Question 1

Explain what a double-blind design is and identify one confound or an obstacle in research it can help overcome.

Accepted Answer

A double blind design is when neither the participant nor the experimenter knows the conditions to which the participant is assigned. One obstacle in research that this helps overcome is the placebo effect because participants do not know if they are placed in the control group or experimental group. Another barrier that this can overcome is the Hawthorne effect as illustrated in the example provided in Rapport, Orban, Kofler, and Friedman (2013). In this example, researchers who did not know the conditions (blinded) reported substantially lower scores than unblinded raters did.

Question 2

At the end of an experiment, researchers sometimes ask participants to guess the purpose of the experiment. This step serves to detect:

Accepted Answer

A)  participant characteristics. 
B)  the Hawthorne effect. 
C)  individual differences. 
D)  demand characteristics. 
A)  participant characteristics. 
B)  the Hawthorne effect. 
C)  individual differences. 
D)  demand characteristics. D

Question 3

In experimental design, the strategy of varying test items and tasks applies to:

Accepted Answer

A)  between-subjects designs only. 
B)  matched-groups designs only. 
C)  within-subjects designs only. 
D)  within-subjects designs and matched-groups designs. 
A)  between-subjects designs only. 
B)  matched-groups designs only. 
C)  within-subjects designs only. 
D)  within-subjects designs and matched-groups designs. C

Question 4

Studies using quasi-experimental variables can easily establish causation.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Confounds are mostly dealt with after the experiment by using complex statistical techniques.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Which of the following is true about placebo effects?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are fake effects that do not exist. 
B)  They are real effects that are measurable. 
C)  They are always harmful to individuals. 
D)  They may exist but are not measurable. 
A)  They are fake effects that do not exist. 
B)  They are real effects that are measurable. 
C)  They are always harmful to individuals. 
D)  They may exist but are not measurable.

Question 7

based on this following abstract taken from a 2012 issue of Psychological Science . The authors of the paper examined the effects of an intervention on adolescents' enrollment in STEM courses. Instructors are advised to use the reference below to retrieve the original abstract for their use.
Harackiewicz, J. M., Rozek, C. S., Hulleman, C. S., & Hyde, J. S. (2012). Helping parents to motivate adolescents in mathematics and science an experimental test of a utility-value intervention. Psychological Science, 0956797611435530.
-The study uses a ___________________________ design with ____ levels of the independent variable.

Accepted Answer

A)  between-subjects, 2 
B)  within-subjects, 3 
C)  between-subjects, 3 
D)  within-subjects, 2 
A)  between-subjects, 2 
B)  within-subjects, 3 
C)  between-subjects, 3 
D)  within-subjects, 2

Question 8

based on this following abstract taken from a 2012 issue of Psychological Science . The authors of the paper examined the effects of an intervention on adolescents' enrollment in STEM courses. Instructors are advised to use the reference below to retrieve the original abstract for their use.
Harackiewicz, J. M., Rozek, C. S., Hulleman, C. S., & Hyde, J. S. (2012). Helping parents to motivate adolescents in mathematics and science an experimental test of a utility-value intervention. Psychological Science, 0956797611435530.
-In the article, the researchers reported a manipulation check, stating that they measured how much parents reported using the intervention tools with their children, and that the researchers coded parents' responses.
The manipulation check contributed to the research design by…

Accepted Answer

A)  providing a basis for arguing that teenagers do listen to their parents. 
B)  providing a basis for arguing that the intervention (e.g., parents used the brochures and the Web site) was valid. 
C)  reducing problems of ethics by making sure that participants were compliant. 
D)  catching participants who might have a hidden agenda. 
A)  providing a basis for arguing that teenagers do listen to their parents. 
B)  providing a basis for arguing that the intervention (e.g., parents used the brochures and the Web site) was valid. 
C)  reducing problems of ethics by making sure that participants were compliant. 
D)  catching participants who might have a hidden agenda.

Question 9

Latin square is a form of ________________ that accounts for __________ effects.

Accepted Answer

A)  randomization; order 
B)  randomization; Hawthorne 
C)  counterbalancing; order 
D)  counterbalancing; Hawthorne 
A)  randomization; order 
B)  randomization; Hawthorne 
C)  counterbalancing; order 
D)  counterbalancing; Hawthorne

Question 10

What is a matched-group design and what benefits does it have over a between-subjects and within-subjects design? What is one disadvantage that would make a matched-group design hard to use?

Accepted Answer

A matched-group design contains elements

Question 11

Variability due to individual differences is only present in within-subjects design.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Which of the following is not true about the use of confederates?

Accepted Answer

A)  The use of confederates was essential for some major findings in psychology. 
B)  Using confederates means that your study involves deception and that participants should be debriefed at the end of the study. 
C)  If the IRB has approved the use of confederates in its initial review of the experiment, there are no additional concerns. 
D)  Confederates are trained by the experimenter but can be blinded to the hypothesis of the study. 
A)  The use of confederates was essential for some major findings in psychology. 
B)  Using confederates means that your study involves deception and that participants should be debriefed at the end of the study. 
C)  If the IRB has approved the use of confederates in its initial review of the experiment, there are no additional concerns. 
D)  Confederates are trained by the experimenter but can be blinded to the hypothesis of the study.

Question 13

Obtaining a floor effect in research indicates that:

Accepted Answer

A)  there was an order effect at work. 
B)  the Hawthorne effect was taking place. 
C)  an inappropriate measure was used. 
D)  participants found the task too easy. 
A)  there was an order effect at work. 
B)  the Hawthorne effect was taking place. 
C)  an inappropriate measure was used. 
D)  participants found the task too easy.

Question 14

based on this following abstract taken from a 2012 issue of Psychological Science . The authors of the paper examined the effects of an intervention on adolescents' enrollment in STEM courses. Instructors are advised to use the reference below to retrieve the original abstract for their use.
Harackiewicz, J. M., Rozek, C. S., Hulleman, C. S., & Hyde, J. S. (2012). Helping parents to motivate adolescents in mathematics and science an experimental test of a utility-value intervention. Psychological Science, 0956797611435530.
-Based on the abstract, this was…

Accepted Answer

A)  an observational study. 
B)  an experimental study. 
C)  a cross-sectional study. 
D)  a case study. 
A)  an observational study. 
B)  an experimental study. 
C)  a cross-sectional study. 
D)  a case study.

Question 15

based on this following abstract taken from a 2012 issue of Psychological Science . The authors of the paper examined the effects of an intervention on adolescents' enrollment in STEM courses. Instructors are advised to use the reference below to retrieve the original abstract for their use.
Harackiewicz, J. M., Rozek, C. S., Hulleman, C. S., & Hyde, J. S. (2012). Helping parents to motivate adolescents in mathematics and science an experimental test of a utility-value intervention. Psychological Science, 0956797611435530.
-Which of the following is a reasonable claim regarding the research?

Accepted Answer

A)  Since the research is looking at an applied real-world problem, it is atheoretical. 
B)  The research could have low external validity because it was conducted in a laboratory setting. 
C)  The findings are not necessarily generalizable unless the researchers had controlled for factors such as SES. 
D)  The researchers avoided problems like participant attrition by studying students who were in school and their parents. 
A)  Since the research is looking at an applied real-world problem, it is atheoretical. 
B)  The research could have low external validity because it was conducted in a laboratory setting. 
C)  The findings are not necessarily generalizable unless the researchers had controlled for factors such as SES. 
D)  The researchers avoided problems like participant attrition by studying students who were in school and their parents.

Question 16

Keeping the hypothesis of an experiment secret from participants reduces the potential of a floor effect.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Julie notices that all her participants have scored perfectly on a memory task, indicating a potential _______________ effect.

Accepted Answer

A)  Hawthorne 
B)  ceiling 
C)  fatigue 
D)  carryover 
A)  Hawthorne 
B)  ceiling 
C)  fatigue 
D)  carryover

Question 18

List two ethical concerns with experimental designs and state a strategy to deal with each of them.

Accepted Answer

Denial of treatment to the placebo/contr

Question 19

An advantage of a correlational design over an experimental design is that researchers can find out what caused an effect.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Which of the following is not true about statistical control of confounding variables in an experiment?

Accepted Answer

A)  You can only know what the confound is after data collection. 
B)  The confounding variable must be measurable. 
C)  Statistical control of confounding variables occurs during data analysis. 
D)  Statistical control is not the only method to deal with confounding variables. 
A)  You can only know what the confound is after data collection. 
B)  The confounding variable must be measurable. 
C)  Statistical control of confounding variables occurs during data analysis. 
D)  Statistical control is not the only method to deal with confounding variables.

Explain what a double-blind design is and identify one confound or an obstacle in research it can help overcome.

At the end of an experiment, researchers sometimes ask participants to guess the purpose of the experiment. This step serves to detect:

In experimental design, the strategy of varying test items and tasks applies to:

Studies using quasi-experimental variables can easily establish causation.

Confounds are mostly dealt with after the experiment by using complex statistical techniques.

Which of the following is true about placebo effects?

Latin square is a form of ______ that accounts for effects.

What is a matched-group design and what benefits does it have over a between-subjects and within-subjects design? What is one disadvantage that would make a matched-group design hard to use?

Variability due to individual differences is only present in within-subjects design.

Which of the following is not true about the use of confederates?

Obtaining a floor effect in research indicates that:

Keeping the hypothesis of an experiment secret from participants reduces the potential of a floor effect.

Julie notices that all her participants have scored perfectly on a memory task, indicating a potential _______________ effect.

List two ethical concerns with experimental designs and state a strategy to deal with each of them.

An advantage of a correlational design over an experimental design is that researchers can find out what caused an effect.

Which of the following is not true about statistical control of confounding variables in an experiment?

Introduction to Research Methods

The Ethical Imperative

Negotiating the Institutional Review Board Process

Starting Your Research

Focusing Your Question and Choosing a Design

Developing Your Research Protocol

Survey and Interview Approaches

Variations on Experimental Designs

Observation, Case Studies, Archival Research, and Meta-Analysis

Neuroscience Methods

Research Over Age and Time

Analyzing Your Data I: an Overview

Analyzing Your Data II: Specific Approaches

Writing up Your Results

Publishing Your Research

Filters

Exam 8: Experimental Designs

Explain what a double-blind design is and identify one confound or an obstacle in research it can help overcome.

At the end of an experiment, researchers sometimes ask participants to guess the purpose of the experiment. This step serves to detect:

In experimental design, the strategy of varying test items and tasks applies to:

Studies using quasi-experimental variables can easily establish causation.

Confounds are mostly dealt with after the experiment by using complex statistical techniques.

Which of the following is true about placebo effects?

Latin square is a form of ________________ that accounts for __________ effects.

What is a matched-group design and what benefits does it have over a between-subjects and within-subjects design? What is one disadvantage that would make a matched-group design hard to use?

Variability due to individual differences is only present in within-subjects design.

Which of the following is not true about the use of confederates?

Obtaining a floor effect in research indicates that:

Keeping the hypothesis of an experiment secret from participants reduces the potential of a floor effect.

Julie notices that all her participants have scored perfectly on a memory task, indicating a potential _______________ effect.

List two ethical concerns with experimental designs and state a strategy to deal with each of them.

An advantage of a correlational design over an experimental design is that researchers can find out what caused an effect.

Which of the following is not true about statistical control of confounding variables in an experiment?

Introduction to Research Methods

The Ethical Imperative

Negotiating the Institutional Review Board Process

Starting Your Research

Focusing Your Question and Choosing a Design

Developing Your Research Protocol

Survey and Interview Approaches

Variations on Experimental Designs

Observation, Case Studies, Archival Research, and Meta-Analysis

Neuroscience Methods

Research Over Age and Time

Analyzing Your Data I: an Overview

Analyzing Your Data II: Specific Approaches

Writing up Your Results

Publishing Your Research

Filters

Latin square is a form of ______ that accounts for effects.