Question 1

Which of the following studies would NOT have a possible threat of observer bias?

Accepted Answer

A)  A study looking at the relationship between the frequency of eating fruits and vegetables and general physical fitness 
B)  A study looking at the relationship between college GPA and SAT scores 
C)  A study looking at the number of hours spent listening to music and singing ability 
D)  A study looking at the rate of text messaging in a day and writing/English composition skill 
E)  All of the above studies run the risk of observer bias 
A)  A study looking at the relationship between the frequency of eating fruits and vegetables and general physical fitness 
B)  A study looking at the relationship between college GPA and SAT scores 
C)  A study looking at the number of hours spent listening to music and singing ability 
D)  A study looking at the rate of text messaging in a day and writing/English composition skill 
E)  All of the above studies run the risk of observer bias

Question 2

To be a history threat,the external event must occur:

Accepted Answer

A)  Constantly during the experiment 
B)  At the beginning of the experiment 
C)  Systematically, affecting most members of the group 
D)  Intentionally, affecting most members of the group 
E)  Because of a participant's behavior 
A)  Constantly during the experiment 
B)  At the beginning of the experiment 
C)  Systematically, affecting most members of the group 
D)  Intentionally, affecting most members of the group 
E)  Because of a participant's behavior

Question 3

RESEARCH STUDY 10.1
In previous studies, Dr. Schulenberg has established that finding meaning in one's everyday work activities can lead to greater success in the workplace (e.g., productivity, creativity). He is curious as to whether this can happen in the college classroom. Specifically, he is curious whether finding meaning in one's classroom experience can lead to greater academic performance. In the spring semester, he has his teaching assistant randomly assign half the class to write a paragraph each class period about how the material has meaning for their lives (meaning group). The other half writes a paragraph about what they did to prepare for class (preparation group). He does not know which of his students are writing which paragraph, and the students are not aware they are different writing assignments. To measure academic performance, he gives the students a midterm essay exam and a final exam.
-Refer to Research Study 10.1 above to answer the following question. Imagine that in Dr.Schulenberg's study,he notes that all of the students do extremely well on the midterm exam.When he looks at the results of the final exam,he notices that all the students' exam scores went down.Which of the following pattern of results would suggest that there is a threat to internal validity?

Accepted Answer

A)  The final exam scores were lower in the preparation group than the meaning group. 
B)  The final exam scores were equally low in both groups. 
C)  The final exam scores were lower than those of students in his fall semester class. 
D)  The final exam scores were lower than the final exam scores of students of his colleague, Dr. Fao. 
E)  None of the above would suggest a threat to internal validity. 
A)  The final exam scores were lower in the preparation group than the meaning group. 
B)  The final exam scores were equally low in both groups. 
C)  The final exam scores were lower than those of students in his fall semester class. 
D)  The final exam scores were lower than the final exam scores of students of his colleague, Dr. Fao. 
E)  None of the above would suggest a threat to internal validity.

Question 4

Refer to Research Study 10.4 above to answer the following question.
Provide three reasons why Armand's study may have resulted in null effects.

Accepted Answer

Students should state that Armand's stud

Question 5

In what way does high within-groups variance obscure between-groups variance?

Accepted Answer

A)  It leads to smaller effect sizes. 
B)  It limits the type of statistical analyses that can be conducted. 
C)  It causes more overlap between experimental/comparison groups. 
D)  Both a and c obscure between-group variance. 
E)  Both b and c obscure between-group variance. 
A)  It leads to smaller effect sizes. 
B)  It limits the type of statistical analyses that can be conducted. 
C)  It causes more overlap between experimental/comparison groups. 
D)  Both a and c obscure between-group variance. 
E)  Both b and c obscure between-group variance.

Question 6

Which of the following things CANNOT be done to reduce measurement error?

Accepted Answer

A)  Using more precise measurements 
B)  Using more reliable measurements 
C)  Using a pretest/posttest design 
D)  Collecting measurements from more people 
E)  All of the above can be done to reduce measurement error 
A)  Using more precise measurements 
B)  Using more reliable measurements 
C)  Using a pretest/posttest design 
D)  Collecting measurements from more people 
E)  All of the above can be done to reduce measurement error

Question 7

What is a double-blind study? Explain how this design addresses both the issue of demand characteristics and the issue of observer bias.

Accepted Answer

Students should state that a double-blin

Question 8

A decrease in participants' scores on a measure from pretest to posttest could suggest which of the following threats to internal validity?

Accepted Answer

A)  Regression 
B)  Maturation 
C)  Testing 
D)  Both a and c 
E)  All of the above 
A)  Regression 
B)  Maturation 
C)  Testing 
D)  Both a and c 
E)  All of the above

Question 9

RESEARCH STUDY 10.2
Dr. Bloedorn is a health psychologist who researches nutrition. She is curious as to whether a new drink additive will help people consume fewer calories during a meal. The drink additive is a white, odorless, tasteless powder that a person can add to any drink. She collects a random sample of 63 overweight students on campus and measures the calories they eat during lunch, using a bomb calorimeter. She then gives this additive to the same 63 participants to use at dinner and measures how many calories they eat (again, using the bomb calorimeter).
-Refer to Research Study 10.2 above to answer the following question. The addition of a group that does not use the drink additive but adds a similar-looking substance that they think is the additive would help Dr.Bloedorn address which of the following threats to internal validity?

Accepted Answer

A)  History 
B)  Observer bias 
C)  Instrumentation 
D)  Placebo effects 
E)  All of the above 
A)  History 
B)  Observer bias 
C)  Instrumentation 
D)  Placebo effects 
E)  All of the above

Question 10

RESEARCH STUDY 10.1
In previous studies, Dr. Schulenberg has established that finding meaning in one's everyday work activities can lead to greater success in the workplace (e.g., productivity, creativity). He is curious as to whether this can happen in the college classroom. Specifically, he is curious whether finding meaning in one's classroom experience can lead to greater academic performance. In the spring semester, he has his teaching assistant randomly assign half the class to write a paragraph each class period about how the material has meaning for their lives (meaning group). The other half writes a paragraph about what they did to prepare for class (preparation group). He does not know which of his students are writing which paragraph, and the students are not aware they are different writing assignments. To measure academic performance, he gives the students a midterm essay exam and a final exam.
-Refer to Research Study 10.1 above to answer the following question. Imagine that in Dr.Schulenberg's study,he notes that all of the students do extremely well on the midterm exam.When he looks at the results of the final exam,he notices that all the students' exam scores went down.Given this information,which of the following threats might be present in his study?

Accepted Answer

A)  Regression 
B)  Attrition 
C)  Maturation 
D)  Observer bias 
E)  Placebo effect 
A)  Regression 
B)  Attrition 
C)  Maturation 
D)  Observer bias 
E)  Placebo effect

Which of the following studies would NOT have a possible threat of observer bias?

To be a history threat,the external event must occur:

Refer to Research Study 10.4 above to answer the following question. Provide three reasons why Armand's study may have resulted in null effects.

In what way does high within-groups variance obscure between-groups variance?

Which of the following things CANNOT be done to reduce measurement error?

What is a double-blind study? Explain how this design addresses both the issue of demand characteristics and the issue of observer bias.

A decrease in participants' scores on a measure from pretest to posttest could suggest which of the following threats to internal validity?

Psychology Is a Way of Thinking

Sources of Information: Evaluating,Finding,and Reading Information

Three Claims,Four Validities: Interrogation Tools for Consumers of Research

Ethical Guidelines for Psychology Research

Identifying Good Measurement

Describing What People Do: Surveys,Observations,and Sampling

Bivariate Correlational Research

Multivariate Correlational Research

Introduction to Simple Experiments

Experiments With More Than One Independent Variable

Quasi-Experiments and Small-N Designs

Replicability,Generalization,and the Real World

Filters

Exam 10: More on Experiments: Confounding and Obscuring Variables

Which of the following studies would NOT have a possible threat of observer bias?

To be a history threat,the external event must occur:

Refer to Research Study 10.4 above to answer the following question. Provide three reasons why Armand's study may have resulted in null effects.

In what way does high within-groups variance obscure between-groups variance?

Which of the following things CANNOT be done to reduce measurement error?

What is a double-blind study? Explain how this design addresses both the issue of demand characteristics and the issue of observer bias.

A decrease in participants' scores on a measure from pretest to posttest could suggest which of the following threats to internal validity?

Psychology Is a Way of Thinking

Sources of Information: Evaluating,Finding,and Reading Information

Three Claims,Four Validities: Interrogation Tools for Consumers of Research

Ethical Guidelines for Psychology Research

Identifying Good Measurement

Describing What People Do: Surveys,Observations,and Sampling

Bivariate Correlational Research

Multivariate Correlational Research

Introduction to Simple Experiments

Experiments With More Than One Independent Variable

Quasi-Experiments and Small-N Designs

Replicability,Generalization,and the Real World

Filters