Exam 1: Introductionand Research Methods

The factor or variable other than the ones being studied that, if not controlled, could affect the outcome of an experiment is the:

Descriptive research methods are research methods that can beused to demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship, but not correlational associations.

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

Professor Newberg decided to study preferences of living senior adults, so he visited a local retirement village and invite dresidents to participate in a lengthy survey. Professor Newberg's survey results are probably invalid because he did not use:

A negative correlation is one in which both factors decrease together.

In Crum and Langer's hotel experiment, the participants were randomly assigned on an individual basis to either the high exercise group or the low exercise group.

In a research study, subtle cues or signals expressed by the researcher that communicate the kind of response or behavior that is expected from the participant are referred to as practice effects.

Howard recognizes that there is always a subjective side to anyscience. Therefore, he believes that it is important to actively minimize preconceptions and biases while evaluating evidence.Also, he always considers alternative explanations for research findings. Howard's attitude reflects:

Proponents of pseudoscience frequently use scientific jargon without scientific substance to promote their claims.

If the original source of a professional publication of a study isnoted in a television or magazine report, you can be completely confident the findings of the study are valid and accurate.

The _____ perspective emphasizes studying the physical bases ofhuman and animal behavior, including the nervous system,endocrine system, immune system, and genetics.

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

The dependent measures obtained in Crum and Langer's hotel experiment were questionnaire responses about health and dietand measures of physical health, including weight, percentage of body fat, blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI).

In an experiment, the group of participants who are exposed toall the experimental conditions, including the independent variable, is called the experimental group or experimental condition.

The established science most responsible for the emergence of psychology as a scientific discipline was physiology.

In the gingko biloba experiment, the participants in both the experimental group and the placebo control group improved on the cognitive tests because of a practice effect.

The experimental group (or experimental condition) is the group of participants who are exposed to all experimental conditions, including the independent variable or treatment variable.

Ginkgo biloba is an herb that is thought to increase blood flowin the brain and enhance memory processes. In a carefully controlled study investigating this claim, young adults were assigned to one of three groups. Those in group 1 took a capsule containing 120 milligrams of ginkgo biloba once a day. Those ingroup 2 took a capsule that looked identical but was a fake.Those in group 3 did not take any capsules. The participants assigned to group 2 constituted the _____ in this study.

When Brenda's son did not experience any of the claimed benefits from wearing a magnetic vest, she was told that magnets act differently on different body parts, that the vest might not have been properly secured, and that everyone's body reacts differently to magnet therapy. The therapist encouraged her to continue using the vest, saying that the healing effect would not be noticeable until her son had worn itlonger. This example illustrates:

Researchers at the United Family Therapy Center areconducting a study to determine how quickly symptoms of anxiety are reduced by different forms of psychotherapy. Whatis the dependent variable in this study?