Question 1

In a study examining the impact of dietary supplements on weight loss, an experimenter would manipulate _____ and measure _____.
A) participants' weight loss; dietary supplement use
B) participants' use of dietary supplements; weight loss
C) participants' use of dietary supplements; well-being
D) participants' weight loss; daily caloric intake

Accepted Answer

The experimenter would manipulate the participants' use of dietary supplements (independent variable) and measure their weight loss (dependent variable). This would allow them to determine whether or not the supplements had an impact on weight loss. The other options don't necessarily address the specific relationship between dietary supplements and weight loss.

Question 2

If you were interested in empirically testing whether the saying, "More money, more problems" is true, which variable would you expect to see change first in order to establish temporal precedence?
A) money
B) problems
C) neither, they would have to change at the same time
D) neither, because money and problems are not related

Accepted Answer

To establish temporal precedence, we need to manipulate or observe the independent variable (money) and see if it leads to changes in the dependent variable (problems). Therefore, we would expect to see changes in money first before any changes in problems can be observed.

Question 3

In an experiment examining whether pet ownership leads to greater life satisfaction, pets would be considered the _____ variable, whereas life satisfaction would be considered the _____ variable.
A) independent; dependent
B) dependent; independent
C) dependent; control
D) control; independent

Accepted Answer

In experimental research, the independent variable is the variable that is manipulated or changed by the experimenter (in this case, pet ownership) and the dependent variable is the variable that is measured (in this case, life satisfaction) to see if it is influenced by the independent variable. Therefore, pets would be the independent variable and life satisfaction would be the dependent variable.

Question 4

Distinguish which of the following is NOT a benefit that experimental designs offer over nonexperimental designs?
A) They establish a causal relationship.
B) They lead to greater internal validity.
C) They control for extraneous variables.
D) They lead to greater generalizability.

Accepted Answer

Experimental designs typically have less generalizability than nonexperimental designs because they often use highly controlled settings and participant selection processes that may not reflect the real world.

Question 5

If you were conducting an experiment examining the impact of sleep deprivation on physical ability, which of the following would be an appropriate operational definition of sleep deprivation?
A) being without sleep for more than 24 hours
B) getting more than 8 hours of sleep the night before the study
C) participants' self-reported amount of sleep the night before
D) the average amount of sleep Americans get in a given night

Accepted Answer

Being without sleep for more than 24 hours is a clear and specific operational definition of sleep deprivation, as it involves a complete lack of sleep for a significant period of time. The other options, such as amount of sleep the night before, self-reported sleep, or the average amount of sleep Americans get, are not as specific or standardized, and may be influenced by individual differences or cultural norms.

Question 6

The _____ experimental control a study has, the _____ internal validity it has.
A) more; less
B) less; less
C) more; more
D) less; more

Accepted Answer

The more experimental control a study has, the more it can ensure that the results are due to the manipulation of the independent variable, thus increasing internal validity.

Question 7

Professor Tompkins notices that rats run quickly through a maze when exposed to loud noise. Identify which of the following is necessary to transform this observation into a two-group experimental design?
A) multiple comparison conditions where rats run through mazes while exposed to several different volumes of noise
B) multiple rats to observe running through the maze with loud noise
C) a control condition where rats run through a maze without exposure to loud noise
D) a subjective way to measure how fast a rat runs

Accepted Answer

To transform this observation into a two-group experimental design, a control condition is necessary where rats run through a maze without exposure to loud noise. This will allow for a comparison between the group of rats exposed to loud noise and the control group, which would help identify if the loud noise is indeed causing the rats to run quickly through the maze. The other options do not necessarily involve a two-group experimental design.

Question 8

How would you increase the mundane realism of a study examining the affect of alcohol consumption on driving ability?
A) use self-report measures of drinking and driving
B) get feedback from informants on past driving ability while impaired
C) test participants in a driving simulator after drinking alcohol
D) have participants drive real cars while pretending to be under the influence of alcohol

Accepted Answer

Testing participants in a driving simulator after drinking alcohol would increase the mundane realism of the study because it would closely simulate real-life driving situations while under the influence. This would provide a more realistic and accurate measure of the affect of alcohol consumption on driving ability compared to using self-report measures, feedback from informants, or having participants pretend to be under the influence while driving real cars.

Question 9

For a researcher to have confidence in his/her results, the level of internal validity should:
A) vary.
B) be high.
C) be low.
D) not matter.

Accepted Answer

For a researcher to have confidence in his/her results, the level of internal validity should be high. Internal validity refers to the degree to which a study accurately reflects a causal relationship between variables. A high level of internal validity means that the study's findings are likely attributable to the independent variable being studied and not due to any other extraneous factors. Therefore, a high level of internal validity is crucial in ensuring that the research produces accurate and reliable results.

Question 10

Compared with participants in the control condition, participants in the experimental condition should be:
A) older.
B) wealthier.
C) smarter.
D) essentially the same.

Accepted Answer

The question does not provide any information that would suggest that participants in the experimental condition would be older, wealthier or smarter than those in the control condition, so the best answer is D, essentially the same.

Question 11

Riya is examining whether exposure to sunlight will minimize the depressive symptoms associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Her study design requires participants to sit outside in direct sunlight rather than use sunlamps because this gives her study more:
A) mundane realism.
B) statistical significance.
C) internal validity.
D) experimental control.

Accepted Answer

Mundane realism refers to how closely an experiment mirrors real-life experiences. By having participants sit outside in direct sunlight, Riya's study more accurately reflects real-world conditions that individuals might experience, thus increasing the mundane realism of her study.

Question 12

Marcus is interested in examining whether attending preschool makes children more extraverted. In designing a study to examine this relationship, which of the following would NOT be a potential extraneous variables?
A) the personalities of participants' classmates
B) the age at which one starts school
C) the personalities of participants' parents
D) whether the participant attends preschool

Accepted Answer

Whether the participant attends preschool is the independent variable we are interested in and not an extraneous variable. Extraneous variables are variables that are not being studied but can affect the results of the study. The personalities of participants' classmates, the age at which one starts school, and the personalities of participants' parents could all potentially affect the results and are therefore extraneous variables.

Question 13

Research has shown that bad weather puts people in a bad mood. In this experiment, which variable must have occurred first in order to ensure temporal precedence?
A) bad mood
B) bad weather
C) good mood
D) good weather

Accepted Answer

Temporal precedence refers to the idea that the cause (independent variable) must occur before the effect (dependent variable). In this case, bad weather is the independent variable that causes the dependent variable (bad mood). Therefore, bad weather must have occurred first in order to ensure temporal precedence.

Question 14

If Dr. Ryan, a social psychologist, was investigating the relationship between temperature and participants' moods, an example of an extraneous variable would be:
A) how hot it is in the study room.
B) how cold it is in the study room.
C) self-reports of how happy or sad one feels.
D) the time of day the study takes place.

Accepted Answer

Extraneous variables are those that are not the focus of the study but could affect its outcome. In this case, the time of day (D) could influence participants' moods independently of the temperature, making it an extraneous variable. Choices A and B are not extraneous because they directly relate to the independent variable (temperature), and C is related to the dependent variable (mood).

Question 15

Wanda is a dance teacher who wants to investigate whether room color affects students' memories of complex choreography. She teaches two identical classes, one in a blue room and one in a red room. In this study, the independent variable is _____, whereas the dependent variable is _____.
A) room color; memory of choreography
B) memory of choreography; room color
C) room color; type of dance class
D) type of dance class; memory of choreography

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the factor that is being manipulated or changed by the researcher, which in this case is the room color. The dependent variable is the factor that is being measured, which in this case is the students' memories of complex choreography. Therefore, the best choice is A.

Question 16

You are interested in investigating whether blondes really do have more fun. To do so, you ask a group of blondes and a group of brunettes to self-report on their level of fun. In this study, _____ would be considered the independent variable, whereas _____ would be considered the dependent variable.
A) amount of fun; hair color
B) hair color; age of the participants
C) amount of fun; number of participants in each condition
D) hair color; amount of fun

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the one that is manipulated or chosen by the experimenter, which in this case is hair color. The dependent variable is the one that is measured as a result of changes in the independent variable, which in this case is the level of fun reported by the participants. Therefore, D is the correct answer.

Question 17

Cause is to effect as the _____ is to _____.
A) control group: experimental group
B) dependent variable; independent variable
C) independent variable; dependent variable
D) experimental group: control group

Accepted Answer

Cause is the independent variable that influences the dependent variable, which is the effect. Similarly, independent variable is to dependent variable. Therefore, the correct choice is C - independent variable: dependent variable.

Question 18

Internal validity is a characteristic of which type of study?
A) observational studies
B) correlations
C) experiments
D) interviews

Accepted Answer

Internal validity refers to the extent to which a study can establish cause-and-effect relationships between variables. This is most commonly achieved through experiments, where the researcher can manipulate an independent variable and control for confounding variables, ensuring that changes in the dependent variable are directly attributable to the independent variable. Observational studies, correlations, and interviews are all susceptible to confounding variables and other threats to internal validity, making it more difficult to draw causal conclusions from the data.

Question 19

An experimenter _____ the independent variable and _____ the dependent variable.
A) varies; manipulates
B) measures; varies
C) manipulates; measures
D) measures; manipulates

Accepted Answer

The experimenter manipulates the independent variable (to observe the effect on the dependent variable) and measures the dependent variable to see how it is affected by the manipulation of the independent variable. Therefore, the correct answer is C, manipulates the independent variable and measures the dependent variable.

Question 20

In experimental studies examining the effectiveness of new medications, researchers often administer a placebo (an inactive substance that should have no medical effect on the participant). Giving a placebo to participants in the control condition increases:
A) external validity.
B) internal validity.
C) independence.
D) extraneous variables.

Accepted Answer

Administering a placebo to participants in the control condition increases internal validity because it helps control for the placebo effect and other extraneous variables that could affect the results. This allows researchers to more confidently attribute any observed effects to the medication being studied.

Quiz 8: Two-Group Design: Texting: I Cant Get You Out of My Mind

In a study examining the impact of dietary supplements on weight loss, an experimenter would manipulate _ and measure _.

If you were interested in empirically testing whether the saying, "More money, more problems" is true, which variable would you expect to see change first in order to establish temporal precedence?

In an experiment examining whether pet ownership leads to greater life satisfaction, pets would be considered the _ variable, whereas life satisfaction would be considered the _ variable.

Distinguish which of the following is NOT a benefit that experimental designs offer over nonexperimental designs?

If you were conducting an experiment examining the impact of sleep deprivation on physical ability, which of the following would be an appropriate operational definition of sleep deprivation?

The _ experimental control a study has, the _ internal validity it has.

Professor Tompkins notices that rats run quickly through a maze when exposed to loud noise. Identify which of the following is necessary to transform this observation into a two-group experimental design?

How would you increase the mundane realism of a study examining the affect of alcohol consumption on driving ability?

For a researcher to have confidence in his/her results, the level of internal validity should:

Compared with participants in the control condition, participants in the experimental condition should be:

Riya is examining whether exposure to sunlight will minimize the depressive symptoms associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) . Her study design requires participants to sit outside in direct sunlight rather than use sunlamps because this gives her study more:

Marcus is interested in examining whether attending preschool makes children more extraverted. In designing a study to examine this relationship, which of the following would NOT be a potential extraneous variables?

Research has shown that bad weather puts people in a bad mood. In this experiment, which variable must have occurred first in order to ensure temporal precedence?

If Dr. Ryan, a social psychologist, was investigating the relationship between temperature and participants' moods, an example of an extraneous variable would be:

Wanda is a dance teacher who wants to investigate whether room color affects students' memories of complex choreography. She teaches two identical classes, one in a blue room and one in a red room. In this study, the independent variable is _, whereas the dependent variable is _.

You are interested in investigating whether blondes really do have more fun. To do so, you ask a group of blondes and a group of brunettes to self-report on their level of fun. In this study, _ would be considered the independent variable, whereas _ would be considered the dependent variable.

Cause is to effect as the _ is to _.

Internal validity is a characteristic of which type of study?

An experimenter _ the independent variable and _ the dependent variable.

In experimental studies examining the effectiveness of new medications, researchers often administer a placebo (an inactive substance that should have no medical effect on the participant) . Giving a placebo to participants in the control condition increases: