Question 1

A survey asked how many sex partners you hope to have in the future. The majority of men answered 1, 2, or 3, yet the mean was 64. How can that be?

Accepted Answer

A)  The mean could be 64, but only if the median were even higher than 64. 
B)  The mean is influenced by extreme scores (i.e., very high numbers). 
C)  Inferential statistics are misleading. 
D)  There were no independent variables in the study. 
A)  The mean could be 64, but only if the median were even higher than 64. 
B)  The mean is influenced by extreme scores (i.e., very high numbers). 
C)  Inferential statistics are misleading. 
D)  There were no independent variables in the study.

Question 2

Researchers report that people who smile frequently are more likely than other people to have many friends. Which of the following conclusions can we draw, if any?

Accepted Answer

A)  Smiling increases the probability of making friends. 
B)  We can draw none of these conclusions. 
C)  Some other factor, such as health, increases both the probability of smiling and the probability of making friends. 
D)  Having friends makes one happy and increases the probability of smiling. 
A)  Smiling increases the probability of making friends. 
B)  We can draw none of these conclusions. 
C)  Some other factor, such as health, increases both the probability of smiling and the probability of making friends. 
D)  Having friends makes one happy and increases the probability of smiling.

Question 3

Ethical standards for the treatment of participants

Accepted Answer

A)  have been established by the APA. 
B)  are left up to the individual experimenter. 
C)  exist for human participants, but not for animal participants. 
D)  are followed by only a small minority of psychological researchers. 
A)  have been established by the APA. 
B)  are left up to the individual experimenter. 
C)  exist for human participants, but not for animal participants. 
D)  are followed by only a small minority of psychological researchers.

Question 4

In the statistical expression "p < .05," the "p" represents

Accepted Answer

A)  the amount of difference between the independent variable and the dependent variable. 
B)  the correlation between two measured variables. 
C)  the percentage of psychologists who agree with the conclusion. 
D)  the probability of accidentally obtaining results similar to the obtained results. 
A)  the amount of difference between the independent variable and the dependent variable. 
B)  the correlation between two measured variables. 
C)  the percentage of psychologists who agree with the conclusion. 
D)  the probability of accidentally obtaining results similar to the obtained results.

Question 5

In one study, the experimental group is subjected to loud, unpredictable noises to see whether or not those noises will affect performance on a memory task. What will the control group do?

Accepted Answer

A)  nothing at all 
B)  perform the memory task without noises 
C)  listen to the noises but perform no task 
D)  control the noises that the experimental group has to listen to 
A)  nothing at all 
B)  perform the memory task without noises 
C)  listen to the noises but perform no task 
D)  control the noises that the experimental group has to listen to

Question 6

Naturalistic observation refers to the observation of

Accepted Answer

A)  animals low on the phylogenetic scale. 
B)  people or animals in their natural setting. 
C)  plant life. 
D)  the way organisms naturally respond to experimental manipulations in the lab. 
A)  animals low on the phylogenetic scale. 
B)  people or animals in their natural setting. 
C)  plant life. 
D)  the way organisms naturally respond to experimental manipulations in the lab.

Question 7

Suppose we find that how many hours various people have studied their textbook correlates -.60 with their knowledge about current television programs. We could conclude that, in general,

Accepted Answer

A)  people who study more tend also to know more about television. 
B)  people who study more tend to know less about television. 
C)  study habits have nothing to do with knowledge of television. 
D)  we calculated the correlation coefficient incorrectly. 
A)  people who study more tend also to know more about television. 
B)  people who study more tend to know less about television. 
C)  study habits have nothing to do with knowledge of television. 
D)  we calculated the correlation coefficient incorrectly.

Question 8

An operational definition is a definition that

Accepted Answer

A)  explains where the term came from. 
B)  describes the underlying cause of something. 
C)  gives synonyms or antonyms. 
D)  tells us how to produce or measure something. 
A)  explains where the term came from. 
B)  describes the underlying cause of something. 
C)  gives synonyms or antonyms. 
D)  tells us how to produce or measure something.

Question 9

Which of the following correlation coefficients indicates that you could use measurements of one variable to predict measurements of a second variable with perfect accuracy?

Accepted Answer

A)  .9 
B)  0 
C)  -1 
D)  .5 
A)  .9 
B)  0 
C)  -1 
D)  .5

Question 10

An experimenter kept students in a hot, neutral, or cold room and then tested their ability to memorize poetry. What was the dependent variable in this experiment?

Accepted Answer

A)  the motivation of the students 
B)  the difficulty of the poetry 
C)  the temperature of the room 
D)  the students' success in memorizing the poetry 
A)  the motivation of the students 
B)  the difficulty of the poetry 
C)  the temperature of the room 
D)  the students' success in memorizing the poetry

Question 11

If each subject in an experiment has an equal chance of being in the experimental group, then the experiment has

Accepted Answer

A)  demand characteristics. 
B)  random assignment. 
C)  a correlation. 
D)  statistical significance. 
A)  demand characteristics. 
B)  random assignment. 
C)  a correlation. 
D)  statistical significance.

Question 12

Psychology experiments have typically shown that

Accepted Answer

A)  those who watch violent movies will not act aggressively because they have had the chance to "let off steam". 
B)  watching violent movies and TV programs effectively teaches children the dangers of violent behavior. 
C)  most children who watch violence on TV will commit major crimes later in life. 
D)  watching violent films increases aggressive behavior, at least slightly and temporarily. 
A)  those who watch violent movies will not act aggressively because they have had the chance to "let off steam". 
B)  watching violent movies and TV programs effectively teaches children the dangers of violent behavior. 
C)  most children who watch violence on TV will commit major crimes later in life. 
D)  watching violent films increases aggressive behavior, at least slightly and temporarily.

Question 13

One reason why illusory correlations arise and persist is that

Accepted Answer

A)  psychologists test only hypotheses that are falsifiable. 
B)  human behavior often fails to follow the normal distribution. 
C)  psychologists collect more observations on children than on old people. 
D)  people tend to remember examples that fit their expectations. 
A)  psychologists test only hypotheses that are falsifiable. 
B)  human behavior often fails to follow the normal distribution. 
C)  psychologists collect more observations on children than on old people. 
D)  people tend to remember examples that fit their expectations.

Question 14

The main advantage of an experimental study, in contrast to a correlational study, is that an experiment is

Accepted Answer

A)  less likely to be influenced by independent variables. 
B)  quicker and easier to conduct. 
C)  more likely to demonstrate cause-and-effect. 
D)  less likely to raise ethical questions. 
A)  less likely to be influenced by independent variables. 
B)  quicker and easier to conduct. 
C)  more likely to demonstrate cause-and-effect. 
D)  less likely to raise ethical questions.

Question 15

A survey team asks questions of a group of people who have been carefully selected to be sure that they include the same percentages of male and female; old and young; and black, white, Asian, and Hispanic as the population as a whole. This group of people constitute a

Accepted Answer

A)  representative sample. 
B)  random sample. 
C)  convenience sample. 
D)  longitudinal sample. 
A)  representative sample. 
B)  random sample. 
C)  convenience sample. 
D)  longitudinal sample.

Question 16

An experimenter tests the reading skills of some 10-year-old children, puts them on a low-fat diet for 6 months, retests their reading skills, and finds that most show a significant improvement in their reading. The experimenter concludes that a low-fat diet improves intellectual development. One major defect in this study is the lack of any

Accepted Answer

A)  dependent variables. 
B)  demand characteristics. 
C)  control group. 
D)  independent variables. 
A)  dependent variables. 
B)  demand characteristics. 
C)  control group. 
D)  independent variables.

Question 17

To examine the value of looking at old tests, Professor King hands out copies of old tests to the first 20 students who come to class one day. Later she finds that these students got better grades than the other students in the class. What is wrong with this experiment?

Accepted Answer

A)  It was triple blind. 
B)  There is a lack of random assignment to groups. 
C)  There is a lack of demand characteristics. 
D)  The Clever Hans effect occurs. 
A)  It was triple blind. 
B)  There is a lack of random assignment to groups. 
C)  There is a lack of demand characteristics. 
D)  The Clever Hans effect occurs.

Question 18

Jane describes a dream she had that came true the next day. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  an anecdote. 
B)  an experimental result. 
C)  selective truth. 
D)  a correlational result. 
A)  an anecdote. 
B)  an experimental result. 
C)  selective truth. 
D)  a correlational result.

Question 19

The main reason for the persistence of many illusory correlations is the fact that

Accepted Answer

A)  many experimenters are not careful when calculating correlation coefficients or use the wrong statistical techniques. 
B)  many variables that were strongly correlated in the past have ceased to be correlated. 
C)  people intentionally deceive others for their own gain. 
D)  people's selectively remember facts that support their expectations. 
A)  many experimenters are not careful when calculating correlation coefficients or use the wrong statistical techniques. 
B)  many variables that were strongly correlated in the past have ceased to be correlated. 
C)  people intentionally deceive others for their own gain. 
D)  people's selectively remember facts that support their expectations.

Question 20

A correlation is a

Accepted Answer

A)  measurement of the changes in a person's behavior after a treatment. 
B)  careful study of a single person over time. 
C)  measurement of the difference between experimental and control groups. 
D)  measurement of the relationship between two variables. 
A)  measurement of the changes in a person's behavior after a treatment. 
B)  careful study of a single person over time. 
C)  measurement of the difference between experimental and control groups. 
D)  measurement of the relationship between two variables.

Exam 2: Scientific Methods in Psychology

A survey asked how many sex partners you hope to have in the future. The majority of men answered 1, 2, or 3, yet the mean was 64. How can that be?

Researchers report that people who smile frequently are more likely than other people to have many friends. Which of the following conclusions can we draw, if any?

Ethical standards for the treatment of participants

In the statistical expression "p < .05," the "p" represents

In one study, the experimental group is subjected to loud, unpredictable noises to see whether or not those noises will affect performance on a memory task. What will the control group do?

Naturalistic observation refers to the observation of

Suppose we find that how many hours various people have studied their textbook correlates -.60 with their knowledge about current television programs. We could conclude that, in general,

An operational definition is a definition that

Which of the following correlation coefficients indicates that you could use measurements of one variable to predict measurements of a second variable with perfect accuracy?

An experimenter kept students in a hot, neutral, or cold room and then tested their ability to memorize poetry. What was the dependent variable in this experiment?

If each subject in an experiment has an equal chance of being in the experimental group, then the experiment has

Psychology experiments have typically shown that

One reason why illusory correlations arise and persist is that

The main advantage of an experimental study, in contrast to a correlational study, is that an experiment is

A survey team asks questions of a group of people who have been carefully selected to be sure that they include the same percentages of male and female; old and young; and black, white, Asian, and Hispanic as the population as a whole. This group of people constitute a

To examine the value of looking at old tests, Professor King hands out copies of old tests to the first 20 students who come to class one day. Later she finds that these students got better grades than the other students in the class. What is wrong with this experiment?

Jane describes a dream she had that came true the next day. This is an example of

The main reason for the persistence of many illusory correlations is the fact that

A correlation is a

What Is Psychology

A --What Is Psychology

A--Scientific Methods in Psychology

Biological Psychology

A--Biological Psychology

Sensation and Perception

A--Sensation and Perception

Nature, Nurture, and Human Development

A--Nature, Nurture, and Human Development

Learning

A--Learning

Memory

A--Memory

Cognition and Language

A--Cognition and Language

Intelligence

A--Intelligence

Consciousness

A--Consciousness

Motivated Behaviors

A--Motivated Behaviors

Emotional Behaviors, Stress, and Health

A--Emotional Behaviors, Stress, and Health

Social Psychology

A--Social Psychology

Personality

A--Personality

Abnormality, Therapy, and Social Issues

A--Abnormality, Therapy, and Social Issues

Specific Disorders and Treatments

A--Specific Disorders and Treatments

Exam Extenssion: S 1-16--Final Examination

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