Psychology: Themes And Variations, 3rd Canadian Edition Test Bank

Chapter 2—The Research Enterprise in Psychology MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Which goal of science is most closely associated with answering the question of “how” something works? a. understanding and prediction b. measurement and description c. application and control d. search for truth ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 44 BLM: Higher order 2. What do we call any measurable conditions, events, characteristics, or behaviours that are controlled or observed in a study? a. confounds b. variables c. correlations d. hypotheses ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 44 BLM: Remember 3. Forensic profilers use information about known serial killers to make statements about the likely next-steps of a new killer, and to anticipate a pattern of behaviour. Which goal of the scientific enterprise does this reflect? a. application and control b. measurement and description c. the search for truth d. understanding and prediction ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 44 BLM: Higher order 4. Which goals of science are reflected in the use of reinforcement principles to modify a child’s unruly behaviour? a. understanding and prediction b. application and control c. measurement and description d. determinism and teleology ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 45 BLM: Higher order 5. What is a theory? a. a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations b. a preliminary proposal that has yet to be tested c. a statement of research results that have been proven correct d. a tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables ANS: A PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 45 BLM: Remember 6. There are multiple goals in science, and researchers move between goals at various points in their research. Which goals can researchers move between if they have a theory?? a. from application to control b. from concept to description c. from description to understanding d. from understanding to application ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 45 BLM: Higher order 7. Which of the following must be true of a scientific theory? a. It is well established and not disputed. b. It is accepted by others. c. It is testable. d. It is correct. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 45 BLM: Remember 8. Which of the following patterns is typical of theory construction? a. a gradual iterative process that is always subject to revision b. a process that results in concrete findings that are accepted by other scientists c. a standard step-like process that quickly moves toward the truth d. a circular process that typically leads nowhere ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 45 BLM: Remember 9. 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. Which of the following terms characterizes Dr. Marqueta’s prediction? a. theory b. hypothesis c. variable d. application ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 46 BLM: Higher order 10. What is a hypothesis? a. a conclusion drawn from an experiment b. a random guess as to what might happen in an experiment c. a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations d. a tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 46 BLM: Remember 11. How are hypotheses typically expressed? a. as theories b. as predictions c. as statistics d. as variables ANS: B PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 46 BLM: Remember 12. Dr. Licciardi predicts that if people are observed while they perform a complex task, they will make more errors. Which of the following terms is Dr. Licciardi’s prediction is an example of? a. theory b. inferential statistics c. hypothesis d. operational definition ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 46 BLM: Higher order 13. Dr. Malm predicts that if teachers ignore students who act up in class, fewer students will act up in class. What is the scientific term for Dr. Malm’s prediction? a. operational definition b. inferential statistics c. hypothesis d. theory ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 46 BLM: Higher order 14. A researcher is measuring the heart rate of subjects as an index of anxiety. In this study, what is heart rate? a. negatively correlated with anxiety b. independent variable c. confounded variable d. operational definition of anxiety ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 46 BLM: Higher order 15. What is an operational definition? a. It provides a logical basis for each term. b. It states relationships to other variables. c. It describes the actions and procedures used to measure or control a variable. d. It separately defines each term used. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 46 BLM: Remember 16. Dr. Critelli is studying aggression in children and plans to define aggression as the number of times one child pushes or strikes another child. What is Dr. Critelli doing when he defines aggression in this way? a. operating the theory b. creating a hypothesis c. implementing a hypothetical definition d. providing an operational definition ANS: D PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 46 BLM: Higher order 17. Dr. Dieringer wants to study attachment patterns in single-parent families. She plans to define the strength of attachment as the time it takes for the parent to respond when the infant starts to cry. Why is this definition important? a. It allows others to understand exactly what Dr. Dieringer means by “attachment.” b. It allows Dr. Dieringer to generate a scientific hypothesis. c. It prevents research assistants from violating ethical guidelines for psychological research. d. It requires a double-blind research design. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 46 BLM: Higher order 18. Dr. Hessels is examining how different people respond to frightening events. She will have participants walk through a haunted house at a local amusement park, and each participant will be outfitted with a heart monitor. She will use the changes in heart rate as a measure of stress. What are two ways that such changes in heart rate can be described? a. an operational definition and a case study b. a case study and a physiological recording c. a physiological recording and a direct observation d. an operational definition and a physiological recording ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 46 BLM: Higher order 19. A group of students are administered a series of written questions designed to assess their attitudes, opinions, and behaviour related to studying. What is this method called? a. a psychological test b. a questionnaire c. a paper-based interview d. a direct written observation ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 46 BLM: Remember 20. A psychologist monitors changes in the subject’s heart rate as the subject watches a violent movie. What is this data-collection technique called? a. archival records b. direct observation c. psychological testing d. physiological recording ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 46 BLM: Higher order 21. What is the term for a standardized measure used to obtain a sample of a person’s behaviour? a. experiment b. survey c. case study d. psychological test ANS: D PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 46 BLM: Remember 22. Jackson is working with a company to help them develop more effective training programs for their employees. He has spent a great deal of time reviewing all the documentation the company has about previous training opportunities they have provided for their employees. What research technique is Jackson using? a. meta-analysis b. direct observation c. psychological testing d. archival research ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 46 BLM: Higher order 23. Of the following pairs, which pair contains two data collection techniques that are most likely to involve direct contact between the researcher and the research participant? a. direct observation and interviews b. questionnaires and interviews c. archival research and questionnaires d. archival research and psychological testing ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 46 BLM: Higher order 24. Ling answered a series of written questions that asked about her attitudes and opinions on a number of current issues. What is this method of data collection called? a. a questionnaire b. archival research c. a standardized psychological test d. direct observation ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 46 BLM: Higher order Dr. Amalie is a social psychologist who is interested in the effects of group size on efficiency and on the satisfaction of individual group members. In a study conducted by Dr. Amalie’s research team, three different group sizes were used. Large groups had 20 people, medium groups had 10 people, and small groups had 4 people. There were 10 sessions run with each type of group and each group contained different individuals, so the total number of groups was 30 and the total number of participants was 340. All participants were students at the school where Dr. Amalie works. The groups were told that they needed to come to agreement about which movie to select for an upcoming student movie night. The time that it took each group to come to a decision was recorded. Afterward, each subject was asked to rate his or her satisfaction with the group’s decision (on a scale from 1-10, where 10 is totally satisfied). The results were as follows: Mean time required to come to an agreement (all differences are statistically significant): Large groups: 20.7 minutes Medium groups: 16.4 minutes Small groups: 10.3 minutes Mean satisfaction rating for individuals (all differences are statistically significant): In large groups: 4.6 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. In medium groups: 7.5 In small groups: 8.8 25. In this study, what is the operational definition of efficiency? a. difference between speed and satisfaction b. size of the group c. satisfaction ratings d. speed of decision making ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 46 BLM: Higher order 26. Which type of study did Dr. Amalie’s research team conduct? a. experiment b. double-blind procedure c. case study d. naturalistic observation ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Higher order 27. Which of the following is a measure of central tendency from this study? a. The satisfaction rating for large groups is 4.6. b. The difference in decision time between small groups and large groups is 10.4 minutes. c. There was a total of 340 participants in the study. d. The range of potential satisfaction scores is from 1 to 10. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 59 BLM: Higher order 28. What conclusion can you draw from the results of this study? a. Smaller groups are more likely to be influenced by the opinion of one individual. b. Group size is confounded with satisfaction ratings. c. Medium-sized groups have only a moderate amount of disagreement. d. Larger groups take longer to come to a decision. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 64 BLM: Higher order 29. What is the independent variable in this study? a. satisfaction of individual group members b. efficiency, as measured by speed of decision making c. group size d. leadership strategies ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Higher order 30. How many dependent variables are used in this study? a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 10 ANS: B PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 49 BLM: Higher order 31. There appears to be a correlation between efficiency and satisfaction, such that the less time required to make a decision, the greater the satisfaction of the group members. Which of the following correlation coefficients would reflect this relationship? a. +0.85 b. +0.05 c. 0.00 d. -0.79 ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 62 BLM: Higher order 32. In the Featured Study, some individuals crossed a high, fear-arousing bridge, while others crossed a low, non-frightening bridge. In this study, what do we call the type of bridge? a. naturalistic observation b. dependent variable c. operational definition d. independent variable ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 47 BLM: Remember 33. In the Featured Study, individuals who had just recently crossed a bridge were met by either a male or a female confederate of the researcher. What do you call the type of confederate in this study? a. confounding variable b. independent variable c. extraneous variable d. dependent variable ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 47 BLM: Remember 34. The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is a projective test that contains ambiguous stimuli that are to be interpreted by the participant. In the Featured Study, participants crossed a bridge and then completed the TAT. How did the researchers use participants’ responses to the TAT in this study? a. as a dependent variable b. as a confounding variable c. as an extraneous variable d. as an independent variable ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 47 BLM: Remember 35. You’re planning a night out with a special someone, and you’d really like your date to find you particularly attractive and arousing. Which of the following activities would be particularly useful for enhancing the amount of sexual thoughts that your date experiences, according to the results of the Featured Study on the effects of arousal on attraction? a. a soothing evening of chamomile tea and soft jazz music b. doing something that you already enjoy, in order to show your date the “real you” c. a visit to a local gallery, where your date’s favourite artist is having an exhibit d. a trip to an amusement park, followed by a horror movie ANS: D PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 47 BLM: Higher order 36. Amanda tells you about her date with Brett the night before. They went to the local amusement park, where they rode roller-coasters, attempted a climbing wall, and went into the House of Horrors. At first, Amanda wasn’t that interested in Brett, but by the end of the night she found herself very attracted to him. What insights could you provide, given the results of the Featured Study on the effects of arousal on attraction? a. She must really be in love, because people who experience fear-inducing stimuli often end up showing fear or revulsion to people nearby. b. We tend to seek out dangerous events when we are with someone whom we want to impress, so if she tried to climb a wall then she must have feelings for Brett. c. Fear-inducing events can lead us to interpret our arousal as attraction, instead of fear, if we are around potential mates. d. She must be overcompensating for her guilt about not wanting to go out with Brett in the first place, so she’s convinced herself that he’s attractive. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 47 BLM: Higher order 37. According to your text, what is the final step in a scientific investigation? a. analyzing the data b. rejecting the hypothesis c. reporting the findings d. debriefing participants ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 48 BLM: Remember 38. What is a scientific journal? a. a personal diary kept by a scientist b. a detailed record of the daily procedures followed in conducting a study c. a periodical that publishes technical and scholarly articles d. a collection of biographies of famous scientists ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 48 BLM: Remember 39. Why is publication of research findings extremely important to the scientific method? a. It allows for critique and self-correction. b. It forces the writer to be clear. c. The royalties help the researcher pay for the research. d. It brings recognition to the research worker. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 48 BLM: Higher order 40. Which of the following is a general term for collecting empirical data? a. descriptive statistic b. hypothesis c. research method d. case study ANS: C PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 49 BLM: Remember 41. Which of the following terms refers to differing approaches to the observation, measurement, manipulation, and control of variables in empirical studies? a. validity operationalizations b. research methods c. statistical analyses d. inductive techniques ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Remember 42. What does a researcher do when conducting an experiment? a. in-depth investigation of an individual subject, through detailed documentation b. observation of behaviour as it occurs in its natural environment c. systematic observation or measurement of two variables to see whether there is an association between them d. manipulation of a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observation of whether there are changes in a second variable as a result ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Remember 43. Which approach is defined by manipulating a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observing the changes in a second variable? a. experimental approach b. survey approach c. testing approach d. naturalistic approach ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Remember 44. In an experiment, what do you call the variable that is controlled or manipulated by the researcher? a. stimulus variable b. dependent variable c. control variable d. independent variable ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Remember 45. What is an independent variable in an experiment? a. a variable that provides an alternative explanation for the results of the experiment b. a variable that is held constant across experimental conditions c. a variable that the experimenter believes will change in value because of systematic correlations that exist in the experiment d. a variable deliberately manipulated by the experimenter ANS: D PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 49 BLM: Remember 46. A group of researchers investigates the effects of gingko biloba on animal memory. During the first part of the study, the animals learn to run a maze while they are not receiving the supplement; in the second part of the study, the animals learn to run a different maze while they are receiving the supplement. In each case the researchers count how many trials it takes before the animals can run the maze pattern without making any errors. What is the independent variable in this study?? a. the number of trials it takes to run the maze without making any errors b. the type of animal that the researchers select for the study c. the presence or absence of the supplement in the animal’s diet d. the age of the animals in the study ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Higher order 47. A group of researchers wanted to determine if people will eat more food in a room with red paint and red decorations 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. What is the independent variable in this study? a. the colour of the decorations in the room b. the type of food that was available during the study c. the amount of food that was consumed d. how hungry the participants were at the end of the study ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Higher order 48. 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, what would you call the type of room (silent versus conversation)? a. placebo b. independent variable c. dependent variable d. extraneous variable ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Higher order 49. Researchers who were studying memory had participants learn a list of words after consuming a soft drink with caffeine or a decaffeinated version of the same soft drink. The researchers then counted the number of words that were recalled from the list. In this study, what would you call the type of beverage (caffeinated or decaffeinated)? a. extraneous variable b. dependent variable c. confounding variable d. independent variable ANS: D PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 49 BLM: Higher order 50. What is a dependent variable? a. a variable that changes value because of the systematic manipulation in an experiment b. a variable deliberately manipulated by an experimenter c. a variable that the experimenter is depending on to cause something to happen in an experiment d. a variable held constant across experimental conditions ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Remember 51. Researchers studying the effects of sleep deprivation tested the physical coordination skills of 25-year-old males who had been sleep deprived for 24, 36, or 48 hours. In this study, what is the dependent variable? a. the length of time the participants had been sleep deprived b. the type of physical coordination task the researchers use c. the age of the research participants d. the physical coordination skills of the men in the study ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Higher order 52. A group of researchers wants to determine if people are more likely to follow directions if the person giving the directions is in 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, what is the dependent variable? a. the gender of the person driving into the parking lot b. the number of participants who park in the spot they are directed to c. the type of clothing worn by the person giving the directions d. the distance between the parking spot and the entrance ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Higher order 53. A group of researchers conducts a study to determine if a child’s performance is affected by the presence of other children. First, the children are taken to a room with no other children and timed while they complete a puzzle. Later, the same children are taken to a room with four other children and timed while they complete a similar puzzle. In this study, what do you call the length of time it takes to complete the puzzle? a. extraneous variable b. control variable c. dependent variable d. independent variable ANS: C PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 49 BLM: Higher order 54. 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, what do you call the number of errors made? a. extraneous variable b. dependent variable c. independent variable d. control variable ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Higher order 55. If we view an experiment as an attempt to establish a cause–effect relationship, how can we define the relationship between the variables in an experiment? a. The independent variable is the cause, and the control variable is the effect. b. The dependent variable is the cause, and the independent variable is the effect. c. The control variable is the cause, and the independent variable is the effect. d. The independent variable is the cause, and the dependent variable is the effect. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Higher order 56. 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 co-ed groups. In this experiment, what is the dependent variable? a. whether or not the group was co-ed b. how much the clients’ mental health improved c. the clients’ attitudes toward group therapy d. the amount of participation in the group therapy sessions ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Higher order 57. Nula is conducting a study in which one group is exposed to loud music while completing a writing assignment and the other group has quiet conditions. Further, Nula examines the effect of gender within these groups. Therefore, she is examining the effects of both noise and gender on participants’ performance on a writing task. Which of the following reflects the type of variables present in this study? a. one independent variable and two dependent variables b. one control variable and two independent variables c. one independent variable, one control variable, and one dependent variable d. two independent variables and one dependent variable ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 49 BLM: Higher order 58. What is an experimental group? a. It must be chosen to be as different from the control group as possible. b. It consists of the subjects who do not receive the special treatment. c. It consists of the subjects who receive some special treatment with regard to the independent variable. d. It consists of the subjects who receive some special treatment with regard to the dependent variable. ANS: C PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 50 BLM: Remember 59. 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 trying to memorize them. A second group of participants was given the same list, but did not receive any special instructions. In this study, which group is the experimental group? a. the group that received the special instructions b. the group in which the participants remember the most items from the list c. the group that did not receive any special instructions d. the group in which the participants remember the fewest items from the list ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 50 BLM: Higher order 60. 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 of the patients were given a placebo (sugar pill). In this study, which group is the experimental group? a. the group that showed evidence of an improvement in their memory b. the group that received the actual drug c. the group that received the placebo d. the group of patients that was not included in the study ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 50 BLM: Higher order 61. Phong and Mikaela both take part in a research study that is investigating the effects of sleep deprivation on reaction time. Phong is kept awake for 24 hours straight, while Mikaela follows her normal sleep routine. Which group is Phong in? a. the hypothesis group b. the control group c. the dependent variable group d. the experimental group ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 50 BLM: Higher order 62. What is the purpose of the control group? a. to isolate the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable b. to correlate the dependent variable with the independent variables c. to make statistical significance more likely d. to make the experiment more complex ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 50 BLM: Higher order 63. 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. What types of groups are represented in this study? a. The high-protein group is an experimental group; the rat chow group is a control group. b. Both groups are experimental groups. c. Both groups are control groups. d. The high-protein group is a control group; the rat chow group is an experimental group. ANS: A PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 50 BLM: Higher order 64. A researcher has children watch 30 minutes of violent television, and then counts the number of times they hit each other afterward in a one-hour play period as a measure of aggression. The researcher concludes that television violence causes aggression. Why might this conclusion be invalid? a. It is unethical to force children to watch violent television. b. There was no control group. c. Aggression wasn’t operationally defined. d. The study is strictly correlational. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 50 BLM: Higher order 65. 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 television program. Which group is the control group? a. the children who watched the violent show b. the children who behaved the most aggressively at the end of the study c. the children who behaved the least aggressively at the end of the study d. the children who watched the non-violent program ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 50 BLM: Higher order 66. Jack believes that patrons in his bar will be more likely to leave a tip if the tip jar already has some money in it. To test this belief, he has the tip jar empty about half the time when a customer approaches the bar; the rest of the time he ensures there is at least $5.00 in the jar when a customer approaches. In Jack’s experiment, which is the control group? a. the patrons who see an empty tip jar b. all the patrons who leave the bar without tipping c. the patrons who see a tip jar that contains at least $5.00 d. all the patrons who leave a tip when they leave the bar ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 50 BLM: Higher order 67. Dr. Prutherow believes that people who are under stress will develop more colds than people who are not under stress. When he randomly selected 10 participants and exposed them to high levels of stress, he found that 9 of the participants developed colds. Based on these results, he concluded that stress causes an increase in colds. What is a fundamental flaw in Dr. Prutherow’s study? a. He didn’t measure the independent variable when the study ended. b. There was no dependent variable in his study. c. There was no control group for comparison. d. He didn’t formulate a hypothesis before he collected his data. ANS: C PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 50 BLM: Higher order 68. What is an extraneous variable? a. the same thing as a dependent variable b. a variable, other than the independent variable, that may influence the dependent variable c. a variable that is completely irrelevant to both the independent and dependent variables d. a variable that affects the control group but not the experimental group ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 51 BLM: Remember 69. What do you call a variable, other than the independent variable, that appears to have influenced the dependent variable in a study? a. univariate b. extraneous variable c. redundant variable d. covariate ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 51 BLM: Remember 70. What do we call two variables that are linked, and their individual effects cannot be separated out? a. codependent b. confounded c. independent d. dependent ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 51 BLM: Remember 71. Diaz conducts a decision-making experiment to determine if people reason more logically when they have more time to decide. All the participants who are under 40 are allowed 15 minutes to reach a decision about a problem; all the participants who are over 40 are allowed 20 minutes to reach a decision about the same problem. What is the problem with this experimental design? a. The age of the participants is confounded with the independent variable. b. There are two control groups and no experimental group. c. There is no dependent variable in the experiment. d. The time allowed for the decision is confounded with the independent variable. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 51 BLM: Higher order 72. In experiments, what do we call the placement of subjects in experimental groups such that each subject has an equal probability of ending up in any experimental group? a. random forecasting b. random selection c. random assignment d. random sampling ANS: C PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 51 BLM: Remember 73. What is random assignment? a. Subjects are allowed to choose which group or condition they would like to be in. b. All topics have an equal chance of being assigned to a particular experimenter. c. A different method is used to assign each subject to a group or condition. d. All subjects have an equal chance of being assigned to any of the groups or conditions. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 51 BLM: Remember 74. 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 whether they would like to use the new technique or the standard technique. What procedure is illustrated in this example? a. a double-blind research design b. informed consent in research c. the use of non-random assignment d. a correlational research design ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 51 BLM: Higher order 75. Braeden received a poor performance evaluation in his job last year. Since then Braeden has started working through his lunch hour, taken on four special projects, and enrolled in night classes to upgrade his computer skills. Why will it be hard for Braeden to figure out the cause if he receives a better evaluation at his next performance? a. He failed to use a double-blind procedure to test his hypothesis. b. None of the actions he took are likely to be related to his overall job performance. c. The three actions he took are confounded with each other. d. He didn’t formulate a research hypothesis before implementing the changes. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 51 BLM: Higher order 76. In a study of the effect of fatigue on task performance, participants were asked to complete a series of puzzles. One day, all participants completed puzzles after 24 hours without sleep. On another day, the same participants completed puzzles after sleeping for at least eight hours. What can be said about the research methods used in this study? a. The control and experimental groups were entirely confounded with one another. b. There was no control group, so the study is seriously flawed. c. Participants served as their own control group, in order to examine the effect of the independent variable under different conditions for the same individuals. d. Participants provided their own matched controls, so that the researchers were unable to determine whether the independent variable had any functional impact. ANS: C PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 52 BLM: Higher order 77. What does it mean when there is an interaction between two variables? a. The measurement of the dependent variable depends on the effect of the independent variable. b. The measurement of one dependent variable gets added to the measurement of another. c. The effects of one independent variable get added to the effects of another. d. The effects of one independent variable depend on the effects of another. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 52 BLM: Remember 78. Dr. Shingwauk designed an experiment in which participants listened to a persuasive speech delivered either by a very tall person or a person of average height. In addition, the speeches were delivered by people wearing either business clothes or casual clothes. Dr. Shingwauk asked listeners to fill out a survey about impressions of the speaker’s credibility. In this study, what is Dr. Shingwauk looking to determine? a. Does a double-blind procedure lead to greater credibility of speakers, independent of the effects of appearance? b. Do height and clothing style interact to influence judgements of credibility? c. Does persuasion interact with any other factors? d. Does the persuasiveness of the speech depend on the additive effects of height and clothing style? ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 52 BLM: Higher order 79. What is the main advantage associated with the experimental method? a. its precise control b. it can be generalized to multiple contexts c. its ability to duplicate real life in the laboratory d. its appeal to participants ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 53 BLM: Higher order 80. Which research method gives researchers the ability to infer a cause-and-effect relationship? a. correlational b. experimental c. case history d. empirical ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 53 BLM: Remember 81. What is one disadvantage of the experimental method? a. experiments often can’t be done for practical or ethical reasons b. only one variable can be studied at a time c. length of time necessary to complete the study d. inability to generate cause-and-effect conclusions ANS: A PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 53 BLM: Remember 82. Which of the following is FALSE regarding the experimental method? a. It is virtually impossible to conduct a true experiment with human beings. b. It is impossible to manipulate certain variables. c. It produces artificial situations that may not be applicable to real life. d. It cannot be used to study certain issues. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 53 BLM: Higher order 83. What do researchers do when conducting descriptive or correlational research? a. They simultaneously manipulate two or more independent variables. b. They systematically describe patterns of behaviour and discover relationships among variables. c. They manipulate a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observe whether there are changes in a second variable as a result. d. They expose subjects to two closely related treatment conditions. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 54 BLM: Remember 84. Which of the following is a descriptive research method? a. quasi-experimental designs b. double-blind procedures c. experimental studies d. naturalistic observation ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 54 BLM: Remember 85. What do naturalistic observation, case studies, and surveys all have in common? a. They can show causal relationships. b. The results obtained cannot be analyzed statistically. c. They do not directly observe behaviour. d. They do not manipulate the variables under study. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 54 BLM: Higher order 86. Which of the following research methods is represented in this example? A researcher goes to a playground for an hour each day for two weeks and records the number of times that a girl and a boy are playing together. a. experiment method b. naturalistic observation method c. survey method d. case study method ANS: B PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 54 BLM: Higher order 87. What do we call recording all instances of an event for a particular time period (such as how many times an older brother strikes his younger brother during a given week) without the subjects’ awareness? a. naturalistic observation b. compiling a case study c. conducting an experiment d. correlational research ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 54 BLM: Higher order 88. 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 sex. What type of research method are you are engaging in? a. naturalistic observation b. case study research c. experimental research d. casual observation ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 54 BLM: Higher order 89. 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. What type of research is being conducted in this example? a. correlational research b. case study research c. survey research d. naturalistic observation ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 54 BLM: Higher order 90. A local hospital wanted to assess the way its patients were being treated. The hospital hired several researchers to act as patients and record the way hospital personnel handled the admitting and preliminary evaluation procedures. What sort of research is being conducted in this example? a. naturalistic observation b. correlational research c. survey research d. case study research ANS: A PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 54 BLM: Higher order 91. Jolyn believed that there were gender differences in driving habits. To test this hypothesis, she stood near a quiet intersection. Jolyn recorded the gender of each driver who approached a stop sign, and also whether the individual came to a complete stop before proceeding into the intersection. What sort of research is Jolyn conducting? a. psychological testing b. naturalistic observation c. experiment with two dependent variables d. case study research ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 54 BLM: Higher order 92. What is a distinct advantage of naturalistic observation? a. It allows behaviour to be studied in realistic settings. b. It involves random assignment. c. It approximates the experimental method. d. It allows for cause-and-effect conclusions to be drawn. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 54 BLM: Higher order 93. Which of the following is a major problem with naturalistic observation? a. It works well with animals but is virtually useless for studying human behaviour. b. Researchers have a difficult time determining whether a setting is truly natural. c. It is limited by the constraints of random sampling and random assignment. d. It is difficult to observe behaviour without having an influence on that behaviour. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 54 BLM: Higher order 94. Stephanie is observing a group of adolescents at the mall and documenting their rate of swearing. The group keeps looking over at Stephanie and pointing at her, and they get louder and more obnoxious the longer she observes them. Which of the following terms describes Stephanie’s effect on the group? a. stereotyping b. phenotyping c. reactivity d. confounding ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 54 BLM: Higher order 95. Which of the following techniques is most likely to prove useful in determining why one particular child is afraid to go to school? a. descriptive study b. case study c. naturalistic observation d. experiment ANS: B PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 55 BLM: Higher order 96. Dr. Kincaid was interested in the topic of musical genius. In the initial part of the investigation, Dr. Kincaid carefully observed and compiled detailed files on three individuals who were musical geniuses. What sort of research is Dr. Kincaid conducting? a. correlational b. survey c. experimental d. case study ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 55 BLM: Higher order 97. In which of the following would there be a high risk of effects of subjectivity and selective attention? a. doing naturalistic observation b. compiling a case study c. running experimental studies d. conducting surveys ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 56 BLM: Higher order 98. NASA wanted to know if extended periods of weightlessness would have an impact on long- term circulatory function. The agency located seven former astronauts who had spent more than one month in space under conditions of weightlessness, and tested all aspects of their cardiovascular function. What sort of research did NASA conduct in this situation? a. experimental research b. survey research c. case study research d. correlational research ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 56 BLM: Higher order 99. 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. What would be the best research option for your friend to use? a. case study b. survey c. archival research d. double-blind observational study ANS: B PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 56 BLM: Higher order 100. 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. Which type of research will Estavan have taken part in if he completes the questionnaire and returns it? a. archival research b. naturalistic observation c. survey method d. case study approach ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 56 BLM: Higher order 101. Which of the following types of research allows psychologists to study the widest range of phenomena? a. descriptive research b. introspective research c. functional research d. hypothetical deductive research ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 57 BLM: Higher order 102. What is perhaps the greatest disadvantage or limitation associated with descriptive research methods? a. the inability to control events and isolate cause-and-effect linkages b. the fact that these methods usually focus attention too narrowly on a single variable c. the inability to look at important variables like nutritional effects on behaviour d. an insensitivity to ethical concerns ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 57 BLM: Higher order 103. What is the greatest advantage associated with descriptive research methods? a. a sensitivity to ethical concerns and the overall comfort of research participants b. the ability to explore questions that cannot be examined using experimental procedures c. the ability to focus on specific, isolated behaviours d. the isolation of cause-and-effect linkages in behaviour ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 57 BLM: Higher order 104. Trevor plans to study the relationship between individuals’ responses to highly stressful situations and their overall health. He decides he must use correlational research, rather than experimental research, to investigate this problem. What is the most likely reason that Trevor chose a correlational method? a. Correlational studies have higher internal validity than experiments. b. Correlational research can be used to investigate factors that would be unethical to manipulate in an experimental study. c. Correlational studies tend to be more accurate than experiments. d. Correlational research can be used to study direct relationships, but not inverse or indirect relationships. ANS: B PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 57 BLM: Higher order 105. Maria plans to study the relationship between self-esteem and being raised in a single-parent or a two-parent family. She decides she must use correlational research, rather than experimental research, to investigate this problem. What is the likely reason that Maria chose a correlational method? a. Correlational studies can be used to study either positive or negative relationships, whereas experiments can be used to study only positive relationships. b. Correlational studies have higher internal validity than experiments. c. Correlational methods tend to be more accurate than experiments. d. Correlational studies can be used to investigate factors that would be impossible to manipulate in an experimental study. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 57 BLM: Higher order 106. What do researchers call the use of mathematics to organize, summarize, and interpret numerical information? a. algebra b. statistics c. functional analysis d. calculus ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 58 BLM: Remember 107. Which of the following is NOT one of the uses of statistics? a. interpret observations b. organize observations c. summarize observations d. prove observations ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 58 BLM: Remember 108. What are the two basic types of statistics? a. sampling and correlative b. central tendency and variability c. parametric and correlational d. descriptive and inferential ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 59 BLM: Remember 109. What type of statistics is used to summarize and organize data? a. computational b. numerical c. descriptive d. inferential ANS: C PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 59 BLM: Remember 110. What is the score that falls exactly in the centre of a distribution of scores, such that half the scores fall below that score and half the scores fall above it? a. median b. mean c. standard deviation d. mode ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 59 BLM: Remember 111. What is the median? a. the difference between the largest and the smallest scores in a distribution b. the score that falls exactly in the centre of a distribution c. an arithmetic average of the scores in a distribution d. the score that occurs most frequently in a distribution ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 59 BLM: Remember 112. Which measure of central tendency is your grade point average an example of? a. mode b. mean c. median d. midpoint ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 59 BLM: Higher order 113. What does the mode of a group of scores represent? a. its association with another group of scores b. the midpoint c. its central tendency d. its variability ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 59 BLM: Remember 114. Tian tells you that 17 out of the 30 students enrolled in his English class scored exactly 62 points on the last exam. Which of the following states the same concept? a. The standard deviation for that exam was 62 points. b. The mode for that exam was 62 points. c. The mean for that exam was 62 points. d. The median for that exam was 62 points. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 59 BLM: Higher order 115. When the scores for a recent chemistry exam were calculated, the mean was 60 and the median was 65. Later, the professor discovered that one score had been recorded incorrectly; it had been entered into the computer as a 5, instead of as a 50. What will happen to the mean and median once the score is entered correctly? a. The mean for the exam will change, but the median will stay the same. b. Neither the mean nor the median for the exam will be affected. c. The median for the exam will change, but the mean will stay the same. d. Both the mean and the median for the exam will change. ANS: A PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 59 BLM: Higher order 116. Carla earned 78 points on her statistics exam. Ten of the students in her class earned higher scores than she did, and ten students earned lower scores than she did. Based on this information, what can you conclude about Carla’s score? a. It is the mean for her class. b. It is the median for her class. c. It is the standardized score for her class. d. It is the mode for her class. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 59 BLM: Higher order 117. In Margaritte’s sociology discussion group, 4 of the 5 students are between the ages of 19 and 23; the fifth student is 54 years old. Which statistic should Margaritte use if she wants to report the statistic that best represents the typical age for her discussion group? a. the mean or the median, because these numbers are typically the same b. the mean or the standard deviation, so additional statistics can be calculated c. the median or the mode, because these numbers will best represent the typical class member d. the mean or the mode, because these numbers are not affected by extreme scores in the distribution ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 59 BLM: Higher order 118. Which of the following can be said about a distribution of scores where the mean is lower than the median and mode? a. The median and mode must be the same. b. The standard deviation is high. c. The distribution is positively skewed. d. The distribution is negatively skewed. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 59 BLM: Higher order 119. What can be said about the relationship between variability in a data set, and the standard deviation? a. When variability is high, the standard deviation is small. b. The standard deviation does not reflect the variability in the data set. c. A large standard deviation means that there is a great degree of variability in the data set. d. As variability increases in a data set, the standard deviation becomes more variable as well. ANS: C PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 60 BLM: Higher order 120. Dr. Greyeagle calculated descriptive statistics for the age of residents in a nursing home. She reported the mean age as 75 years, with a standard deviation of 10 years. Later she found that she had made an error in her calculations. One resident’s age was entered as 27 when it should have been 72. What will happen to the standard deviation when this correction is made? a. It will decrease. b. It will increase. c. It will not change. d. It will increase, but only if the mean remains the same. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 60 BLM: Higher order 121. Carmella is in a class where the scores on the second midterm exam ranged from 75 to 85 points. Conrad is taking the same course, but in his section the scores ranged from 50 to 98 points. In this example, what can be said about the standard deviations in the two classes? a. The standard deviation will be lower in Carmella’s class. b. The standard deviations will be negatively correlated. c. The standard deviation will be less predictable in Carmella’s class. d. If the number of students is the same, the standard deviations will be the same. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 60 BLM: Higher order 122. If the distribution of test scores for a midterm is normal, approximately what percentage of the class should have a score that falls within two standard deviations of the mean? a. 34 percent b. 68 percent c. 95 percent d. 99 percent ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 61 BLM: Higher order th 123. Terry’s midterm test score falls at the 10 percentile. If there are 100 people in the class, how many scored the same or lower than Terry? a. 0 percent b. 10 percent c. 90 percent d. 100 percent ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 61 BLM: Higher order 124. What is the statistic that indexes the degree to which we may predict the value of one variable from a second variable? a. mode b. correlation coefficient c. standard deviation d. mean ANS: B PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 62 BLM: Remember 125. What does the correlation coefficient measure? a. the central tendency b. the degree of relationship between two variables c. the difference between the largest and smallest scores in a data set d. the amount of variability in a data set ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 62 BLM: Remember 126. What would we likely find if we were to measure the height and weight of 100 adult women and calculate a correlation coefficient on the data?? a. Height and weight are negatively correlated. b. Height and weight are increasingly correlated. c. Height and weight are positively correlated. d. Height and weight are uncorrelated. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 62 BLM: Higher order 127. 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, who would you predict to own the fewest shoes? a. people with large toes b. people with medium-sized toes c. people with either very large or very small toes d. people with small toes ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 62 BLM: Higher order 128. Dr. Macator predicts that people will act more aggressively during the heat waves of summer than they will during the cold spells of winter. Which of the following reflects Dr. Macator’s prediction? a. Temperature and aggression are uncorrelated. b. Temperature and aggression are negatively correlated. c. Temperature and aggression are positively correlated. d. Temperature is independently correlated with aggression. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 62 BLM: Higher order 129. The Ministry of Health found that people who used diet drugs had more heart valve defects than people who had not taken any diet drug. Which of the following reflects this finding? a. Heart valve defects and diet drug use are independent of one another. b. Heart valve defects are positively correlated with the use of diet drugs. c. Heart valve defects and use of diet drugs are negatively correlated. d. Heart valve defects and diet drug use are interactive variables, with no correlational relationship. ANS: B PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 62 BLM: Higher order 130. Imagine that the personality traits of openness and extraversion are positively correlated. Andrea just took two tests that measure openness and extraversion, respectively. If Andrea’s score in openness is extremely low, what would you predict about her extraversion score? a. She would most likely score at the low end of the extraversion scale. b. It is impossible to predict how she is likely to score on the extraversion scale without more information. c. Her extraversion score would be corrected based on her openness score. d. She would most likely score around the mean of the extraversion scale. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 62 BLM: Higher order 131. Dr. Vishnu has found that students who score higher than 85 percent on the first midterm tend to earn scores of 75 percent or better on the final exam, while students who score less than 60 percent on the first midterm often end up with a failing grade on the final exam. What can be said about the relationship between scores? a. Dr. Vishnu should change the final so it is fairer to students who are not doing well in the course. b. Students who do poorly on the first midterm give up and study less for the final. c. Scores on the first midterm and the final exam are positively correlated. d. Dr. Vishnu is biased against students who do poorly on the first midterm. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 62 BLM: Higher order 132. 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, what could you predict about people’s hair length if you know that they paid very little for their cars? a. They have very long hair. b. They have either very long or very short hair. c. They have mid-length hair. d. They have very short hair. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 62 BLM: Higher order 133. Mice who received gingko biloba in their diets made fewer errors in a maze-running task than mice who had not received gingko biloba. What does this suggest about the use of gingko biloba and maze-running errors among mice? a. Use of gingko biloba and maze-running errors are positively correlated. b. Use of gingko biloba and maze-running errors are weakly correlated. c. Use of gingko biloba and maze-running errors are uncorrelated. d. Use of gingko biloba and maze-running errors are negatively correlated. ANS: D PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 62 BLM: Higher order 134. As the number of bystanders increases, people are less likely to help someone who is in distress. What is the relationship between the number of bystanders and the likelihood of helping? a. They are negatively correlated. b. They are indirectly correlated. c. They are uncorrelated. d. They are positively correlated. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 62 BLM: Higher order 135. Imagine that the personality traits of conscientiousness and extraversion are negatively correlated. Vladimir’s scores fit the typical pattern. If Vladimir’s score in conscientiousness is extremely low, how would he score on extraversion? a. He would probably score close to the median on the extraversion scale. b. He would most likely score at the low end of the extraversion scale. c. It is impossible to predict how he is likely to score on the extraversion scale without more information. d. He would most likely score at the high end of the extraversion scale. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 62 BLM: Higher order 136. Suppose that students who work more hours at their jobs tend to have lower grade point averages, and also tend to get less sleep. What would the correlation coefficient be if we were to correlate the two variables of grade point average and number of hours of sleep? a. greater than 1, but less than 2 b. equal to 0 c. less than zero, but greater than -1 d. greater than 0, but less than 1 ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 63 BLM: Higher order 137. Dr. Hackle has found that no matter how students score on the first midterm, all the students in her class tend to score between 75 percent and 80 percent on her final exam. Which of the following values would best represent the correlation between the grades? a. near 1 b. near -1 c. near 0 d. near 0.5 ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 63 BLM: Higher order 138. What is represented by a correlation coefficient of “zero”? a. absence of a linear correlation between two variables b. a negative correlation between two variables c. a perfect linear correlation between two variables d. a positive correlation between two variables ANS: A PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 63 BLM: Higher order 139. Of the following, which correlation coefficient indicates the strongest relationship between the two variables being measured? a. +3.45 b. +0.65 c. 0.00 d. -0.89 ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 63 BLM: Higher order 140. Of the following, which correlation coefficient indicates the weakest relationship between the two variables being measured? a. +0.95 b. +0.01 c. -0.69 d. -4.50 ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 63 BLM: Higher order 141. Of the following correlation coefficients, which one would allow the most accurate predictions of one variable based on the other variable? a. +1.23 b. +0.65 c. 0.00 d. -0.79 ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 63 BLM: Higher order 142. Of the following correlation coefficients, which one would yield the least accurate predictions of one variable based on the other variable? a. +0.99 b. +0.17 c. 0.00 d. -0.49 ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 63 BLM: Higher order 143. 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. What does this indicate? a. More expensive books tend to receive lower readability ratings than less expensive books. b. Increasing the price of a book will lead people to think that it is more readable. c. Increasing a book’s price will cause a decrease in its readability rating. d. There is no relationship between book price and ratings of readability. ANS: A PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 63 BLM: Higher order 144. What could we conclude if the correlation coefficient between amount of exposure to television violence and aggressive behaviour was found to be +0.43? a. Watching television violence tends to cause aggressive behaviour. b. People who watch the most television violence tend to be the most aggressive. c. Being an aggressive person tends to cause one to watch more violent television. d. People who watch the most television violence tend to be the least aggressive. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 63 BLM: Higher order 145. Which of the following statements about correlations is NOT correct? a. A and B correlate +1.00; therefore, they are causally related. b. A and B correlate +1.00; if you know A you can predict B without error. c. A and B correlate -1.00; if you know A you can predict B without error. d. A correlation of +.90 gives better predictability than a correlation of +.60. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 64 BLM: Higher order 146. What do we call statistics that are used to interpret data and draw conclusions? a. significant b. descriptive c. numerical d. inferential ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 64 BLM: Remember 147. Which type of statistic allows us to determine whether the results of an experiment occur due to chance? a. standard deviation b. measures of central tendency c. descriptive d. inferential ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 64 BLM: Higher order 148. Which of the following questions best represents the logic of hypothesis testing? a. Are the scores of the experimental group lower than the scores of the control group? b. Is any observed difference between the groups too large to have easily occurred by chance? c. Are the scores of the experimental group higher than the scores of the control group? d. Does the experimental group differ from the control group on the independent variable? ANS: B PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 65 BLM: Higher order 149. What does it mean to say that the results of an experiment are “statistically significant”? a. The results had practical significance. b. Differences in measurements of the dependent variable resulted from chance variations. c. Different results for the experimental and control groups were not due to chance. d. The results were important enough to publish. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 65 BLM: Higher order 150. Paulo tells you that he just completed an experiment in his botany class, and the results he obtained were statistically significant. What does this mean? a. His results were likely to be caused by a single strong variable. b. His results were unlikely to be a consequence of chance variations in his sample. c. His results are important and will likely have an impact in the field of botany. d. His results will be of interest to people, even if they are not botanists. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 65 BLM: Higher order 151. Masali conducted a study in which she measured the response time for males and females to complete a spatial task. She found that the mean response time was 1.48 minutes for males and 1.63 minutes for females. What must Masali do to be confident that an actual difference exists between males and females? a. calculate a correlation coefficient b. calculate an inferential statistic c. obtain a larger sample d. redo the experiment ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 65 BLM: Higher order 152. Dr. Arnold conducted a study where he found significant results. Dr. Bernhardt found those results interesting, and he conducted the same study in his own lab, but did not find significant results. After discussing their results at a conference, the two researchers found a few minor differences between their procedures that could explain their different results. This led to the development of new theories. What aspect of scientific evaluation is depicted in this series of events? a. peer-reviewed publication b. experimenter bias c. statistical analysis d. replication ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 65 BLM: Higher order 153. What is a sample? a. a subset of the population who actually participate in a research study b. a group of people to whom the conclusion of the study will apply c. a group that contains fewer than 50 people or animals d. all the volunteers who express an interest in the study ANS: A PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 66 BLM: Remember 154. 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, what do we call the 5,000 students who are registered at the campus? a. an independent variable b. the biased sample c. the population d. the representative sample ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 66 BLM: Higher order 155. To discover whether residents of a city are in favour 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, what do we call the 500 people whom the owner interviewed? a. the representative sample b. the biased sample c. the population d. a dependent variable ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 67 BLM: Higher order 156. What must we do in order to generalize results to a population? a. ensure that all the variables have been operationally defined b. select a biased sample from the population of interest c. oversample selected subgroups in the population d. draw a representative sample from the population of interest ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 67 BLM: Higher order 157. A researcher who is conducting an opinion survey asks viewers who are watching a political debate to dial a toll-free number and record their opinion on the “question of the day.” What type of sample has the researcher created? a. a random sample b. a biased sample c. a representative sample d. a binary sample ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 67 BLM: Higher order 158. How should a researcher select subjects for a study in order to generate results that are generalizable? a. Subjects should all be chosen from the same geographical area and socioeconomic class. b. Subjects should be allowed to choose which group they would like to be in. c. Subjects should come from a wide range of different age groups. d. Subjects should be carefully chosen so they are a representative sample of the population. ANS: D PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 67 BLM: Higher order 159. Why is sampling bias a problem? a. It makes it impossible to use inferential statistics. b. It limits the generality of the findings. c. It makes the effect of the independent variable appear to be bigger than it really is. d. It makes it difficult to avoid a confounding of variables. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 67 BLM: Higher order 160. 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, what type of sample has Dr. Stillingsworth most likely selected? a. a biased sample b. a redundant sample c. a bimodal sample d. a representative sample ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 67 BLM: Higher order 161. Sometimes a subject’s expectations may lead to behaviour change in the absence of any effective treatment. What do we call this tendency? a. placebo effect b. socially desirable responding c. sampling bias d. experimenter bias ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 67 BLM: Remember 162. When do placebo effects occur? a. when two variables are confounded by the fact that they have previously been associated with one another b. when, due to their expectations, subjects experience some change from a nonexistent or ineffective treatment c. when, in clinical drug trials, the sample is not representative of the population d. when subjects are influenced by the social desirability bias ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 67 BLM: Remember 163. Dr. Limmex is trying to get government approval for a new drug to treat anxiety. Dr. Limmex claims that 14 percent of the people who took this new drug reported reduced anxiety; however, other researchers claim that 14 percent of patients who receive no treatment also report reductions in their anxiety levels. What could explain patient improvement in Dr. Limmex’s study? a. improper assignment to groups b. non-representative sampling c. placebo effects d. self-report bias ANS: C PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 67 BLM: Higher order 164. In an investigation of the effects of caffeine on concentration, half the participants were given colas that contained caffeine and half were given decaffeinated colas. In this study, what is decaffeinated cola? a. a random factor b. a confounding variable c. a dependent variable d. a placebo ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 67 BLM: Higher order 165. Dr. Voegeli is testing the effects of a new diet supplement on the endurance levels of several groups of athletes. One group receives 50 ml per day of the supplement. A second group receives 50 ml per day of a substance that has no active component, but looks and tastes just like the supplement. A third group receives nothing at all. In this case, what would we call the second group? a. the experimental group b. the comparison group c. the control group d. the placebo control group ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 68 BLM: Higher order 166. Darla has sent out a survey in which she is asking people to provide information about their attitudes on a number of sensitive subjects. Why might Darla expect responses to the survey to be somewhat distorted? a. because of statistical artefacts b. because of social desirability bias c. because of placebo effects d. because of meta-analytic controls ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 68 BLM: Higher order 167. How do subjects tend to answer questions about themselves when they are being influenced by the social desirability bias? a. in a socially approved manner b. in a socially rebellious manner c. by agreeing with nearly every statement d. by disagreeing with nearly every statement ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 68 BLM: Remember 168. When is a researcher most likely to encounter problems with the social desirability bias? a. when implementing the experimental method b. when conducting naturalistic observations c. when compiling or analyzing case studies d. when collecting self-reports ANS: D PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 68 BLM: Remember 169. Subjects’ self-reports often indicate that they are healthier, happier, and less prejudiced than other types of evidence would suggest. What is the most likely explanation for these sorts of results? a. a tendency to agree with almost every statement b. faulty memory c. social desirability bias d. experimenter bias ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 68 BLM: Higher order 170. Reinhold is filling out a psychological test, and as he reads each question he thinks about the way most other people would probably respond. When he answers, he selects the alternative that he thinks will present the most favourable impression. What tendency will Reinhold’s answers reflect? a. placebo effect b. social desirability bias c. non-representative participation d. negative response set ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 68 BLM: Higher order 171. What do we call the tendency to respond to questions in a manner unrelated to the content of a question? a. counter placebo effect b. cognitive confabulation c. response set d. counter confound ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 69 BLM: Remember 172. Konrad dislikes completing questionnaires, so each time he fills one out he always circles the same answer, such as “strongly agree” or “strongly disagree.” What tendency does Konrad’s behaviour reflect? a. placebo effect b. sampling bias c. social desirability d. response set ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 69 BLM: Higher order 173. Malinda is filling out a survey for a marketing agency in order to be eligible for a grand prize drawing. She doesn’t actually read many of the questions, and simply answers “yes” to everything. What do we call this tendency? a. placebo effect b. interaction effect c. social desirability bias d. response set ANS: D PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 69 BLM: Higher order 174. Which of the following is an example of experimenter bias? a. An experimenter explicitly instructs subjects to complete tasks in a particular order, rather than allowing them to choose the order of completion. b. An experimenter tries to make a favourable impression on the research subjects by being friendly and by providing a great deal of information. c. An experimenter conducts her study in a completely objective manner. d. An experimenter’s belief in his own hypothesis affects either the subjects’ behaviour or his observations of the subjects. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 69 BLM: Remember 175. What is the typical consequence of experimenter bias? a. The effects of the bias confirm the experimenter’s expectations. b. The results of the study are not statistically significant. c. There is evidence of the placebo effect in the results of the experimental group. d. Experimenters often doubt their results when they first see them. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 69 BLM: Remember 176. 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. Which of the following research problems could account for the different results? a. placebo effects b. double-blind procedures c. confounded dependent variables d. experimenter bias ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 69 BLM: Higher order 177. What method is often used to control for experimenter bias effects in research? a. non-representative sample b. reverse control group c. socially desirable procedure d. double-blind procedure ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 69 BLM: Higher order 178. What do we call the experimental procedure in which both the experimenter and subject are unaware of who is in the experimental group and who is in the control group? a. double-blind b. single-blind c. stereotaxic d. placebo control ANS: A PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 69 BLM: Remember 179. Dr. Hugo designs an experiment to test the effectiveness of a new antidepressant. Half of the participants will receive the drug and half will receive a sugar pill, but neither the participants nor the researchers who administer the drug will know who is receiving the drug and who is receiving the sugar pill. What has Dr. Hugo designed? a. a double-blind research study b. an unethical research procedure c. a study that will minimize self-report bias d. a correlational study with two confounded factors ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 69 BLM: Higher order 180. 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. What would we call this type of procedure? a. correlational b. blind c. confounded d. unethical ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 69 BLM: Higher order 181. Dr. Anishnabe designs a research study in which neither the subjects nor the research assistants who interact directly with the subjects know which is the control group and which is the experimental group. What is the most likely reason that Dr. Anishnabe chose this type of research design? a. It reduces the impact of experimenter bias. b. It avoids the need to obtain ethics approval for the study. c. It minimizes the possibility of self-report bias. d. It ensures that the sample is not biased. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 69 BLM: Higher order 182. Other than the obvious convenience, why might a researcher choose to collect survey data on the Internet? a. Online participants are less likely to develop response sets. b. All procedures are automatically double-blind. c. The transparency of research methods in Internet-mediated research reduces the risk of the placebo effect. d. The greater sense of anonymity when using Internet-mediated surveys reduces the influence of the social-desirability bias. ANS: D PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 73 BLM: Higher order 183. Which of the following statements is most accurate? a. In recent years, there has been a steady increase in the use of deception in psychological research. b. Although deception has been used in the past, it has recently been banned by the American Psychological Association and the Canadian Psychological Association. c. Deception has been fairly common in psychological research since the 1960s. d. Deception has never been used in psychological research. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 74 BLM: Remember 184. Which of the following is NOT one of the arguments that critics have used against the use of deception in psychological research? a. Lying is inherently immoral. b. Subjects may be made to feel foolish when the true purpose of the study is revealed. c. Subjects are likely to experience severe physical or psychological harm in this type of research. d. The subjects’ ability to trust others may be undermined. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 74 BLM: Remember 185. Zigfried Rosenblat, Jr. took part in a study on sexual deviance last year. He was somewhat dismayed when he read an article in a weekly journal discussing sexual deviance in which one patient was referred to as ZRJ. Although the article claimed all names had been disguised to protect personal identities, Zigfried is convinced he is the individual described in the article. In this case, which ethical principle did the researchers likely violate? a. responsible caring b. responsibility to society c. respect for the dignity of persons d. integrity in relationships ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 74 BLM: Higher order 186. Dr. Jacobsen 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, then a student’s grade is reduced by 10 points. In this case, which ethical principle might be violated? a. responsible caring b. responsibility to society c. use of deception d. respect for the dignity of persons ANS: D PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 74 BLM: Higher order 187. Which of the following ethical guidelines includes recommendations to psychologists that the field of psychology has a responsibility to increase knowledge and promote the welfare of all human beings? a. integrity in relationships b. responsible caring c. responsibility to society d. respect for the dignity of persons ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 74 BLM: Remember 188. Which of the following is generally accepted regarding the use of animals in research, under Canadian ethical guidelines?? a. Animals can be used in research laboratories, but only in observational studies, not experimental studies. b. Animals can be used for any form of research, regardless of the dangers associated with that research. c. Animals are used in research when there is a strong expectation that the results will benefit both humans and animals. d. Animals can be used in research but can be harmed only when there is clear evidence that the results will lead to treatments or cures for existing human or animal disorders. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 75 BLM: Remember 189. Why must Canadian researchers using animals adhere to ethical guidelines that are set by the three major research funding agencies, collectively known as the Tri-Council? a. to be promoted within their university b. to have their research funded by the national granting agencies c. to have their research approved by independent provincial ethical boards d. to avoid criminal prosecution ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 75 BLM: Remember 190. Which of your text’s unifying themes is illustrated by the fact that researchers focus their attention on findings that are unlikely to have occurred by chance? a. Psychology is theoretically diverse. b. Our experience of the world is highly subjective. c. Behaviour is determined by multiple causes. d. Psychology is empirical. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 76 BLM: Higher order 191. Which of your text’s unifying themes is illustrated by the publishing of research results so that others can subject the methods and conclusions to critical scrutiny? a. Our experience of the world is highly subjective. b. Behaviour is determined by multiple causes. c. Psychology is empirical. d. Psychology is theoretically diverse. ANS: C PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 76 BLM: Higher order 192. Which of your text’s unifying themes is illustrated by the fact that subjects sometimes report beneficial effects from a placebo treatment? a. Our behaviour is shaped by our cultural heritage. b. Heredity and environment jointly influence behaviour. c. Psychology is empirical. d. Our experience of the world is highly subjective. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 76 BLM: Higher order 193. Which of your text’s unifying themes is illustrated by the fact that research results can be affected by experimenter bias? a. Psychology is theoretically diverse. b. Our experience of the world is highly subjective. c. Our behaviour is shaped by our cultural heritage. d. Behaviour is determined by multiple causes. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 76 BLM: Higher order 194. Who is the target audience for articles published in technical and scholarly journals? a. professionals in that field b. the general public c. anyone with an interest in the topic d. students majoring in that field ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 77 BLM: Remember 195. Although there are several types of journal articles, which type is most common within psychology? a. manuscripts that propose new theories that are intended to stimulate research b. reports that describe original, empirical studies c. articles that describe and evaluate new treatment methods for psychological disorders d. papers that summarize and reconcile the findings from a large number of studies on a specific issue ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 77 BLM: Remember 196. What is the major difference between review articles and articles that report original empirical studies? a. Review articles summarize findings from a large number of studies on a specific topic, whereas most empirical articles are more limited in scope. b. Review articles are published in journals while empirical articles are published in books or monographs. c. Review articles are used to evaluate new books that are on the market, whereas empirical articles report new findings. d. Review articles are reviewed by experts before they are published in the journal, unlike most empirical articles. ANS: A PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 77 BLM: Higher order 197. Where would you look to find a database of research literature in psychology, and brief summaries of individual research studies? a. Canadian Psychological Association home page b. Psychological Review c. Psychology Today d. PsycINFO ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 77 BLM: Remember 198. What does PsycINFO contain? a. full text of articles published in 100 major psychological journals b. brief abstracts of psychological research published in journal articles, books, and chapters in edited books c. descriptive listings of all the current Web resources related to the field of psychology d. alphabetical listing of the titles of all the psychological research studies published in a year ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: p. 77 BLM: Remember 199. Why read an abstract? a. It can be quickly scanned to determine whether the rest of the article is relevant for your purposes. b. It shows a detailed description of the research methods that the researchers used. c. It provides you with all of the results and detailed statistics, so you can determine whether the results are significant. d. It summarizes all the research that led the researchers to their current hypothesis. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 78 BLM: Higher order 200. In which section of a journal article would you look for the hypotheses for a research study? a. results b. methodology c. reference d. introduction ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 78 BLM: Remember 201. Where in a journal article would you look for the data obtained in a research study, along with the statistical analyses? a. discussion b. results c. method d. introduction ANS: B PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 78 BLM: Remember 202. Which of the following is the correct sequencing of the sections of the main body of a journal article? a. introduction, discussion, method, results b. introduction, results, method, discussion c. introduction, method, results, discussion d. introduction, method, discussion, results ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 78 BLM: Remember 203. What is provided in the reference list at the end of a research article? a. abstracts for all the previous research studies by the same authors b. list of related articles on the same topic, by a variety of authors c. bibliographic information for any studies referred to in the article d. the author’s phone number, address, and website ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: p. 79 BLM: Remember 204. What is anecdotal evidence? a. general information that has little direct bearing on the issue under consideration b. statistical information that has been altered to support a specific point of view c. information that is gathered from a variety of sources d. personal stories about specific incidents and experiences ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: p. 80 BLM: Remember 205. What can we conclude from studies that have investigated the influence of anecdotal information? a. People are not influenced by anecdotal information, and tend to view it as nonrepresentative and biased. b. People tend to be influenced by anecdotal information, even when they are forewarned that the information is not representative. c. People are influenced by anecdotal evidence only when they have not been forewarned that it may be misleading. d. People are influenced by anecdotal evidence only when it is provided by someone they know and trust. ANS: B PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. REF: p. 80 BLM: Remember 206. Annabel is planning to buy a cordless phone. She has narrowed her choice down to a Northtech X7 model and a Telecom G-Pro model. Alfred tells Annabel, “Consumer Reports did extensive testing and rated the Northtech X7 as the highest overall. The same article indicated that the Telecom phone was unreliable and needed frequent service.” Francine tells Annabel, “My uncle had a Northtech X7 phone, and he had nothing but problems with it. He decided to switch to the Telecom phone, and he hasn’t had any problems.” Which phone is Annabel likely to buy, based on the research results reported in the Critical Thinking Application? a. The Telecom phone, because she will be more persuaded by the anecdotal evidence. b. The Northtech X7 phone, because she will be more persuaded by objective evidence. c. Neither phone, because she would prefer to do her own research rather than rely on subjective opinions. d. Neither phone, because the two reports her friends provided conflict with each other. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: p. 80 BLM: Higher order 207. Which of the following is important to the scientific method, because the scientific method is intolerant of error? a. subjects b. placebo effects c. replication d. hypotheses ANS: C PTS: 1 BLM: Higher order 208. Which method do researchers use precisely because our experience of the world is highly subjective? a. psychoanalytic methods b. extraneous variables c. double-blind procedure d. case studies ANS: C PTS: 1 BLM: Higher order 209. Which of the following sets of concepts is NOT a closely related set? a. correlation, sample, journal b. method, results, discussion c. experiment, independent variable, control group d. mean, median, mode ANS: A PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. BLM: Higher order 210. Imagine that a group of researchers designed a study to test the effectiveness of subliminal- message weight-loss tapes. Half the participants receive real tapes, and half receive similar tapes with the subliminal messages removed. The experimenter keeps track of which participant is in which group. All the participants are told that their tapes contain subliminal messages. What type of study is this? a. anecdotal research b. case study c. double-blind procedure d. single-blind study ANS: D PTS: 1 BLM: Higher order 211. 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. What could we conclude from the results? a. The independent and dependent variables in the study are negatively correlated. b. There is evidence that the study contained confounding variables. c. There is evidence of a placebo effect. d. Subliminal tapes are effective in promoting weight loss. ANS: C PTS: 1 BLM: Higher order 212. Dr. Klassen is conducting a study on attitudes about drug use. She wants to administer a survey. Which of the following groups of issues should she pay most attention to when she is designing her study? a. random sampling, use of a control group, inferential statistics b. representative sampling, self-report bias, response set c. representative sampling, experimenter bias, ethics regarding deception d. random assignment, experimenter bias, placebo effects ANS: B PTS: 1 BLM: Higher order 213. Dr. Friesen wants to investigate whether store clerks behave in a discriminatory manner toward teenagers. He is trying to decide between using naturalistic observation and using a questionnaire. What would be the best choice? a. Questionnaires, because clerks would become angry and refuse to participate if they knew you were spying on them. b. Naturalistic observation, because you can record behaviour and avoid self-report bias. c. Questionnaires, because you’ll be able to make cause-and-effect statements. d. Naturalistic observation, because clerks would likely refuse to respond to questionnaires. ANS: B PTS: 1 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. BLM: Higher order ESSAY 1. Design a simple experiment to investigate the effects of television violence on children’s aggressive behaviour, being sure to identify the independent and dependent variables, and the experimental and control groups. ANS: There are numerous possible experimental designs. Make sure there is an explicit, testable hypothesis; that “television violence” and “aggressive behaviour” are operationally defined; that children are randomly assigned to groups; that the control group is exposed to nonviolent television rather than to no television at all. PTS: 1 REF: p. 49-50 BLM: Higher order 2. Design a simple descriptive/correlational study to investigate the relationship between television violence and children’s aggressive behaviour. ANS: Again, there are numerous possibilities. Make certain that both variables are operationally defined; that a specific descriptive/correlational method (such as naturalistic observation or survey) is selected; that causation is neither stated nor implied. PTS: 1 REF: p. 46-62 BLM: Higher order 3. What are the relative weaknesses and strengths of descriptive/correlational research as opposed to experimental research? Under what conditions would a psychologist choose one method as opposed to the other? ANS: Experimental research is the more powerful of the two methods, in that it allows precise control over the independent variable and therefore yields cause-and-effect conclusions. On the other hand, experiments may be somewhat artificial and often cannot be done for ethical reasons. Descriptive/correlational studies are conducted in the subjects’ natural environment, they are easier and faster to do than experiments, and they can be done ethically in many circumstances in which experiments cannot. However, the researcher has little control over extraneous variables, and so cause-and-effect conclusions cannot be drawn. The choice between the two methods is a function of practical and ethical considerations. PTS: 1 REF: p. 51 | p. 56-58 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. BLM: Higher order 4. What is the difference between a positive correlation and a negative correlation? List some specific variables that you predict would be positively correlated, and variables that would be negatively correlated, with alcohol consumption by college students. ANS: Positive correlation: As scores on variable X increase, scores on variable Y tend to increase, too. Examples: alcohol consumption and body weight; alcohol consumption and number of missed classes Negative correlation: As scores on variable X increase, scores on variable Y tend to decrease. Examples: alcohol consumption and coordination; alcohol consumption and grade point average PTS: 1 REF: p. 62-63 BLM: Higher order 5. Describe the problems in research associated with placebo effects and experimenter bias, and explain how you would attempt to prevent these problems within a research design. ANS: Placebo effects: participants may expect an effect of an experimental treatment, and so will feel an effect or show a change in behaviour. This change is due to expectancy, not to manipulation of the independent variable. You would deal with this problem by having a placebo control group (a group that gets an inert version of the independent variable) so that you can compare the change in the experimental group to the change in a group that received a placebo. Experimenter bias: researchers may unwittingly lead participants to respond in a particular way, or may interpret their data in a particular way that confirms their pre-existing hypotheses. In order to avoid this effect, it is recommended that the studies be designed as single-blind (where the experimenter doesn’t know which condition the participants are in) or double-blind (where neither the experimenters nor the participants know who is in which group) [NOTE: A double-blind study may also control for some aspects of placebo effects, so long as both active and inert versions of the I.V. are given] PTS: 1 REF: p. 65-69 Copyright © 2013 Nelson Education Ltd. BLM: Higher order