Question 1

Error variance must be minimized in an experiment because it

Accepted Answer

A) leads to confounding. 
B) makes the effects of the independent variable harder to detect. 
C) leads to differential attrition. 
D) increases expectancy effects. 
A) leads to confounding. 
B) makes the effects of the independent variable harder to detect. 
C) leads to differential attrition. 
D) increases expectancy effects. B

Question 2

Discuss four common threats to internal validity.

Accepted Answer

Internal validity refers to the extent to which a study's design and methods support the conclusion that changes in the dependent variable are due to the manipulation of the independent variable, rather than other factors. There are several common threats to internal validity that researchers must be aware of and address in their studies.

1. History: This threat to internal validity refers to the potential influence of external events or changes that occur during the course of a study, which could also affect the dependent variable. For example, if a study is examining the effectiveness of a new teaching method, changes in the curriculum or school policies during the study could confound the results.

2. Maturation: Maturation refers to the natural changes that occur within participants over time, which could impact the dependent variable. For example, in a study of the effects of a nutrition program on weight loss, changes in participants' metabolism or aging could confound the results.

3. Testing: The act of being tested or measured in a study can influence participants' responses on subsequent measures. This is known as the testing effect, and it can threaten the internal validity of a study by artificially inflating or deflating the observed changes in the dependent variable.

4. Instrumentation: Changes in the measurement instruments or procedures used in a study can threaten internal validity. For example, if different observers are used to assess participants' behavior at different time points, inconsistencies in measurement could confound the results.

These are just a few of the common threats to internal validity that researchers must consider and address in their study designs to ensure that their conclusions are valid and reliable. By carefully controlling for these threats, researchers can strengthen the internal validity of their studies and have greater confidence in the conclusions drawn from their findings.

Question 3

A researcher has 80 participants for a study that involves four experimental conditions. If she assigns participants to conditions using matched random assignment, how many matched clusters or blocks will she form before assigning participants to conditions?

Accepted Answer

A) 80 
B) 20 
C) 4 
D) 1 
A) 80 
B) 20 
C) 4 
D) 1 C

Question 4

What are demand characteristics? What steps can be taken to minimize their influence in an experiment?

Accepted Answer

Demand characteristics refer to cues or

Question 5

The degree to which a researcher draws accurate conclusions about the effects of an independent variable refers to an experiment's

Accepted Answer

A) internal validity. 
B) generalizability. 
C) reliability. 
D) external validity. 
A) internal validity. 
B) generalizability. 
C) reliability. 
D) external validity.

Question 6

Biased assignment

Accepted Answer

A) increases error variance. 
B) is a particular problem in within-subjects designs. 
C) eliminates confounding. 
D) undermines internal validity. 
A) increases error variance. 
B) is a particular problem in within-subjects designs. 
C) eliminates confounding. 
D) undermines internal validity.

Question 7

Which of the following is a participant (or subject)variable?

Accepted Answer

A) Room temperature 
B) Random assignment 
C) Drug dosage 
D) Extraversion 
A) Room temperature 
B) Random assignment 
C) Drug dosage 
D) Extraversion

Question 8

A researcher designed an experiment to determine whether being ignored by other people during a conversation affects the motivation to interact. In this study, the independent variable is

Accepted Answer

A) motivation. 
B) social interaction. 
C) conversations. 
D) being ignored. 
A) motivation. 
B) social interaction. 
C) conversations. 
D) being ignored.

Question 9

What are order effects, and how do researchers guard against them?

Accepted Answer

Order effects refer to the potential inf

Question 10

A counseling psychologist conducted an experiment to examine the effects of different marriage workshops on the relationship satisfaction of 120 married couples. He assigned participants randomly to one of four workshops or to a control group that did not attend a workshop. He then measured relationship satisfaction six months later. How many conditions are in this experiment?

Accepted Answer

A) 1 
B) 4 
C) 5 
D) 120 
A) 1 
B) 4 
C) 5 
D) 120

Question 11

A "perfect" experiment maximizes _______ variance and minimizes _______ variance.

Accepted Answer

A) confound; error. 
B) error; treatment. 
C) treatment; error. 
D) treatment; primary. 
A) confound; error. 
B) error; treatment. 
C) treatment; error. 
D) treatment; primary.

Question 12

Why is random assignment used to place participants into experimental conditions?

Accepted Answer

Random assignment is a technique used in

Question 13

A researcher conducted an experiment to investigate the effects of working in crowded versus uncrowded conditions on the job satisfaction of employees in a variety of work settings. In this study, the dependent variable is

Accepted Answer

A) crowding. 
B) job satisfaction. 
C) the employees. 
D) the different work settings. 
A) crowding. 
B) job satisfaction. 
C) the employees. 
D) the different work settings.

Question 14

Define internal and external validity. Which do researchers generally regard as more important, and why?

Accepted Answer

Internal validity refers to the extent t

Question 15

Variance in participants' scores that is not due to the independent variable is either _________ variance or __________ variance.

Accepted Answer

A) treatment; error. 
B) error; confound. 
C) error; primary. 
D) confound; systematic. 
A) treatment; error. 
B) error; confound. 
C) error; primary. 
D) confound; systematic.

Question 16

To guard against order effects, researchers use

Accepted Answer

A) matched random assignment. 
B) carryover effects. 
C) counterbalancing. 
D) experimental control. 
A) matched random assignment. 
B) carryover effects. 
C) counterbalancing. 
D) experimental control.

Question 17

A researcher conducted an experiment to investigate the effects of ambient room noise on test performance among college students. In this study, the independent variable is

Accepted Answer

A) noise. 
B) test performance. 
C) the students. 
D) the room. 
A) noise. 
B) test performance. 
C) the students. 
D) the room.

Question 18

A question that asks participants to rate the independent variable is a(n)

Accepted Answer

A) dependent variable. 
B) instructional manipulation. 
C) manipulation check. 
D) confound. 
A) dependent variable. 
B) instructional manipulation. 
C) manipulation check. 
D) confound.

Question 19

Researchers pilot test independent variables to

Accepted Answer

A) see whether they affect the dependent variable. 
B) eliminate error variance. 
C) look for confounds. 
D) determine whether participants can detect differences in the levels. 
A) see whether they affect the dependent variable. 
B) eliminate error variance. 
C) look for confounds. 
D) determine whether participants can detect differences in the levels.

Question 20

Which of the following is used to eliminate demand characteristics?

Accepted Answer

A) Random assignment 
B) Double-blind procedure 
C) Matching 
D) Counterbalancing 
A) Random assignment 
B) Double-blind procedure 
C) Matching 
D) Counterbalancing

Error variance must be minimized in an experiment because it

Discuss four common threats to internal validity.

A researcher has 80 participants for a study that involves four experimental conditions. If she assigns participants to conditions using matched random assignment, how many matched clusters or blocks will she form before assigning participants to conditions?

What are demand characteristics? What steps can be taken to minimize their influence in an experiment?

The degree to which a researcher draws accurate conclusions about the effects of an independent variable refers to an experiment's

Biased assignment

Which of the following is a participant (or subject)variable?

A researcher designed an experiment to determine whether being ignored by other people during a conversation affects the motivation to interact. In this study, the independent variable is

What are order effects, and how do researchers guard against them?

A "perfect" experiment maximizes _ variance and minimizes _ variance.

Why is random assignment used to place participants into experimental conditions?

A researcher conducted an experiment to investigate the effects of working in crowded versus uncrowded conditions on the job satisfaction of employees in a variety of work settings. In this study, the dependent variable is

Define internal and external validity. Which do researchers generally regard as more important, and why?

Variance in participants' scores that is not due to the independent variable is either _ variance or __ variance.

To guard against order effects, researchers use

A researcher conducted an experiment to investigate the effects of ambient room noise on test performance among college students. In this study, the independent variable is

A question that asks participants to rate the independent variable is a(n)

Researchers pilot test independent variables to

Which of the following is used to eliminate demand characteristics?

Research in the Behavioral Sciences

Behavioral Variability and Research

The Measurement of Behavior

Approaches to Psychological Measurement

Selecting Research Participants

Descriptive Research

Correlational Research

Advanced Correlational Strategies

Experimental Design

Analyzing Experimental Data: Basic Concepts

Statistical Analysis

Quasi-Experimental Designs

Single-Case Research

Ethical Issues in Behavioral Research

Scientific Writing

Filters

Exam 9: Basic Issues in Experimental Research

Error variance must be minimized in an experiment because it

Discuss four common threats to internal validity.

A researcher has 80 participants for a study that involves four experimental conditions. If she assigns participants to conditions using matched random assignment, how many matched clusters or blocks will she form before assigning participants to conditions?

What are demand characteristics? What steps can be taken to minimize their influence in an experiment?

The degree to which a researcher draws accurate conclusions about the effects of an independent variable refers to an experiment's

Biased assignment

Which of the following is a participant (or subject)variable?

A researcher designed an experiment to determine whether being ignored by other people during a conversation affects the motivation to interact. In this study, the independent variable is

What are order effects, and how do researchers guard against them?

A "perfect" experiment maximizes _______ variance and minimizes _______ variance.

Why is random assignment used to place participants into experimental conditions?

A researcher conducted an experiment to investigate the effects of working in crowded versus uncrowded conditions on the job satisfaction of employees in a variety of work settings. In this study, the dependent variable is

Define internal and external validity. Which do researchers generally regard as more important, and why?

Variance in participants' scores that is not due to the independent variable is either _________ variance or __________ variance.

To guard against order effects, researchers use

A researcher conducted an experiment to investigate the effects of ambient room noise on test performance among college students. In this study, the independent variable is

A question that asks participants to rate the independent variable is a(n)

Researchers pilot test independent variables to

Which of the following is used to eliminate demand characteristics?

Research in the Behavioral Sciences

Behavioral Variability and Research

The Measurement of Behavior

Approaches to Psychological Measurement

Selecting Research Participants

Descriptive Research

Correlational Research

Advanced Correlational Strategies

Experimental Design

Analyzing Experimental Data: Basic Concepts

Statistical Analysis

Quasi-Experimental Designs

Single-Case Research

Ethical Issues in Behavioral Research

Scientific Writing

Filters

A "perfect" experiment maximizes _ variance and minimizes _ variance.

Variance in participants' scores that is not due to the independent variable is either _ variance or __ variance.