Question 1

The branch of psychology that focuses on the study of the behavior of different animal species is called:

Accepted Answer

Comparative psychology specifically focuses on the behavior of different animal species and how it can be compared and contrasted to understand principles of behavior. Evolutionary psychology looks at how evolution has shaped behavior, experimental psychology focuses on conducting experiments to test theories, and biological psychology examines the biological basis of behavior.

Question 2

Deception in psychology experiments:

Accepted Answer

While deception may be unethical, it may still be allowed in specific circumstances when there are no other viable alternatives and the potential findings are of significant value. However, strict guidelines and informed consent must be followed to protect the rights and well-being of participants. The 2002 provisions actually do not prohibit deception, but rather outline ethical principles and guidelines for conducting research with human participants.

Question 3

Which of the following techniques or instruments generates color-coded images of the brain's activity by tracking a small amount of radioactively tagged glucose that is injected into the person's bloodstream?

Accepted Answer

Positron emission tomography (PET) generates color-coded images of the brain's activity by tracking a small amount of radioactively tagged glucose that is injected into the person's bloodstream. Therefore, PET is the best choice for this question.

Question 4

Ethical standards for animal research in psychology:

Accepted Answer

Ethical standards for animal research in psychology are set by the American Psychological Association and state and federal laws. These ethical standards include guidelines on the treatment of animals, procedures for obtaining informed consent, and the necessity of minimizing harm and distress to animals used in research. These standards help ensure that animal research is conducted in a responsible and ethical manner.

Question 5

You and your co-researchers want to compare the brain structures of musically gifted young adolescents with those of a closely matched control group of normal, nonmusical adolescents using a noninvasive technique. You and your colleagues are conducting a(n) _____ brain imaging study, and will use _____ to study the details of the brain structures.

Accepted Answer

A noninvasive technique implies that it is not an experimental study using invasive procedures. Therefore, options A and C can be eliminated. The aim of the study is to compare brain structures, which suggests a descriptive type of study. Finally, the study aims to examine the details of the brain structures which makes MRI the best choice since it provides detailed images of soft tissues, including the brain. Therefore, the best choice is descriptive brain imaging study using MRI.

Question 6

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI):

Accepted Answer

fMRI combines the ability to produce a detailed image of the brain's structures with the capacity to track the brain's activity and functioning. It does not involve injecting the participant with a radioactively tagged compound like PET scans do. While there may be some limitations to the frequency of scans, fMRI can be used to scan the same individual multiple times. Finally, fMRI produces detailed and sharp images of brain activity.

Question 7

Which of the following statements is NOT one of the reasons that animals are used in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

Research with nonhuman animals is, in fact, subject to ethical rules and guidelines. Animals used in research must be treated humanely and with great care to minimize any suffering or harm. In many countries, there are strict regulations in place to ensure that animal research is conducted ethically and that the well-being of the animals is a top priority.

Question 8

Under the American Psychological Association's ethical code for psychologists, psychological researchers:

Accepted Answer

According to the American Psychological Association's ethical code for psychologists, psychological researchers must respect the dignity and welfare of the research participants. This includes obtaining informed consent, ensuring confidentiality, and minimizing any potential harm to the participants. Options B and C are not accurate as researchers are not required to consult with participants' family doctors, and they may use deception in their research under certain conditions. Option D is incorrect as identifying research participants by name without their explicit consent would breach confidentiality requirements.

Question 9

According to the 'Focus on Neuroscience' feature "Psychological Research Using Brain Imaging," which of the following statements is a potential limitation of brain imaging?

Accepted Answer

Brain-imaging studies usually involve a small number of participants and tend to focus on simple aspects of behavior.

Question 10

Juanita participated in a psychology research project that involved solving a number of arithmetic problems. During the experiment, she was informed that her solutions were incorrect. After the experiment was completed, a research assistant explained the purpose of the experiment. He told Juanita that she had actually answered all items correctly, and then explained why the experiment required that she be told that her answers were wrong. This stage of the research represents:

Accepted Answer

This stage of the research represents debriefing, where the participants are informed about the true purpose and findings of the study after their participation has ended.

Question 11

Once a person has agreed to participate in a research study as a subject:

Accepted Answer

Once a person has agreed to participate in a research study as a subject, they are still free to withdraw from the research at any time. They are not obligated to stay in the study until its conclusion. The person's right to confidentiality of information should still be respected, and deception should only be used if it is absolutely necessary and is justified by the potential benefits of the research.

Question 12

The ethical requirement of informed consent means that:

Accepted Answer

Informed consent requires that participants be fully informed about the purpose and conditions of the research, and that they have the freedom to withdraw their participation at any time. This ensures that participants are not being coerced or misled into participating in research, and that their autonomy and well-being are protected. Option A is incorrect because participants do not need to approve written reports of research results, though they may have the option to review them. Option C is incorrect because participants have the right to discuss the nature of the research with others if they choose to do so, as long as it does not violate confidentiality agreements. Option D is incorrect because participants always have the right to withdraw from a study, regardless of the reason.

Question 13

When comparing fMRIs to PET scans, you can see that:

Accepted Answer

fMRIs provide a picture of brain activity averaged over seconds rather than the several minutes that PET scans require. This implies that fMRIs are faster than PET scans at revealing information about brain activity. However, none of the other options are true. PET scans use a radioactive substance in the form of glucose, which is not used by fMRIs. PET scans can be used to study details of brain structures, but usually larger structures rather than smaller ones. Finally, fMRIs are often as sharp or sharper than PET scans.

Question 14

To identify which brain areas are most active when a person suffering from schizophrenia has hallucinations, researchers could use a(n) _____ scan to track the use of radioactively tagged glucose throughout the brain.

Accepted Answer

PET (positron emission tomography) is the most appropriate imaging technique for tracking the use of radioactively tagged glucose throughout the brain. This allows researchers to identify which areas of the brain are more active during hallucinations in individuals suffering from schizophrenia. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), and ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) are not appropriate for tracking glucose uptake in the brain.

Question 15

Which of the following statements does the Chapter 1 'Focus on Neuroscience' feature NOT mention as a potential limitation of brain imaging studies?

Accepted Answer

The Chapter 1 'Focus on Neuroscience' feature mentions all of the other options (B, C, and D) as potential limitations of brain imaging studies, but does not mention option A as a potential limitation.

Question 16

What percentage of psychological studies in any given year involves nonhuman animals as participants?

Accepted Answer

Roughly less than 10 percent of psychological studies in any given year involves nonhuman animals as participants. This is due to ethical considerations and regulations regarding the treatment of animals in research.

Question 17

Of the psychological studies conducted in the United States that use animals, which animals are most commonly used?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Of the psychological studies conducted in the...

Question 18

Psychological research using animals as research participants:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Psychological research using animals as research participants:
...

Question 19

Psychologists can use deception techniques as part of a study only when certain conditions have been met. Which of the statements below is one of these conditions?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Psychologists can use deception techniques as part...

Question 20

Dr. Gomez wanted to investigate the effects of nicotine on the activity of the brain. Because she did not want to expose people to radioactivity or use any invasive procedures to measure brain activity, Dr. Gomez chose to use _____ for her measures of brain activity.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dr. Gomez wanted to investigate the effects...

Quiz 1: Introduction and Research Methods