.
Figure 5.1 
-(Scenario I) If subliminal messages truly are effective at promoting weight loss then:

Accepted Answer

If subliminal messages truly are effective at promoting weight loss, then the participants in the subliminal group (who received audiotapes containing subliminal messages associated with weight loss) should lose more weight than those in the other two groups (placebo group and waiting-list group).

Question 11

(Scenario II) Based on the description of the second study, which of these statements is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

The judge ratings were not manipulated independent variables, but rather dependent variables that were measured as an outcome of the intervention (alcohol or placebo).

Question 12

(Scenario I) Suppose that the waiting list group did NOT lose weight. Based on these hypothetical findings, what is the MOST reasonable conclusion about the weight loss in the subliminal group?

Accepted Answer

If the waiting list group did not lose weight, it suggests that the weight loss in the subliminal group could be attributed to a placebo effect, as they were the only group receiving any form of treatment or intervention.

Question 13

(Scenario I) Based on the entire data set shown in Figure 5.1, what is the MOST reasonable conclusion concerning the weight loss in the subliminal group?

Accepted Answer

The weight loss in the subliminal group was likely due to participant motivation, as the placebo effects were minimal. It is unlikely that the weight loss was entirely due to a placebo effect or the subliminal messages interacting with weekly weigh-ins. Additionally, since the placebo group received tapes with messages unrelated to weight loss, any weight loss observed in that group would likely be due to a placebo effect rather than the subliminal messages. Therefore, it can be concluded that the observed weight loss in the subliminal group was most likely due to participant motivation.

Quiz 5: Section 3: Consciousness