Exam 2: Research Methods in Psychology

A researcher found that clients who were randomly assigned to same-sex groups participated more in group therapy sessions than clients who were randomly assigned to coed groups. In this experiment, the dependent variable was

Operational definitions are most closely associated with which major advantage of the scientific approach?

Dr Snyman predicts that if people are observed while they perform a complex task they will make more errors. Dr Snyman's prediction is an example of

The greatest advantage that the scientific method has over logical reasoning or common sense is that it results in cause-and-effect explanations.

Researchers use ____ to determine whether the observed difference between the two groups in the study was large enough to support the hypothesis.

One of the main concerns with the case study method of research is that

An independent variable in an experiment refers to

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?

When individuals in a research study experience some change even though they received an ineffectual treatment, they are displaying ____________________ effects.

You are sitting on a park bench in a major metropolitan area from 7 A)m. to 7 p.m. and you note the number of people who walk by, whether or not they litter, and their gender. You are engaging in

Which of the following pairs of terms related to the goals of science are MOST clearly associated with the concept of correlation?

The ____ is a research strategy that minimises the potential methodological problems associated with the placebo effect and experimenter bias.

A psychologist measures blood alcohol level to determine intoxication. In this example, blood alcohol level is the ____ definition of intoxication.

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. In this study, the independent variable was

Which of the following techniques is most likely to prove useful in determining why one particular child is afraid to go to school?

Of the following, the correlation coefficient that indicates the weakest relationship between the two variables being measured is

The second step in the research method is the making of the empirical observations and measurements.

As an adult ages, his/her physical strength declines. The relationship between age and physical strength is a(n)

Self-report methods can be problematic due to the tendency for people to give socially appropriate answers.

Theory construction is