Psychology: Themes And Variations, 10th Edition Test Bank

Chapter 2 Multiple-Choice Items MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. The scientific approach assumes that a. events are governed by some lawful order. b. each event is completely unique. c. there are no general laws or principles that apply to human behavior. d. the search for absolute truth is the ultimate goal. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 87% 2. Which of the following is a major assumption of science? a. Events occur in a relatively orderly or predictable manner. b. Cause and effect is indicated by correlational relationships. c. In contrast to the behavior of lower animals, human behavior is in part a function of free will. d. Events are largely randomly determined. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply 3. Answering the question of “how” some phenomenon can be studied is most closely associated with which goal of science? a. The search for truth b. Application and control c. Measurement and description d. Understanding and prediction ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply NOTES: Correct = 56% 4. Which is NOT among the goals of scientific psychology? a. the development of measurement techniques for describing behavior precisely and accurately b. understanding why certain behaviors occur c. applications of research findings to solve everyday problems d. searching for absolute truths about behavior ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 86% 41 5. Answering the question of “why” something happens is most closely associated with which goal of science? a. the search for truth b. application and control c. measurement and description d. understanding and prediction ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply 6. IQ score, age, weight, grade point average, and income are all examples of a. constants. b. variables. c. correlations. d. statistics. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior TOP: WWW DIF: Apply 7. Any measurable conditions, events, characteristics, or behaviors that are controlled or observed in a study are called a. hypotheses. b. correlations. c. variables. d. confounds. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 98% 8. The use of reinforcement principles to modify a child’s unruly behavior reflects the goal of science that deals with a. understanding and prediction. b. measurement and description. c. deterministic and teleological. d. application and control. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply NOTES: Correct = 86% 9. The ____ approach assumes that events are governed by some lawful order. a. philosophical b. mechanical c. scientific d. cognitive ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior 42 TOP: WWW DIF: Understand 10. If aA psychologist’s hopes that his or her research will help to solve some practical problem, his hope reflects which goal of science? a. Application and control b. Construction and revision c. Understanding and prediction d. Measurement and description ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply 11. A tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables is a(n) a. variable. b. hypothesis. c. theory. d. operational definition. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand 12. Theories permit researchers to move from a. understanding to application. b. concept to description. c. application to control. d. description to understanding. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply NOTES: Correct = 66% 13. A scientific theory has to be a. true. b. accepted by others. c. testable. d. well established and not disputed. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 83% 14. Theory construction is a. a gradual iterative process that is always subject to revision. b. a standard step-like process that quickly moves toward the truth. c. a circular process that typically leads nowhere. d. a process that results in concrete findings that are accepted by other scientists. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand 43 NOTES: Correct = 87% 15. Dr. Marqueta believes that “misery loves company.” Based on this belief, Dr. Marqueta predicts that people who have received bad news will seek out other people. Dr. Marqueta’s belief is an example of ____, and her prediction is an example of ____. a. a hypothesis; a theory b. a theory; a hypothesis c. a variable; an application d. a hypothesis; a variable ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply NOTES: Correct = 84% 16. Mrs. Smith, an elementary school teacher, believes that girls are smarter than boys. She predicts that the girls in her class will learn more than the boys during the school year. Her prediction is a(n) a. hypothesis. b. opinion. c. fact. d. theory. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply 17. A theory is a. an objective description of behavior. b. a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations. c. the application of research to practical problems. d. a statement about the relationship between two or more variables. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand 18. Scientific theories are most directly associated with which goal of science? a. Application and control b. Construction and revision c. Measurement and description d. Understanding and prediction ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Think Critically 19. A clinical psychologist notes that an unusually large number of obese people are depressed or anxious, and she offers an explanation that excess weight causes emotional disorders. Her explanation is a(n) a. hypothesis. b. theory. c. opinion. d. fact. ANS: B PTS: 1 44 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior TOP: WWW DIF: Apply 20. While theories are most closely associated with the scientific goal of ____, hypotheses are most closely associated with the goal of ____. a. application; description b. description; application c. understanding; prediction d. prediction; understanding ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Think Critically 21. Hypotheses are typically expressed as a. theories. b. variables. c. predictions. d. statistics. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 85% 22. Dr. Licciardi predicts that if people are observed while they perform a complex task, they will make more errors. Dr. Licciardi’s prediction is an example of a. a hypothesis. b. an operational definition. c. a theory. d. inferential statistics. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply 23. Dr. Malm predicts that if teachers ignore students who act up in class, fewer students will act up in class. Dr. Malm’s prediction is an example of a. an operational definition. b. a theory. c. inferential statistics. d. a hypothesis. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply 24. A researcher is measuring the heart rate of subjects as an index of anxiety. In this study, heart rate is a. a confounded variable. b. negatively correlated with anxiety. c. an independent variable. d. an operational definition of anxiety. ANS: D PTS: 1 45 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply 25. Dr. Dobbins wants to study attachment patterns in single-parent families. The first step in her scientific investigation would be to a. design the study and select the research method. b. analyze the data. c. formulate a testable hypothesis. d. collect the data. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply 26. In scientific investigations, researchers must clearly define the variables under study by precisely describing how they will be measured or controlled. These definitions are referred to as a. objective definitions. b. precise definitions. c. operational definitions. d. dictionary definitions. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior TOP: WWW DIF: Understand 27. Dr. Critell is studying aggression in children and plans to define aggression as the number of times one child pushes or strikes another child. Defining aggression in this way would a. be an example of a hypothesis. b. violate ethical guidelines for psychological research. c. represent an operational definition. d. require a double-blind research design. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply 28. A psychologist measures blood alcohol level to determine intoxication. In this example, blood alcohol level is the ____ definition of intoxication. a. operational b. dictionary c. objective d. precise ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply 29. A psychologist monitors changes in the subject’s heart rate as the subject watches a violent movie. The data collection technique being used is a. direct observation. b. psychological testing. c. physiological recording. d. archival records. 46 ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply NOTES: Correct = 60% 30. A standardized measure used to obtain a sample of a person’s behavior is called a. a psychological test. b. a case study. c. an experiment. d. a survey. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior TOP: WWW DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 49% 31. Jackson is working with a company to help it develop more effective training programs for its employees. He has spent a great deal of time reviewing all the documentation the company has about the previous training opportunities it has provided for its employees. Up to this point in time, Jackson has been engaged in a. psychological testing. b. archival research. c. direct observation. d. meta-analysis. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply 32. Laura answered a series of written questions that asked about her attitudes and opinions on a number of current issues. The method of data collection that was being used in this case was a. a standardized psychological test. b. archival research. c. direct observation. d. a questionnaire. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply 33. The final step in a scientific investigation is to a. conduct the study. b. analyze the data. c. decide whether or not the hypothesis was supported. d. report the findings. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 95% 34. A scientific journal refers tois a. a personal diary kept by a scientist. 47 b. a periodical that publishes technical and scholarly articles. c. a detailed record of the daily procedures followed in conducting a study. d. a collection of biographies of famous scientists. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 81% 35. Publication of research findings is extremely important to the scientific method because a. it allows for critique and self-correction. b. it brings recognition to the research worker. c. it forces the writer to be clear. d. the royalties help the researcher pay for the research. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Apply NOTES: Correct = 92% 36. Psychologists use a variety of data collection techniques; wWhich of the following data collection techniques is best suited for studying attitudes? a. questionnaires b. direct observations c. psychological tests d. physiological recordings ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand 37. Statistical procedures are used during which step in conducting a scientific investigation? a. Collect the data b. Select a research method and design the study c. Report the findings d. Analyze the data and draw conclusions ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand 38. Most typically, rResearchers typically report their findings a. by holding a press conference. b. in a book. c. in a scientific magazine. d. in a journal. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand 39. Which of the following is NOT true regarding commonsense analyses of behavior? a. They tend to be vague and ambiguous b. They often tolerate contradictory generalizations 48 c. They usually involve little effort to verify ideas or detect errors d. They are typically based on precise definitions and hypotheses ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 79% 40. The scientific approach requires that people specify exactly what they are talking about when they formulate hypotheses. Which advantage of scientific investigation does this illustrate? a. precision b. acceptance of a degree of error c. skepticism d. operational definitions ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand 41. Operational definitions are MOST closely associated with which major advantage of the scientific approach? a. commonsense approach b. clarity and precision c. intolerance of error d. tolerance of error ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Think Critically 42. The different general strategies for conducting scientific investigation are referred to as a. data collection techniques. b. operational definitions. c. research methods. d. hypotheses. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior DIF: Understand 43. The two main types of research methods used in psychology are the a. experimental and descriptive/correlational research methods. b. experimental and case study research methods. c. descriptive and correlational research methods. d. descriptive/correlational and case study research methods. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior TOP: WWW DIF: Understand 44. Manipulating a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observing the changes in a second variable defines a. the testing approach. b. the survey approach. 49 c. the experimental approach. d. naturalistic observation. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 99% 45. The research method in which the investigator manipulates a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observes whether any changes occur in a second variable as a result is the a. scientific method. b. correlational method. c. descriptive method. d. experimental method. ANS: D DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 46. A researcher wants to see if a protein-enriched diet will enhance the maze-running performance of rats. One group of rats is fed the high-protein diet for the duration of the study; the other group continues to receive ordinary rat chow. In this experiment, the rats’ maze-running performance is the a. correlated variable. b. control variable. c. dependent variable. d. independent variable. ANS: C DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 47. An experimenter tests the hypothesis that physical exercise improves mood. Subjects in the experimental group participate on Monday and Tuesday and those in the control group on Wednesday and Thursday. What is the independent variable? a. the hypothesis b. the day of the week c. the exercise d. the mood (degree of happiness) ANS: C DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 48. An experimenter tests the hypothesis that physical exercise improves mood. Subjects in the experimental group participate on Monday and Tuesday and those in the control group on Wednesday and Thursday. What is the dependent variable? a. the hypothesis b. the day of the week c. the exercise d. the mood (degree of happiness) ANS: D DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 49. An experimenter tests the hypothesis that physical exercise improves mood. Subjects in the experimental group participate on Monday and Tuesday and those in the control group on Wednesday and Thursday. What is the extraneous (confounding) variable? 50 a. b. c. d. the hypothesis the day of the week the exercise the mood (degree of happiness) ANS: B DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 50. In an experiment, the variable that is controlled or manipulated by the researcher is called the a. dependent variable. b. independent variable. c. control variable. d. stimulus variable. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 82% 51. An independent variable in an experiment refers to a. the variable that is held constant across experimental conditions. b. the variable deliberately manipulated by the experimenter. c. the variable that the experimenter believes will change in value because of systematic correlations that exist in the experiment. d. the variable that provides an alternative explanation for the results of the experiment. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 86% 52. A group of researchers wanted to determine if people will eat more food in a room with red paint than in a room that is decorated blue. Half the participants in this study ate in a red room and half ate in a blue room. The researchers then measured how much food was consumed in each of the two rooms. In this study, the independent variable was a. the type of food that was available during the study. b. the amount of food that was consumed. c. the color of the room. d. how hungry the participants were at the end of the study. ANS: C DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 53. Researchers who were studying plant growth raised plants in two separate rooms. One room had taped conversations playing 24 hours a day; the other room was silent. The researchers found that the plants grew better in the room that had the conversations playing. In this study, the type of room (conversation or silence) would be a. the dependent variable. b. an extraneous variable. c. a placebo. d. the independent variable. ANS: D DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 51 54. A dependent variable in an experiment refers to the variable a. held constant across the experimental conditions. b. deliberately manipulated by the experimenter. c. that changes value because of the systematic manipulation in the experiment.thought to be affected by manipulation of another variable. d. that the experimenter is depending on to cause something to happen in the experiment. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 55% 55. In experimental research, the researcher manipulates the ____ variable in order to measures its effect on the ____ variable. a. dependent; independent b. dependent; extraneous c. independent; dependent d. independent; extraneous ANS: C DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 56. In experimental research, the variable that the researcher measures because it is thought to be affected by the manipulation of another variable is the a. extraneous variable. b. dependent variable. c. independent variable. d. controlled variable. ANS: B TOP: WWW PTS: 1 DIF: Understand REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 57. Researchers studying the effects of sleep deprivation tested the physical coordination skills of 25-yearold males who had been sleep deprived for 24, 36, or 48 hours. In this study, the dependent variable would be a. the age of the research participants. b. the physical coordination skills of the men in the study. c. the length of time the participants had been sleep deprived. d. the type of physical coordination task the researchers use. ANS: B DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 58. A group of researchers wants to determine if people are more likely to follow directions if the person giving the directions is wearing a uniform. Half the participants are directed to a parking spot by a uniformed security guard, the other half are directed to a parking spot by an individual wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt. In this study, the dependent variable would be a. the number of participants who park in the spot they are directed to. b. the type of clothing worn by the person giving the directions. c. the gender of the person driving into the parking lot. d. the distance between the parking spot and the entrance. 52 ANS: A DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 59. An industrial designer wants to determine if the new design for a piece of office equipment will result in fewer errors. The designer sets up a machine with the old design in one room and a machine with the new design in a second room. He counts how many errors are made using each of the two machines. In this study, the number of errors that are made would be a. a control variable. b. the dependent variable. c. the independent variable. d. an extraneous variable. ANS: B DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 60. If a researcher varies the loudness of music in a factory to observe its effect on the rate of productivity of the employees, the dependent variable is the a. factory setting. b. rate of productivity. c. style of music being used. d. loudness of music being used. ANS: B DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 61. If we view an experiment as an attempt to establish a cause-effect relationship, the ____ variable would be the cause, and the ____ variable would be the effect. a. dependent; independent b. independent; dependent c. control; experimental d. independent; confounded ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research DIF: Apply NOTES: Correct = 93% 62. A researcher found that clients who were randomly assigned to same-sex groups participated more in group therapy sessions than clients who were randomly assigned to coed groups. In this experiment, the dependent variable was a. the amount of participation in the group therapy sessions. b. whether or not the group was coed. c. the clients’ attitudes toward group therapy. d. how much the clients’ mental health improved. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research NOTES: Correct = 76% DIF: Apply 63. The experimental group a. consists of the subjects who receive some special treatment with regard to the independent variable. b. consists of the subjects who receive some special treatment with regard to the dependent variable. 53 c. consists of the subjects who do not receive the special treatment. d. must be chosen so as to be as different from the control group as possible. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research NOTES: Correct = 79% DIF: Understand 64. In an experiment designed to test memory processes, one group was given special instructions and asked to group the items on a list into categories while they tried to memorize them. A second group of participants was given the same list, but they did not receive any special instructions. In this study, the experimental group is a. the group in which the participants remember the least items from the list. b. the group that did not receive any special instructions. c. the group that received the special instructions. d. the group in which the participants remember the most items from the list. ANS: C DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 65. In a study designed to test the effects of a new drug developed to treat Alzheimer’s disease, half the patients were given the actual drug while the other half were given a placebo (sugar pill). In this study, the experimental group is a. the patients who show evidence of an improvement in their memory. b. the group that received the actual drug. c. the group that received the placebo. d. the patients who were not included in the study. ANS: B DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 66. David and Alexandra both take part in a research study that is investigating the effects of sleep deprivation on reaction time. David is kept awake for 24 hours straight, while Alexandra follows her normal sleep routine. In this study, David is part of the a. hypothesis group. b. experimental group. c. control group. d. dependent variable group. ANS: B DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 67. The purpose of the control group is to a. make the experiment more complex. b. isolate the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable. c. make statistical significance more likely. d. isolate the effect of the dependent variable on the independent variable. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research NOTES: Correct = 75% 54 DIF: Think Critically 68. A group of researchers wanted to determine whether children would behave more aggressively after watching violent television programming. Half the children in the study watched a violent television show; the other children watched a non-violent program. In this study, the control group is the children who a. behave the most aggressively at the end of the study. b. watch the non-violent program. c. watch the violent show. d. behave the least aggressively at the end of the study. ANS: B DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 69. Dr. Prutherow believes that people who are under stress will develop more colds than people who are not under stress. When he randomly selects 10 participants and exposes them to high levels of stress, he finds that 9 of the participants develop colds. Based on these results, he concludes that stress causes an increase in colds. Dr. Prutherow’s reasoning may be flawed because in this study, a. there was no dependent variable in his study. b. there was no control group for comparison. c. he didn’t formulate a hypothesis before he collected his data. d. he didn’t measure the independent variable when the study ended. ANS: B DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 70. A variable, other than the independent variable, that appears to have influenced the dependent variable in a study is referred to as a. a covariate. b. an extraneous variable. c. a redundant variable. d. an inverse bias. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research NOTES: Correct = 92% DIF: Understand 71. When two variables are linked and their individual effects cannot be separated outisolated, we speak of the variables as being a. independent variables. b. dependent variables. c. confounded variables. d. codependent variables. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research NOTES: Correct = 77% DIF: Understand 72. In experiments, pPlacing subjects in experimental groups such that each subject has an equal probability of ending up in any experimental group is referred to as a. random selection. b. random sampling. c. random forecasting. d. random assignment. ANS: D PTS: 1 55 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research NOTES: Correct = 54% DIF: Understand 73. Dr. Kalmagura plans on introducing a new exam review procedure in his chemistry classes. To check the effectiveness of the new procedure, he is going to have half his students try the new technique for one semester, while the remaining students review in the way they have always done in the past. He asks each student to decide which of the techniques they would like to use, the new technique or the standard technique. In this example, Dr. Kalmagura’s procedure illustrates a. the use of non-random assignment. b. a correlational research design. c. a double-blind research design. d. what is meant by informed consent in research. ANS: A DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 74. Bill received a poor performance evaluation in his job last year. Since then, Bill has started working through his lunch hour, taken on four special projects, and enrolled in night classes to upgrade his computer skills. If Bill receives a better evaluation at his next performance, it will be hard for him to figure out why because a. he failed to use a double-blind procedure to test his hypothesis. b. he didn’t formulate a research hypothesis before implementing the changes. c. none of the actions he took are likely to be related to his overall job performance. d. the three actions he took are confounded with each other. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Think Critically REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 75. In experimental research, subjects who receive some special treatment in regard to the independent variable are the a. experimental group. b. control group. c. observational group. d. correlational group. ANS: A DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 76. In experimental research, while subjects in the ____ group received some special treatment in regard to the independent variable, while subjects in the ____ group doid not. a. control; experimental b. experimental; control c. primary; secondary d. secondary; primary ANS: B DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 77. Subjects in the control group should be ____ subjects in the experimental groups in all respects except for the treatment they receive in regards to the ____. a. very different from; independent variable b. very different from; dependent variable c. very similar to; independent variable 56 d. very similar to; dependent variable ANS: C DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 78. A researcher tries to make sure that subjects in the experimental and control groups are very similar to each other in order to reduce the effects of a. extraneous variables. b. random variables. c. dependent variables. d. independent variables. ANS: A DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 79. A researcher is studying the effects of room temperature on ability to quickly solve math problems. She first has participants solve 10 math problems in a room with the temperature set at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Then she has the same participants solve 10 new math problems with the room temperature set at 90 degrees. In this case, the group of participants is serving as its own a. experimental group. b. control group. c. extraneous group. d. operational group. ANS: B DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 80. Conclusions concerning cause-and-effect relationships are only possible when the ____ method is used. a. survey b. experimental c. correlational d. descriptive ANS: B TOP: WWW PTS: 1 DIF: Understand REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 81. The main advantage associated with the experimental method is a. its precise control. b. its ability to duplicate real life in the laboratory. c. that it can be used to explore just about everything. d. participants usually enjoy taking part in the study. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research NOTES: Correct = 82% DIF: Apply 81. A researcher is investigating the effects of caffeine consumption on student writing performance. Because the researcher will evaluate both the speed of assignment completion and the number of grammatical errors, she will need to include more than one ____________ variable in her study a. independent b. dependent c. confounding d. extraneous 57 ANS: B DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 82. A researcher who has found that caffeine consumption has a greater effect on behavior in hot weather than in cold weather has detected a(n) a. variable effect. b. interaction effect. c. control effect. d. placebo effect. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Apply REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 83. One of the disadvantages of the experimental method is a. the inability to generate cause-and-effect conclusions. b. the length of time necessary to complete the study. c. the fact that only one variable can be studied at a time. d. the fact that experiments often can’t be done for practical or ethical reasons. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research NOTES: Correct = 44% DIF: Understand 84. One of the disadvantages of the experimental method is a. the inability to generate cause-and-effect conclusions. b. the artificial, contrived situations in which experiments are often conducted. c. the length of time necessary to complete the study. d. the fact that only one variable can be studied at a time. ANS: B DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 85. Compared to the other scientific research methods, the principal advantage of the experimental method is that it a. can easily be used to study all research questions. b. allows for a description of behavior. c. permits conclusions about cause-and-effect relationships. d. observes behavior in its natural setting. ANS: C DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research 86. The correlation coefficient is a measure of a. central tendency. b. the amount of variability in a data set. c. the degree of relationship between two variables. d. the difference between the largest and smallest scores in a data set. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research NOTES: Correct = 84% DIF: Understand 87. Suppose a researcher discovered a +.87 correlation between the length of a person’s toes and the number of shoes the person owns. In general, people who own the fewest number of shoes would have 58 a. b. c. d. small toes. large toes. medium-sized toes. either very large or very small toes. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 88. Dr. Macator predicts that people will act more aggressively during the heat waves of summer than they will during the cold spells of winter. This suggests that Dr. Macator believes that temperature and level of aggression are a. negatively correlated. b. independent variables. c. uncorrelated. d. positively correlated. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 89. Suppose researchers find that greater alcohol consumption is associated with poorer performance on a skills test.a negative relationship between alcohol consumption and the number of correct responses on a skills test: the more alcohol consumed, the lower the score. Which of the following fictitious statisticscorrelation coefficients could possibly represent that correlation? a. -4.57 b. -0.87 c. +0.91 d. +0.00 ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Think Critically DIF: Apply 90. As interest rates increase, house sales decline, indicating a. a direct correlation between the two variables. b. a negative correlation between the two variables. c. a positive correlation between the two variables. d. no correlation between the two variables. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research 91. As the number of bystanders increases, people are less likely to help someone who is in distress. This suggests that the size of a crowd and helping behavior are a. negatively correlated. b. uncorrelated. c. positively correlated. d. dependent variables. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 92. If two variables have a positive correlation, you would expect that ____ scores on one variable are generally associated with ____ scores on the second variable. a. low; low b. low; high 59 c. middle; a wide variety of d. high; low ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 93. Dr. Barton has found that students who score higher than 85% on the first midterm tend to earn scores of 75% or better on the final exam, while students who score less than 60% on the first midterm often end up with a failing grade on the final exam. This suggests that a. the scores on the first midterm and the final exam are positively correlated. b. the scores on the first midterm and the final exam are negatively correlated. c. students who do poorly on the first midterm give up and study less for the final. d. Dr. Barton should change the final so it is more fair to students who are not doing well in the course. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 94. As an adult ages, his/her physical strength declines. The relationship between age and physical strength is a(n) a. nonexistent correlation. b. equal correlation. c. positive correlation. d. negative correlation. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Think Critically 95. Suppose a researcher discovered a strong negative correlation between the length of people’s hair and the amount of money they paid for their automobile. In general, people who paid the least amount of money for their automobile also had a. the longest hair. b. mid-length hair. c. the shortest hair. d. either extremely long or extremely short hair. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research NOTES: Correct = 59% DIF: Apply DIF: Understand 96. A correlation between two variables exists when scores on one variable a. are different from the scores on the second variable. b. cause or determine the scores on the second variable. c. are related to scores on the second variable. d. are unrelated to scores on the second variable. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research 97. The FDA found that people who used a particular diet drug combination had more heart valve defects than people who had not taken the diet drug combination. This suggests that the use of the diet drug combination and heart valve defects are a. negatively correlated. b. independent variables. 60 c. positively correlated. d. interactive variables. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 98. A correlation coefficient of zero describes a. a positive relationship between two variables. b. a negative relationship between two variables. c. the lack of a relationship between two variables. d. a perfect relationship between two variables. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply NOTES: Correct = 79% TOP: WWW 99. Of the following, the correlation coefficient that indicates the weakest relationship between the two variables being measured is a. +0.95. b. -0.69. c. +0.01. d. -4.50. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 100. A high correlation coefficient (either positive or negative) indicates that a. there is a high level of consistency between the two variables. b. the scores on the two variables are nearly identical. c. a change in one variable causes a change in the second variable. d. a third factor or variable is always responsible for the relationship between the two variables. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Think Critically 101. Dr. Redding has found a correlation of +0.65 between snoring and weight. This indicates that a. overweight individuals tend to snore less than underweight individuals. b. there is no relationship between weight and snoring. c. overweight individuals tend to snore more than underweight individuals. d. individuals who go on a diet will most likely begin to snore. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 102. If A and B are highly correlated, which statement MOST accurately describes the relationship between A and B? a. The score on A causes the score on B b. The score on B causes the score on A c. Both A and B are caused by a third variable d. The score on A can be used to predict the score on B ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research 61 DIF: Think Critically 103. As correlation coefficients ____, the ability to predict one variable based on knowledge of the second variable increases. a. become positive b. become negative c. increase in strength d. decrease in strength ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Understand 105. Based on the information on getting more out of lectures presented in the 2.7 Personal Application section in Chapter 1, class attendance and grade average in the class would be a. uncorrelated. b. increasingly correlated. c. negatively correlated. d. positively correlated. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Think Critically 104. Of the following, the correlation coefficient that indicates the strongest relationship between the two variables being measured is a. +0.65. b. -0.89. c. 0.00. d. +3.45. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 105. Dr. Zelke surveys 50 university students to discover the relationship between textbook price and ratings of readability. Dr. Zelke finds that for these two variables the correlation coefficient is -0.70. This indicates that a. more expensive books tend to receive higher readability ratings than less expensive books. b. there is no relationship between textbook price and ratings of readability. c. increasing a textbook’s price will cause a decrease in its readability rating. d. more expensive books tend to receive lower readability ratings than less expensive books. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 106. Of the following correlation coefficients, the one that would allow the most accurate predictions of one variable based on the other variable would be a. 0.00. b. +1.24. c. +0.65. d. -0.79. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 107. If we were to measure the height and weight of 100 adult women, we would find that these two measures are 62 a. b. c. d. uncorrelated. increasingly correlated. negatively correlated. positively correlated. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research NOTES: Correct = 74% DIF: Apply DIF: Understand 108. A correlation coefficient will always have a value between a. 0% and 100%. b. -10 and +10. c. -1 and +1. d. 0 and +1. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research 109. In descriptive/correlational research, the investigator a. systematically observes two variables to see whether there is an association between them. b. manipulates a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observes whether there are changes in a second variable as a result. c. exposes subjects to two closely related treatment conditions. d. simultaneously manipulates two or more independent variables. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research NOTES: Correct = 69% DIF: Think Critically 110. Which of the following is NOT listed in the textbook as a descriptive research method? a. criterion-based induction b. case studies c. surveys d. naturalistic observation ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research NOTES: Correct = 92% DIF: Understand 111. Naturalistic observation, case studies, and surveys all have in common that a. they do not directly observe behavior. b. they do not manipulate the variables under study. c. they can show causal relationships. d. the results obtained cannot be analyzed statistically. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research NOTES: Correct = 90% DIF: Apply 112. Which research method involves a researcher engaging in careful observation of behavior without intervening directly with the subjects? a. criterion-based induction b. case studies c. surveys 63 d. naturalistic observation ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Understand 113. Recording all instances of an event for a particular time period (such as how many times an older brother strikes his younger brother) without the subjects’ awareness is an example of a. compiling a case study. b. correlational research. c. conducting an experiment. d. naturalistic observation. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research NOTES: Correct = 79% DIF: Apply 114. You are sitting on a park bench in a major metropolitan area from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and you note the number of people who walk by, whether or not they litter, and their gender. You are engaging in a. casual observation. b. naturalistic observation. c. case study research. d. experimental research. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research NOTES: Correct = 93% DIF: Apply DIF: Understand 115. One of the main concerns with the case study method of research is that a. a single case is seldom able to provide a historical perspective. b. hypotheses cannot be generated about the origin of the behavior. c. case studies cannot be used to study rare or unusual events. d. the experiences reported may be highly subjective. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research 116. A group of researchers wanted to investigate allegations of sexual harassment on a company’s assembly line. To make their observations, the researchers took jobs working on the assembly line and pretended to be new employees. In this example, the researchers were using a. naturalistic observation. b. correlational research. c. survey research. d. the case study method of research. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 117. The tendency for participants to participate in survey research appears to have a. increased noticeably in recent decades. b. increased for mail surveys but decreased for phone surveys. c. remained relatively constant since the early 1950s. d. declined noticeably in recent decades. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research 64 DIF: Understand 118. Jolyn believed that there are gender differences in driving habits. To test this assumption, she stood near a quiet intersection. Jolyn then recorded the gender of each driver who approached a stop sign and whether the individual came to a complete stop before proceeding into the intersection. Jolyn is conducting a. an experiment with two dependent variables. b. case study research. c. naturalistic observation. d. psychological testing. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 119. One advantage of naturalistic observation is that it a. approximates the experimental method. b. allows for cause-and-effect conclusions to be drawn. c. allows behavior to be studied in realistic settings. d. involves random assignment. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply NOTES: Correct = 99% TOP: WWW 120. Which research method involves an in-depth investigation of an individual subject? a. an experiment b. a case study c. a survey d. a naturalistic observation ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Understand 121. Dr. Kincaid was interested in the topic of autistic savants (individuals with limited abilities in many areas, but with an exceptional talent in one specific area). In the initial part of the investigation, Dr. Kincaid carefully observed and compiled detailed files on three individuals who were autistic savants. Dr. Kincaid is conducting a. case study research. b. survey research. c. correlational research. d. experimental research. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 122. Which of the following techniques is MOST likely to prove useful in determining why one particular child is afraid to go to school? a. experiment b. descriptive study c. naturalistic observation d. case study ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research 65 DIF: Apply NOTES: Correct = 89% 123. One of your friends is writing a research paper and wants to obtain information about the depth of personal information people typically reveal during a first date. Directly observing a large number of people during a first date will be difficult, so your friend asks for your advice on the best way to collect this type of data. The best suggestion would be for your friend to use a. the case study approach. b. archival research. c. a double-blind observational study. d. a survey. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Think Critically 124. Estavan received a questionnaire in the mail asking about his general buying habits. He was asked to identify the specific products that he typically buys and the amount of each product that he typically uses. If Estavan completes the questionnaire and returns it, he will have taken part in research that incorporates a. the survey method. b. naturalistic observation. c. a case study approach. d. archival research. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 125. When studying a research question where it would be impractical to manipulate the variables of interest, a researcher would use a(n) a. logical method. b. common sense method. c. experimental method. d. descriptive/correlational method. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Understand 126. Which of the following is NOT a descriptive/correlational research method? a. Survey b. Experiment c. Case study d. Naturalistic observation ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Understand 127. The research method that is often used to obtain information concerning individuals’ behaviors, attitudes, and/or opinions is the a. case study method. b. naturalistic observation method. c. correlation method. d. survey method. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research 66 DIF: Understand 128. A researcher interested in studying individuals’ attitudes toward “animal rights issues” would MOST likely conduct a. a case study. b. a survey. c. a correlation. d. a naturalistic observation. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 131. Broadening the scope of phenomena that psychologists are able to study is associated with a. descriptive research methods. b. introspective research methods. c. hypothetical deductive research methods. d. functional research methods. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research NOTES: Correct = 52% DIF: Apply 129. Trevor plans to study the relationship between people’s responses to highly stressful situations and their overall health. He decides he must use correlational research, rather than experimental research, to investigate this problem. Trevor most likely chose a correlational method because correlational studies a. tend to be more accurate than experiments. b. have higher internal validity than experiments when there are two dependent variables. c. can be used to study either positive or negative relationships, whereas experiments can only be used to study positive relationships. d. can be used to investigate factors that would be unethical to manipulate in an experimental study. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 130. A researcher plans to study the relationship between people’s smoking behavior and their tendency to have minor physical illnesses (such as colds or the flu). Most likely, he will use correlational research for the study because a. correlational studies are always the “first choice” of researchers. b. it is not practical or ethical to manipulate people’s smoking behavior. c. correlational studies allow the researcher to draw strong cause-and-effect conclusions. d. the university does not allow smoking in the psychology building. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Apply 131. The principal disadvantage of the descriptive/correlational research methods is a. because of practical or ethical reasons, they cannot be used to study some research questions. b. since researchers cannot control variables of interest, conclusions concerning cause-andeffect relationships are not appropriate. c. they do not allow the researcher to describe behavior. d. they frequently observe behavior in artificial situations. 67 ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Understand 132. The primary reason descriptive/correlational research cannot determine conclusively that variables have a cause-and-effect relationship is because in conducting the research, a. the researcher cannot control events or manipulate variables. b. only an experimental group is used. c. the data collected frequently comes from direct observations or statements made by subjects. d. the researcher observes behavior under artificial situations. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Understand 133. Which of the following pairs of terms related to the goals of science are MOST clearly associated with the concept of correlation? a. understanding and prediction b. description and understanding c. description and prediction d. prediction and application ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.1 Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior; 2.3 Looking for Links: Descriptive/Correlational Research DIF: Think Critically 134. An instructor wishes to find out whether a new teaching method is superior to his usual procedures, so he conducts an experiment. Everyone in his classes is quite excited about the prospect of learning under the new procedure, but he cannot administer the new teaching method to everyone: a random half of the students receive the new method and the remaining half receive the old method. What is the most obvious flaw in this experiment? a. Subjects should have been systematically assigned to groups. b. The sample is not representative of the population. c. Placebo effects or experimenter bias are likely to affect results. d. Distortions in self-report will affect results. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Think Critically REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 135. Which of the following is NOT a common methodological flaw to consider when evaluating scientific research? a. distortions of self-report b. sampling bias c. subject effect d. placebo effect ANS: C DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 136. A researcher who wants to get a broad perspective on an area of research by combining the results from a large number of existing studies would be MOST likely to use which statistical technique? a. standard deviation b. meta-analysis c. correlation d. means analysis 68 ANS: B DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 137. A sample is representative if a. only volunteer subjects are used. b. it is as different from the population as possible. c. all subjects are chosen from a single, unusual segment of the population. d. its composition is similar to the composition of the population. ANS: D DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 138. To determine whether students would like more courses scheduled in the late afternoon and evening hours, the student services department sends questionnaires to 50 students selected at random from the 5,000 who are registered at the campus. In this instance, the 5,000 students who are registered at the campus would be a. a population. b. a representative sample. c. a biased sample. d. the independent variable. ANS: A DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 139. To discover whether residents of a city are in favor of building a new sports stadium, the team’s owner randomly selected and interviewed 500 of the city’s 500,000 residents. In this instance, the 500 people that the owner interviewed would be a. a biased sample. b. a population. c. the dependent variable. d. a representative sample. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Think Critically REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 140. A researcher who is conducting an opinion survey asks viewers who are watching a political debate to dial an 800 number anduse the Internet to record their opinion to the “question of the day.” In this case, the researcher is likely to have a. a representative sample. b. a random sample. c. a biased sample. d. a random population. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Think Critically REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 141. The subjects who participate in an experiment should a. all be chosen from the same geographical area and socioeconomic class. b. be allowed to choose in which group they would like to be. c. come from a wide range of different age groups. d. be carefully chosen so that they represent a sample of the population. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 69 DIF: Apply NOTES: Correct = 92% 142. Sampling bias is a problem because it a. limits the generality of the findings. b. makes it impossible to use inferential statistics. c. makes it difficult to avoid a confounding of variables. d. makes the effect of the independent variable appear to be bigger than it really is. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research NOTES: Correct = 63% DIF: Apply 143. Dr. Stillingsworth is interested in people’s reactions to a controversial jury verdict. Dr. Stillingsworth calls people at their home between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon. In this example, Dr. Stillingsworth has MOST likely selected a. a representative sample. b. a biased population. c. a biased sample. d. a statistically significant population. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research NOTES: Correct = 66% DIF: Apply 144. Research involving the repetition of a study to see whether the earlier results can be duplicated are referred to as a. verification studies. b. replication studies. c. clarification studies. d. duplication studies. ANS: B TOP: WWW PTS: 1 DIF: Understand REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 145. While a(n) ____ is the group of individuals actually observed in a research study, the ____ is the group of individuals that researchers want to generalize or extend their findings to describe. a. experimental group; control group b. control group; experimental group c. population; sample d. sample; population ANS: D DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 146. If a researcher uses a sample that is NOT representative of the population from which it was drawn, the project would show the effect of a. experimenter bias. b. sampling bias. c. placebo effect. d. subject bias. ANS: B DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 70 147. If a college professor surveyed his students about their attitudes concerning the Social Security system and concluded that young adults doubt that they will ever receive Social Security benefits, his conclusion would be flawed because a. his students were not a representative sample of young adults. b. he did not survey the entire population of young adults. c. he knew his subjects before he surveyed them. d. his students were a random sample. ANS: A DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 148. Placebos are used in research to control for a. nontreatment effects. b. the subjects’ expectations about treatment. c. secondary drug effects. d. random fluctuations in the independent variable. ANS: B TOP: WWW PTS: 1 DIF: Understand REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 149. Sometimes a subject’s expectations may lead to behavior change in the absence of any effective treatment. This is referred to as an example of a. sampling bias. b. experimenter bias. c. socially desirable responding. d. the placebo effect. ANS: D DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 150. Dr. Limmex is trying to win FDA approval for a new drug to treat anxiety. Dr. Limmex claims that 14% of the people who took this new drug reported reduced anxiety; however, other researchers claim that 14% of patients who receive no treatment also report reductions in their anxiety levels. It appears that the patients who improved after taking Dr. Limmex’s drug a. had a self-report bias. b. may have been experiencing placebo effects. c. were a non-representative sample. d. should have been placed in the control group, rather than the experimental group. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Think Critically REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 151. In an investigation of the effects of caffeine on concentration, half the participants were given regular colas that contained caffeine and half were given decaffeinated colas. In this study, the decaffeinated colas are being used as a. a confounding variable. b. a random factor. c. the dependent variable. d. a placebo. ANS: D DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 71 152. Imagine that a group of researchers conducted a single-blind study designed to test the effectiveness of subliminal-message weight-loss tapes. Suppose the researchers found that everyone lost weight during the study, even those who were given tapes without any subliminal messages. This type of result would a. indicate that the independent and dependent variables are negatively correlated. b. provide evidence that subliminal tapes are effective in promoting weight loss. c. be evidence of a placebo effect. d. be evidence that the study contained confounding variables. ANS: C DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 153. Darla has sent out a survey in which she is asking people to provide information about their attitudes on a number of sensitive subjects. When the surveys are returned, Darla needs to be aware that the responses may be distorted due to a. placebo effects. b. self-report biases. c. statistical artifacts. d. meta-analytic controls. ANS: B DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 154. The tendency for survey subjects to provide answers that place them in a favorable light is referred to as a. sampling bias. b. response stereotyping. c. a placebo effect. d. socially desirable responding. ANS: D TOP: WWW PTS: 1 DIF: Understand REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 155. One is most likely to encounter problems with the social desirability bias when using a. self-reports. b. case studies. c. naturalistic observations. d. the experimental method. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research NOTES: Correct = 90% DIF: Understand 156. Subjects’ self-reports often indicate that they are healthier, happier, and less prejudiced than other types of evidence would suggest. The MOST likely explanation for this pattern is a. experimenter bias. b. faulty memory. c. the social desirability bias. d. a tendency to agree with almost every statement. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research NOTES: Correct = 95% 72 DIF: Apply 157. Reinhold is filling out the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and as he reads each question, he thinks about the way most other people would probably respond. When he answersresponds to each item, he selects the alternative that he thinks will present the most favorable impression. Reinhold’s answers reflect a. a social desirability bias. b. a negative response set. c. the placebo effect. d. non-representative sampling. ANS: A DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 157. In which of the scientific research methods are distortions in self-reports MOST likely to be of concern to the researcher? a. experimental method b. correlational method c. naturalistic observation method d. survey method ANS: D DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 158. The fact that researchers often unintentionally influence the outcome of their studies implies the existence of a. experimenter bias. b. a placebo effect. c. sampling bias. d. social desirability. ANS: A DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 159. Experimenter bias occurs when a. experimenters explicitly instruct subjects to behave in a way that will be consistent with their hypothesis. b. experimenters desire to make a favorable impression on their subjects. c. experimenters’ beliefs in their own hypotheses affect either the subjects’ behavior or their observations of the subjects. d. experimenters conduct their studies in a completely objective manner. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research NOTES: Correct = 87% DIF: Understand 160. Melvin and Leigh are interviewing students at their campus to determine if the students agree or disagree with a proposed policy change. Melvin believes the proposed policy change is a good idea, but Leigh believes the change will be bad for students. Nearly all the students who Melvin interviewed supported the policy change, but nearly all the students who Leigh interviewed disapproved of the change. The differences in the results illustrate the potential impact of a. the placebo effect. b. double-blind research studies. c. confounded dependent variables. d. experimenter bias. 73 ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Think Critically REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 161. One method to control for experimenter bias effects in research is to use a. a socially desirable procedure. b. reverse control groups. c. a double-blind procedure. d. a non-representative sample. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research NOTES: Correct = 93% DIF: Apply 162. The experimental procedure in which both the experimenter and subject are unaware of who is in the experimental and who is in the control group is referred to as the a. placebo control procedure. b. stereotaxic procedure. c. single-blind procedure. d. double-blind procedure. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research NOTES: Correct = 96% DIF: Understand 163. If your boss thinks very highly of you in general, she may tend to see even your mediocre projects as excellent work. This would be evidence for a. the discriminative effect. b. the sampling effect. c. the placebo effect. d. the halo effect. ANS: D DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 164. A recent investigation of potential sampling bias in psychological research indicated that approximately___ of the samples in published studies came from the United States. a. 10% b. 33% c. 66% d. 90% ANS: C DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 165. Scarlett is a graduate student who is observing children playing together after watching a film. She knows that some children saw a film that contained graphic scenes of violence and some children saw a non-violent film, but she doesn’t know which film each child she is observing watched. In this case, Scarlett is recording data for a. a double-blind research study. b. a study with two independent variables. c. an unethical research study. d. a correlational study with confounded variables. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 74 DIF: Apply 166. Dr. Webb designs a research study in which neither the subjects nor the individuals who interact directly with the subjects know which is the control group and which is the experimental group in the study. Dr. Webb probably chose this type of research design in order to a. avoid the need to obtain ethics approval for the study. b. minimize the possibility of self-report bias. c. ensure that her sample is not biased. d. reduce the impact of experimenter bias. ANS: D DIF: Apply PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 167. Which of the following statements is MOST accurate concerning the results of the research study by Rosenthal and Fode described in the text? a. Half of the experimenters were told that the ratings would average -5 and half were told to expect ratings of +5. b. The experimenters were prevented from conversing with their subjects. c. The experimenters’ expectations influenced the ratings given by the subjects. d. A double-blind procedure was used in the study. ANS: C DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 167. When a researcher’s expectations or preferences about the outcome of a study influence the results obtained, it is referred to as a. experimenter bias. b. subject bias. c. the sampling effect. d. the placebo effect. ANS: A DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 168. Which of the following statements concerning experimenter bias is false? a. Experimenter bias may influence the behavior of the participants b. Experimenter bias is often intentional c. Experimenter bias may influence the researcher’s observations or recording of participants responses d. Experimenter bias may influence the research project in subtle ways ANS: B DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 169. The ____ is a research strategy that minimizes the potential methodological problems associated with the placebo effect and experimenter bias. a. neutral sample procedure b. single-blind procedure c. double-blind procedure d. blind sample procedure ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Think Critically REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research 75 170. A researcher is conducting an experiment on the effect of alcohol consumption on reaction time; half of the subjects drink alcoholic drinks, and half drink nonalcoholic versions of the same drinks. The subjects receiving the nonalcoholic drinks are the ____ group and are used in the study to minimize the influence of ____. a. experimental; sampling bias b. experimental; the placebo effect c. control; sampling bias d. control; the placebo effect ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.2 Looking for Causes: Experimental Research; 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research DIF: Apply 171. With regard to the topic of deception in research with human subjects, which of the following is MOST accurate? a. Researchers are careful to avoid deceiving subjects. b. Some topics could not be investigated unless deception was used. c. It has been empirically demonstrated that deception causes severe distress. d. All psychological research must involve some deception. ANS: B Means? PTS: 1 DIF: Understand REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the 172. Which of the following statements is MOST accurate? a. Deception has never been used in psychological research. b. Although deception has been used in the past, it has recently been banned by the American Psychological Association. c. In recent years, there has been a steady increase in the use of deception in psychological research. d. Deception has been fairly common in psychological research since the 1960s. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the Means? NOTES: Correct = 70% DIF: Understand 173. Deception is used in some research in order to a. help control for placebo effects. b. help aid in double-blind procedures. c. prevent socially desirable responding. d. encourage socially desirable responding. ANS: A Means? PTS: 1 TOP: WWW REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the DIF: Apply 174. Research has revealed that subjects who participated in research involving deception a. were psychologically distressed at being deceived. b. suffered extreme embarrassment at being “fooled.” c. didn’t mind being misled and generally enjoyed taking part in research. d. lost the ability to trust others. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the Means? NOTES: Correct = 67% 76 DIF: Understand 175. The primary reason for the ethical dilemmas psychologists encounter regarding the use of deception in research reflects concerns a. about whether the deception affects all participants equally. b. for the well-being of animals used in research. c. about the possibility of inflicting harm on human subjects. d. whether subjects believe the deception. ANS: C Means? PTS: 1 DIF: Apply REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the 176. Which of the following statements regarding the use of deception in psychological research is FALSE? a. Defenders of deception believe that some research questions can only be studied by using deception b. Critics of deception believe that the conclusions from studies involving deception are not valid c. Critics of deception believe that the deception may result in subjects becoming less trusting of others d. Participants in research involving the use of deception generally report that they enjoyed the experience ANS: B Means? PTS: 1 REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the DIF: Think Critically 177. Which of the following is NOT a criticism of using animals in psychological research? a. Many of the studies are trivial. b. It is unethical to subject an animal to pain. c. The studies cost too much for the limited amount of information they provide. d. The studies are a waste of time, as the results often do not apply to humans. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the Means? NOTES: Correct = 55% DIF: Understand 178. Which of the following statements is MOST accurate? a. More than one-third of all psychological studies involve animals. b. The American Psychological Association has developed ethical guidelines for research involving animals. c. There have been few, if any, major advances in the treatment of mental or physical disorders in humans that are attributable to animal research. d. The majority of psychological studies using animals involve painful or harmful manipulations. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the Means? NOTES: Correct = 85% DIF: Understand 179. Which of the following reasons for conducting psychological research with animals is MOST controversial? a. Animals can live in research labs 24 hours a day, which would not be practical for human subjects b. Animals can be exposed to treatments that would be unacceptable for human exposure c. Psychologists desire to understand and explain the behavior of certain species of animals d. Psychologists believe that the results of animal research can help identify general principles of behavior that are relevant to humans 77 ANS: B Means? PTS: 1 DIF: Understand REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the 180. Which of the following statements regarding the use of animals in psychological research is MOST accurate? a. Animals are used as subjects in less than 10% of psychological research studies b. Psychologists, if given a choice, always prefer to conduct animal research instead of human research c. Most animal research involves exposing the animals to painful procedures d. While ethical principles govern the treatment of humans in research, there are no ethical principles for conducting animal research ANS: A Means? PTS: 1 DIF: Understand REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the 181. Which of the following is NOT included in the ethical guidelines for human participants in psychological research? a. Participants should not be subjected to harmful or dangerous treatments. b. Participants should be paid for their participation. c. Participants’ right to privacy should not be compromised. d. Participants should volunteer to participate. ANS: B Means? PTS: 1 REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the DIF: Think Critically 182. Dr. Dickinson is investigating the link between social support networks and grades in school. Students in his classes are required to complete survey forms related to this research. If a survey form is not completed by the end of the semester, a student’s grade is reduced by 10 points. In this case, some researchers might argue that Dr. Dickinson’s research violates the ethical principle of a. right to privacy. b. full disclosure. c. voluntary participation. d. protection from harm. ANS: C Means? PTS: 1 REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the DIF: Think Critically 183. Mackenzie took part in an experiment where she was told she would be required to sit alone in a darkened room for 30 minutes, after which she would be asked to complete a brief questionnaire about her future goals and plans. When she finished the questionnaire, she was told the experiment was over. Mackenzie never really understood the purpose of the study, and she wasn’t sure why she had to wait in the darkened room before filling out the short questionnaire. In this case, it would appear that the researchers who conducted the experiment a. did not use an adequate debriefing procedure. b. failed to obtain informed consent. c. violated Mackenzie’s right to privacy. d. did not provide adequate protection from harm. ANS: A Means? PTS: 1 DIF: Apply REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the 184. According to the ethical guidelines for psychological research with humans, if you agree to be a participant in a research study, you would understand that you 78 a. b. c. d. will not be exposed to harmful or dangerous treatments. will not be exposed to deception. have to commit to participating in the entire research study. do not have the right to privacy. ANS: A Means? PTS: 1 DIF: Apply REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the 185. According to the ethical guidelines for conducting psychological research with animals, exposing animals to harmful or painful procedures a. is justified if the research design requires the harmful or painful procedures. b. is justified for lower animals but not for primates. c. cannot be justified unless the potential benefits of the research are substantial. d. is never justified. ANS: C Means? PTS: 1 DIF: Understand REF: 2.5 Looking at Ethics: Do the Ends Justify the 186. The fact that researchers use systematic observation to study human behavior illustrates which of your text’s unifying themes? a. Our experience of the world is highly subjective. b. Psychology is empirical. c. Behavior is determined by multiple causes. d. Psychology is theoretically diverse. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Apply NOTES: Correct = 62% REF: 2.6 Reflecting on the Chapter’s Themes 187. The fact that subjects sometimes report beneficial effects from a placebo treatment illustrates which of your text’s unifying themes? a. Our experience of the world is highly subjective. b. Psychology is empirical. c. Heredity and environment jointly influence behavior. d. Our behavior is shaped by our cultural heritage. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.6 Reflecting on the Chapter’s Themes NOTES: Correct = 89% DIF: Apply 188. The fact that research results can be affected by experimenter bias illustrates which of your text’s unifying themes? a. Our behavior is shaped by our cultural heritage. b. Psychology is theoretically diverse. c. Our experience of the world is highly subjective. d. Behavior is determined by multiple causes. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.6 Reflecting on the Chapter’s Themes NOTES: Correct = 80% DIF: Apply 189. The various methods and procedures used in conducting psychological research and evaluating the research of other psychologists are consistent with which unifying theme in psychology? a. Psychology is empirical. 79 b. Psychology is theoretically diverse. c. Our behavior is determined by multiple causes. d. Our behavior is shaped by our cultural heritage. ANS: A DIF: Understand PTS: 1 REF: 2.6 Reflecting on the Chapter’s Themes 190. The double-blind procedure was developed by researchers because of which unifying theme in psychology? a. psychology is empirical b. psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context c. our behavior is shaped by our cultural heritage d. our experience of the world is highly subjective ANS: D PTS: 1 Reflecting on the Chapter’s Themes REF: 2.4 Looking for Flaws: Evaluating Research; 2.6 DIF: Think Critically 191. In psychology, MOST journal articles are a. descriptions of newly developed theories. b. reports that describe original empirical studies. c. criticisms of previously published research. d. reviews that summarize and reconcile the findings from a large number of studies. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.7 Personal Application: Finding and Reading Journal Articles DIF: Understand 191. A summary of research literature in psychology can be obtained by looking in a. Psychological Review. b. PsychINFO. c. Psychology Today. d. the American Psychological Association homepage. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.7 Personal Application: Finding and Reading Journal Articles DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 65% 192. The abstract of a journal article provides a. a concise summary of the entire article. b. an overview of the research problem, relevant theories, and previous research. c. a description of the research methods used in the study. d. a concise summary of the raw data and statistical analyses. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.7 Personal Application: Finding and Reading Journal Articles TOP: WWW DIF: Understand 193. A computerized database that allows individuals to locate journal articles and other published works related to psychological research is a. the Citation Index. b. American Psychological Association Online. c. Psychology Today. 80 d. PsycINFO. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.7 Personal Application: Finding and Reading Journal Articles DIF: Understand 194. The hypotheses for a research study are MOST likely to be found in the a. methodology section of a journal article. b. reference section of a journal article. c. results section of a journal article. d. introduction section of a journal article. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.7 Personal Application: Finding and Reading Journal Articles TOP: WWW DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 94% 195. Which of the following is one of the six standard parts of a psychological journal article? a. conclusions b. bibliography c. data summary d. discussion ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 2.7 Personal Application: Finding and Reading Journal Articles DIF: Understand 196. The data obtained in a research study, along with the statistical analyses, are reported in the a. introduction section of a journal article. b. results section of a journal article. c. method section of a journal article. d. discussion section of a journal article. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.7 Personal Application: Finding and Reading Journal Articles DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 90% 197. The correct sequencing of the sections of the main body of a journal article would be a. introduction, method, results, discussion. b. introduction, discussion, method, results. c. discussion, introduction, method, results. d. method, introduction, results, discussion. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 2.7 Personal Application: Finding and Reading Journal Articles DIF: Understand NOTES: Correct = 81% 198. Which section of a journal article describing psychological research contains the author’s interpretation and evaluation of the data? a. references b. conclusion c. discussion 81 d. results ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.7 Personal Application: Finding and Reading Journal Articles DIF: Understand 199. Individuals who think critically do NOT rely on anecdotal evidence because this type of evidence a. is too general and can be applied to too many unrelated situations. b. is based on inferential statistical analysis, which is generally unreliable. c. can be distorted by social desirability bias. d. involves only negative instances, and cannot be used to make an unbiased decision. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 2.8 Critical Thinking Application: The Perils of Anecdotal Evidence DIF: Understand 200. Which of the following statements concerning anecdotal evidence is false? a. Anecdotal evidence is based on a single example and may reflect sampling bias. b. Anecdotal evidence rarely influences a person’s opinion or behavior. c. Anecdotal evidence can usually be found to support any position. d. Anecdotal evidence often reflects a distortion in self-report. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 2.8 Critical Thinking Application: The Perils of Anecdotal Evidence DIF: Understand 206. The organization or standard format of journal articles describing psychological research reflects or follows the a. preferences of the specific researcher. b. goals of science. c. steps involved in conducting scientific research. d. unifying themes of psychology. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Integrative 82