Question 1

A perfect positive correlation:
A) is statistically impossible.
B) would mean that every time Factor A occurred, Factor B also occurred.
C) would mean that Factor A caused Factor B to occur.
D) would mean that every time Factor A occurred, Factor B did not occur.

Accepted Answer

A perfect positive correlation means that for every increase in Factor A, there is an equal increase in Factor B, and vice versa. This does not necessarily mean that one factor causes the other, but there is a strong relationship between them. It is statistically possible for a perfect positive correlation to occur, although it is rare. Option A is incorrect and misleading, as perfect positive correlation is a statistical possibility in certain circumstances. Option C is incorrect as correlation does not imply causation. Option D is incorrect, as a "perfect positive correlation" is defined as an association where when Factor A increases, Factor B also increases- thus it is impossible for Factor A and B to occur independently in such a case.

Question 2

Positive correlation is to negative correlation as _____ is to _____.
A) correlation coefficient; correlational study
B) 1.00; 0.00
C) variables moving in the same direction; variables moving in opposite directions
D) variables moving in opposite directions; variables moving in the same direction

Accepted Answer

Positive correlation means variables move in the same direction, while negative correlation means they move in opposite directions.

Question 3

Correlational research is valuable because:
A) one can discover meaningful cause-and-effect relationships when several correlations are examined collectively.
B) variables can be easily manipulated by the experimenter to yield the effects of the variables.
C) correlations allow researchers to predict the cause of one variable's effect on another.
D) correlational research can be used to rule out some factors and identify others that merit more intensive study.

Accepted Answer

Correlational research cannot establish cause-and-effect relationships, but it can help identify variables that merit further study. By ruling out some factors and identifying others, researchers can develop theories about the relationships between variables and design experiments to test these theories.

Question 4

In an experiment, the dependent variable is:
A) always equivalent to zero.
B) the factor that is measured for change and is influenced by the independent variable.
C) measured only in the control group participants.
D) deliberately manipulated by the researcher.

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the factor that is being measured for change and is influenced by the independent variable. It is not always equivalent to zero, not necessarily measured only in the control group participants, and not deliberately manipulated by the researcher (that would be the independent variable).

Question 5

Dr. Martinez is studying the effects of diet on mental alertness. Each morning for two weeks, participants in Dr. Martinez's study eat a breakfast that is either high in carbohydrates or high in protein. Dr. Martinez then measures the participants' abilities to solve geometry problems. What is the dependent variable in this study?
A) high carbohydrate versus high protein breakfast
B) length of the study (two weeks)
C) ability to solve geometry problems
D) The question does not provide enough information to determine the dependent variable.

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable, or the variable that is being measured to see if it changes in response to the independent variable (type of breakfast), is the participants' ability to solve geometry problems.

Question 6

Researchers at State University wanted to test the hypothesis that distributed, or spaced, practice results in better retention of material than massed practice or cramming. To find out if there is a cause-and-effect relationship, the researcher should use:
A) correlational research methods.
B) the experimental method.
C) naturalistic observation.
D) survey or questionnaire research.

Accepted Answer

The best method to test a cause-and-effect relationship is through an experimental method in which participants are randomly assigned to either distributed practice or massed practice conditions, and then their retention of material is measured and compared. Correlational methods cannot establish causality, naturalistic observation cannot manipulate variables or control for extraneous variables, and survey/questionnaire research may not provide direct manipulation of variables or objective measures of retention.

Question 7

Your instructor notices that in many of his classes, the longer he lectures, the more student yawns he sees. This represents:
A) a positive correlation.
B) a negative correlation.
C) a cause-and-effect relationship.
D) scientific proof that yawning is contagious.

Accepted Answer

A positive correlation occurs when two variables move in the same direction, such as longer lectures being associated with more yawns.

Question 8

A health psychologist is conducting an experiment to investigate the notion that short-term psychological distress influences the immune system. Participants in the first group watch a 30-minute film in which a carpenter and his assistant demonstrate how to build a deck for a house. Participants in the second group watch an almost identical film, except that during the last few minutes of the film, the carpenter slips while operating an electric hand saw and cuts off one of his assistant's fingers. Immediately after the film, the researcher draws blood samples from each subject and assesses the number of disease-fighting white blood cells. What is the independent variable in this experiment?
A) number of mistakes participants make in recalling details of the film
B) level of immune system functioning in each group
C) number of white blood cells found in the blood samples taken from each group
D) exposure to the neutral film or to the film showing the accident

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated by the researcher, which in this case is the exposure to either the neutral film or the film showing the accident. The other options (A, B, and C) are either dependent variables or not relevant to the experiment.

Question 9

Which of the following statements regarding correlational research is TRUE?
A) Correlational research indicates causality in either a positive or a negative direction.
B) You cannot use correlational research to draw conclusions about cause-and-effect relationships.
C) Correlations can tell you about relations between two variables, but it is not possible to make predictions based upon correlational research.
D) Correlations are able to predict the cause-and-effect relationship between two or more variables.

Accepted Answer

Correlational research can only show a relationship between two variables, but cannot determine causality. Other factors in the environment could be influencing both variables, and correlational research cannot control for these factors. Therefore, it is not possible to draw conclusions about cause-and-effect relationships based on correlational research.

Question 10

A study on parental use of corporal punishment found a relationship between parental socioeconomic status and use of corporal punishment. Put simply, as socioeconomic status declines, rates of parents' use of corporal punishment rise. This finding represents a:
A) cause-and-effect relationship.
B) positive correlation.
C) negative correlation.
D) classic example of an expectancy effect.

Accepted Answer

A negative correlation occurs when one variable increases as the other decreases. In this case, as socioeconomic status declines, the use of corporal punishment rises, indicating a negative correlation.

Question 11

In an experiment, the independent variable is the variable that is:
A) affected by changes in the dependent variable.
B) unknown.
C) beyond the researcher's control, as it independently varies or changes over time.
D) deliberately manipulated by the researcher.

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is deliberately manipulated by the researcher to observe the effect on the dependent variable.

Question 12

Dr. Kiecolt-Glaser is a health psychologist studying whether stress impairs the body's ability to heal. In the highly stressful week before final exams, Dr. Kiecolt-Glaser gives dental students an oral punch biopsy in which a small sample of gum tissue is removed. She then records the number of days for the oral wound to completely heal. Dr. Kiecolt-Glaser gives the same dental students a second oral punch biopsy during summer vacation. Once again, she records the number of days until the oral wound completely heals. What is the independent variable in this study?
A) number of days for the oral wound to heal
B) whether the oral wound was created during a high stress or low stress period
C) whether the dental students were working or relaxing during the summer vacation
D) average number of hours of sleep the students experienced in the day immediately following the gum wound

Accepted Answer

The independent variable in this study is whether the oral wound was created during a high stress or low stress period. This is the variable that the researcher manipulates in order to observe its effect on the dependent variable, which is the number of days for the oral wound to completely heal. The other options listed are either irrelevant to the study or are potential confounding variables that may need to be controlled for but are not the independent variable.

Question 13

The research method that is used to demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship between changes in one variable and the effects on another variable is called the:
A) descriptive method.
B) correlational method.
C) experimental method.
D) meta-analytic method.

Accepted Answer

The experimental method is the only research method that allows for establishing a cause-and-effect relationship between variables through manipulation of an independent variable and observing its effects on a dependent variable. The descriptive method is used for describing and portraying a particular phenomenon, while the correlational method looks for relationships between variables without manipulating any. The meta-analytic method involves the statistical analysis of previous studies' findings.

Question 14

Several correlational studies all point to the conclusion that the more time students spend playing violent video games, the lower their grade point average tends to be. This means that:
A) playing violent video games causes low grades.
B) low grades cause students to play violent video games.
C) the researchers have discovered a negative correlation between playing violent video games and grade point average.
D) the researchers have discovered a positive correlation between playing violent video games and grade point average.

Accepted Answer

The correlational studies identify a negative correlation between playing violent video games and grade point average. This means that as one variable (playing violent video games) increases, the other variable tends to decrease (grade point average). However, correlation does not equal causation, so it is not possible to definitively conclude that playing violent video games causes low grades. There may be other variables at play that influence both playing video games and academic performance.

Question 15

Professor Williams is investigating loneliness. Participants in her study complete the UCLA Loneliness Scale to measure their levels of loneliness. They also answer questions on a survey about many aspects of their personal lives. In analyzing the results of her study, Professor Williams finds that as the number of friends increases, the level of loneliness tends to decrease. This represents a _____ correlation.
A) positive
B) negative
C) spurious
D) cause-and-effect

Accepted Answer

A negative correlation occurs when one variable increases while the other decreases, which is the case here with the number of friends and levels of loneliness.

Question 16

Which of the following is a definition of the experimental method?
A) research strategy that allows the precise conclusion of how strongly two factors are related to each other
B) method of study that involves an intensive, in-depth investigation of a single individual or small group of individuals
C) systematic observation and recording of behaviors as they occur in their natural setting
D) research method used to determine a cause-and-effect relationship between changes in one variable and the effect that is produced on another variable

Accepted Answer

The experimental method involves manipulating one variable to observe the effect on another variable in order to determine a cause-and-effect relationship. This is the best choice because it specifically defines the experimental method. Option A refers to correlation, while option B refers to case studies and option C refers to naturalistic observation, which are not exclusive to the experimental method.

Question 17

In an experiment, the factor that is observed and measured for change and is thought to be influenced by the independent variable is called the:
A) extraneous variable.
B) treatment variable.
C) dependent variable.
D) confounding variable.

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the factor that is being observed and measured for change. It is believed to be influenced by the independent variable. The other answer choices are not the best fit, as extraneous variables are variables that can affect the dependent variable but are not being tested, treatment variables refer to the variable being manipulated, and confounding variables are variables that affect the dependent variable in conjunction with the independent variable.

Question 18

Researchers at the Allied Mental Health Center are conducting a study to determine how quickly symptoms of depression are reduced by different forms of psychotherapy. What is the independent variable in this study?
A) change in the symptoms of depression
B) method used to recruit participants for the study
C) form of psychotherapy used to treat depression
D) cost of the study

Accepted Answer

The answer of Researchers at the Allied Mental Health Center...

Question 19

Professor Hebb is studying whether learning is affected by different environments. He raises some rats in cages with many interesting objects to play on and explore, and other rats in isolated, barren cages with none of the interesting objects. Later, Hebb carefully records how many attempts it takes each rat to learn to run a maze with no mistakes. What is the independent variable in this study?
A) how many attempts it takes each rat to learn to run a maze
B) being raised in an interesting or a barren environment
C) use of animals versus people
D) number of rats in the study

Accepted Answer

The answer of Professor Hebb is studying whether learning is...

Question 20

Researchers interested in how sleep deprivation affected performance randomly assigned participants to groups that had one, two, or three nights of sleep deprivation. Then they tested subjects' reaction times on a standard motor reaction task. The dependent variable in this experiment was:
A) the amount of sleep deprivation each group was subjected to.
B) how much sleep each group needed following the sleep deprivation experiment.
C) the reaction times of the three groups on the standard motor reaction task.
D) how often the participants fell asleep during the sleep deprivation phase of the experiment.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Researchers interested in how sleep deprivation affected...

Quiz 1: Introduction and Research Methods

A perfect positive correlation:

Positive correlation is to negative correlation as _ is to _.

Correlational research is valuable because:

In an experiment, the dependent variable is:

Researchers at State University wanted to test the hypothesis that distributed, or spaced, practice results in better retention of material than massed practice or cramming. To find out if there is a cause-and-effect relationship, the researcher should use:

Your instructor notices that in many of his classes, the longer he lectures, the more student yawns he sees. This represents:

Which of the following statements regarding correlational research is TRUE?

A study on parental use of corporal punishment found a relationship between parental socioeconomic status and use of corporal punishment. Put simply, as socioeconomic status declines, rates of parents' use of corporal punishment rise. This finding represents a:

In an experiment, the independent variable is the variable that is:

The research method that is used to demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship between changes in one variable and the effects on another variable is called the:

Several correlational studies all point to the conclusion that the more time students spend playing violent video games, the lower their grade point average tends to be. This means that:

Which of the following is a definition of the experimental method?

In an experiment, the factor that is observed and measured for change and is thought to be influenced by the independent variable is called the:

Researchers at the Allied Mental Health Center are conducting a study to determine how quickly symptoms of depression are reduced by different forms of psychotherapy. What is the independent variable in this study?

Researchers interested in how sleep deprivation affected performance randomly assigned participants to groups that had one, two, or three nights of sleep deprivation. Then they tested subjects' reaction times on a standard motor reaction task. The dependent variable in this experiment was: