Question 1

Dr.Jones is studying the effect of room lighting on college students' test performance and has defined room lighting as either dimly lit or brightly lit.This definition is an example of a(n)
A) theory.
B) hypothesis.
C) operational definition.
D) hunch.

Accepted Answer

An operational definition defines a variable in terms of the specific procedures used to produce or measure it. In this case, Dr. Jones is defining room lighting as either dimly lit or brightly lit, which is an operational definition. A theory is a broad explanation or prediction that has been supported by research. A hypothesis is a tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables. A hunch is an intuition or feeling about something, but it is not based on evidence or research.

Question 2

Replication of a research study is most likely to be facilitated by
A) massed practice.
B) debriefing.
C) operational definitions.
D) the placebo effect.

Accepted Answer

Operational definitions provide clear and specific definitions of variables, making them easier to replicate in future research studies. Massed practice, debriefing, and the placebo effect are not directly related to facilitating replication.

Question 3

To understand the unusual behavior of an adult client,a clinical psychologist carefully investigates the client's current life situation and his physical,social-cultural,and educational history.Which research method has the psychologist used?
A) the survey
B) the case study
C) experimentation
D) naturalistic observation

Accepted Answer

A case study is a research method in which a particular individual or group is studied in depth to gain insight into their behavior and experiences. In this scenario, the psychologist is carefully investigating the client's current life situation and their history, which is consistent with the approach of a case study. The other options (survey, experimentation, naturalistic observation) do not involve studying an individual in as much depth as a case study.

Question 4

The case study is a research method in which
A) a single individual or group is studied in great depth.
B) a representative sample of people are questioned regarding their opinions or behaviors.
C) organisms are carefully observed in a laboratory environment.
D) an investigator manipulates one or more variables that might affect behavior.

Accepted Answer

The case study method involves studying a single individual or group in-depth to understand their behavior, thoughts, and experiences. This method is useful for gaining detailed information and insights into a particular phenomenon, and is often used in psychology, sociology, and anthropology research.

Question 5

Meta-analysis is
A) a descriptive technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles.
B) a carefully worded statement of the exact procedures (operations)used in a research study.
C) an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events.
D) a statistical procedure for analyzing the results of multiple studies to reach an overall conclusion.

Accepted Answer

Meta-analysis is a statistical procedure that combines data from multiple studies and analyzes them to arrive at an overall conclusion. It is typically used to synthesize the results of several studies on a particular topic or question, and can help identify patterns and trends that might not be apparent in individual studies.

Question 6

When 270 psychologists attempted to replicate 100 psychological studies,they were able to successfully replicate only 36 percent of them.Which of the following is NOT a possible explanation for this?
A) The 270 psychologists did not accurately repeat the original studies.
B) Psychology is a pseudoscience.
C) Some research topics make replication difficult.
D) Using a small sample size makes replication difficult.

Accepted Answer

Psychology is a recognized and respected field of science, and the fact that some studies were not replicated does not discredit the entire discipline as pseudoscience.

Question 7

A statement describing the exact procedures for measuring an anticipated experimental outcome is known as a(n)
A) hypothesis.
B) control condition.
C) replication.
D) operational definition.

Accepted Answer

An operational definition is a statement that describes the specific procedures or ways in which a variable is measured, manipulated, or defined within a study or experiment. It outlines the operational steps that will be taken to measure a particular variable, which is critical to ensure that results are reliable and replicable. Hypotheses are proposed explanations for a phenomenon, control conditions are the conditions in an experiment that remain constant to prevent confounding variables, and replication refers to the repetition of a study or experiment to validate the results.

Question 8

The explanatory power of a scientific theory is most closely linked to its capacity to generate testable
A) assumptions.
B) correlations.
C) predictions.
D) variables.

Accepted Answer

The explanatory power of a scientific theory is its ability to explain phenomena and make predictions about future observations. These predictions are based on testable hypotheses, which can be confirmed or refuted through empirical data. Therefore, the capacity of a theory to generate testable predictions is closely linked to its explanatory power.

Question 9

Professor Ambra was skeptical about the accuracy of recently reported research on sleep deprivation.Which process would best enable her to assess the reliability of the findings?
A) naturalistic observation
B) replication
C) random sampling
D) the case study

Accepted Answer

Replication involves repeating a study with different participants and sometimes different methods to see if the findings can be reliably reproduced. This process would be the best way for Professor Ambra to assess the reliability of the reported research on sleep deprivation.

Question 10

Repeating the essence of a previous research study to verify whether its findings extend to a new group of research participants and to different circumstances is called
A) replication.
B) random sampling.
C) naturalistic observation.
D) the double-blind procedure.

Accepted Answer

Replication refers to the process of repeating a study to validate its results or generalize its findings to a different group or context. Random sampling refers to the method of selecting participants for a study from a larger population to enhance representativeness. Naturalistic observation involves studying behavior in its natural setting without manipulating any variables. The double-blind procedure is a technique used to prevent bias in research by keeping both the participant and researcher unaware of the conditions of the study.

Question 11

Dr.Velazquez is studying the relationship between media exposure to sexual content and sexual behavior.Dr.Velazquez predicts that those who view more sexual content are more likely to practice risky sexual behaviors.This idea is a(n)
A) theory.
B) hypothesis.
C) operational definition.
D) hunch.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Velazquez's prediction is a hypothesis because it is a proposed explanation or prediction for a phenomenon (the relationship between media exposure and risky sexual behavior). The hypothesis has not yet been proven or disproven, and it can be tested through research.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a descriptive method?
A) case study
B) naturalistic observation
C) survey
D) experiment

Accepted Answer

Case study, naturalistic observation, and survey are all types of descriptive methods used in psychology to observe and describe behavior. Experiment, on the other hand, involves manipulating variables and assessing the effects, making it a type of experimental method rather than descriptive method.

Question 13

A hypothesis is a(n)
A) observable relationship between specific independent and dependent variables.
B) testable prediction that gives direction to research.
C) set of principles that organizes observations and explains newly discovered facts.
D) unprovable assumption about the unobservable processes that underlie psychological functioning.

Accepted Answer

A hypothesis is a testable prediction that gives direction to research. It is a statement that can be supported or refuted by empirical evidence. While there may be some relationship between independent and dependent variables in a hypothesis, this is not the defining characteristic of a hypothesis. A hypothesis is also not a set of principles that explains newly discovered facts, nor is it an unprovable assumption about unobservable processes.

Question 14

Francesca would like to know what research has found about the impact of media content on sexual behaviors.Which procedure is she likely to use?
A) replication
B) the case study
C) meta-analysis
D) experiment

Accepted Answer

Meta-analysis is a research procedure that involves analyzing and synthesizing data from multiple studies on a particular topic. Francesca can use meta-analysis to combine findings from different studies that have investigated the impact of media content on sexual behaviors. This will provide her with a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter as a whole.

Question 15

Dr.Murphy is studying the relationship between alcohol intoxication and risky driving behaviors.Dr.Murphy defines alcohol intoxication as having a blood alcohol level of .08.This definition of alcohol intoxication is a(n)
A) theory.
B) hypothesis.
C) operational definition.
D) hunch.

Accepted Answer

An operational definition is a clear, concise, and measurable definition of a variable that is used in a study. In this case, Dr. Murphy is operationalizing alcohol intoxication by defining it as having a blood alcohol level of .08. This allows for the variable to be measured consistently throughout the study.

Question 16

Claudia is a graduate student who is working on her dissertation.She is statistically synthesizing the findings of previous research on the effects of corporal punishment on children.What research design is she using?
A) replication
B) the case study
C) meta-analysis
D) experiment

Accepted Answer

Claudia is using meta-analysis, which is a research design that involves combining and analyzing the results of multiple studies on the same topic to draw conclusions. This is the best choice as it accurately describes Claudia's approach to her dissertation research.

Question 17

In a published report of a research study on social anxiety,psychologists included a 30-item questionnaire,which they had used to assess levels of social anxiety.The psychologists have thus provided their readers with a(n)
A) hypothesis.
B) independent variable.
C) operational definition.
D) double-blind procedure.

Accepted Answer

The psychologists have provided their readers with an operational definition by including a 30-item questionnaire that is used to assess levels of social anxiety.

Question 18

Dr.Smith just reviewed an article that found a relationship between playing violent video games and childhood aggression.Dr.Smith would like to conduct a similar study to see if he obtains the same results.Dr.Smith is planning on ________ this study.
A) operationalizing
B) replicating
C) copying
D) plagiarizing

Accepted Answer

Dr. Smith is planning on replicating the study, which involves conducting a similar study to see if he obtains the same results. Replicating a study is a common scientific practice to ensure the validity of research findings.

Question 19

Professor Shalet contends that parents and their children have similar levels of intelligence largely because they share common genes.His idea is best described as a(n)
A) theory.
B) replication.
C) naturalistic observation.
D) operational definition.

Accepted Answer

Professor Shalet's idea that parents and their children have similar levels of intelligence due to shared genes is an explanation that attempts to account for a phenomenon (similar levels of intelligence) based on a set of principles (genetics). This best describes a theory.

Question 20

Professor Delano suggests that because people are especially attracted to those who are good-looking,handsome men will be more successful in getting a job.The professor's prediction regarding employment success is an example of
A) informed consent.
B) the placebo effect.
C) a hypothesis.
D) a confounding variable.

Accepted Answer

The professor's statement is a hypothesis, which is a tentative explanation or prediction about a phenomenon. In this case, the hypothesis is that being handsome will lead to greater success in getting a job. This hypothesis could be tested through research to determine if there is a statistically significant relationship between physical attractiveness and employment success.

Quiz 1: Thinking Critically With Psychological Science

Dr.Jones is studying the effect of room lighting on college students' test performance and has defined room lighting as either dimly lit or brightly lit.This definition is an example of a(n)

Replication of a research study is most likely to be facilitated by

To understand the unusual behavior of an adult client,a clinical psychologist carefully investigates the client's current life situation and his physical,social-cultural,and educational history.Which research method has the psychologist used?

The case study is a research method in which

Meta-analysis is

When 270 psychologists attempted to replicate 100 psychological studies,they were able to successfully replicate only 36 percent of them.Which of the following is NOT a possible explanation for this?

A statement describing the exact procedures for measuring an anticipated experimental outcome is known as a(n)

The explanatory power of a scientific theory is most closely linked to its capacity to generate testable

Professor Ambra was skeptical about the accuracy of recently reported research on sleep deprivation.Which process would best enable her to assess the reliability of the findings?

Repeating the essence of a previous research study to verify whether its findings extend to a new group of research participants and to different circumstances is called

Dr.Velazquez is studying the relationship between media exposure to sexual content and sexual behavior.Dr.Velazquez predicts that those who view more sexual content are more likely to practice risky sexual behaviors.This idea is a(n)

Which of the following is NOT a descriptive method?

A hypothesis is a(n)

Francesca would like to know what research has found about the impact of media content on sexual behaviors.Which procedure is she likely to use?

Dr.Murphy is studying the relationship between alcohol intoxication and risky driving behaviors.Dr.Murphy defines alcohol intoxication as having a blood alcohol level of .08.This definition of alcohol intoxication is a(n)

Claudia is a graduate student who is working on her dissertation.She is statistically synthesizing the findings of previous research on the effects of corporal punishment on children.What research design is she using?

In a published report of a research study on social anxiety,psychologists included a 30-item questionnaire,which they had used to assess levels of social anxiety.The psychologists have thus provided their readers with a(n)

Dr.Smith just reviewed an article that found a relationship between playing violent video games and childhood aggression.Dr.Smith would like to conduct a similar study to see if he obtains the same results.Dr.Smith is planning on ________ this study.

Professor Shalet contends that parents and their children have similar levels of intelligence largely because they share common genes.His idea is best described as a(n)

Professor Delano suggests that because people are especially attracted to those who are good-looking,handsome men will be more successful in getting a job.The professor's prediction regarding employment success is an example of