Deck 2: Studying Behaviour Scientifically

Question 1

A psychodynamic psychologist assumes that people with unresolved childhood issues are more susceptible to stress and anxiety.This psychologist's assumption is best viewed as an example of:

A)a hypothesis.
B)an experiment.
C)correlational research.
D)a dependent variable.

Answer 1

a hypothesis.

Question 2

A humanistic psychologist believes that people who don't have a clear sense of meaning in their lives are more vulnerable to depression and physical illness.This psychologist's beliefs are best viewed as an example of:

A)scientific skepticism.
B)a hypothesis.
C)a control group.
D)conducting research.

Answer 2

a hypothesis.

Question 3

Many people doubted Sigmund Freud and his psychodynamic theory.They wanted to know what evidence Freud was basing his conclusions on and wondered if there might be a better explanation for the causes of human behaviour.These people's doubts are most similar to which key scientific attitude?

A)curiosity
B)skepticism
C)liberalism
D)creativity

Answer 3

skepticism

Question 4

Which of the following lists the steps of the scientific process in the proper order?

A)conduct research,ask question,create hypothesis,analyze data,build theory
B)ask question,create hypothesis,conduct research,analyze data,build theory
C)ask question,conduct research,create hypothesis,build theory,analyze data
D)create hypothesis,ask question,conduct research,analyze data,build theory

Question 5

A distinction between theories and hypotheses is that:

A)theories tend to be broader than hypotheses.
B)hypotheses tend to be broader and more externally valid than theories.
C)theories tend to be externally valid while hypotheses tend to be internally valid.
D)theories use operational definitions while hypotheses do not.

Question 6

According to the results of John Darley and Bibb Latané's work,if you are robbed at gunpoint while walking home from the grocery store,your best chance of receiving help from witnesses would be when:

A)the robber wears a mask and thinks he is not recognized by bystanders
B)one person across the street witnesses the crime
C)several people getting off of a bus across the street see what is happening
D)it is broad daylight and the street is very crowded

Question 7

A formal set of statements that explains why and how certain events are related to one another is called a (n)_______________.

A)hypothesis
B)specific prediction
C)theory
D)operational definition

Question 8

One of the problems of after-the-fact or "hindsight" explanations is that:

A)there are many ways of explaining past events and there is usually no way to know which of these ways is correct.
B)they fail to provide a foundation on which further scientific study can occur.
C)they are usually too theoretically complex and sophisticated.
D)there are many ways of explaining past events,without overemphasizing external validity.

Question 9

A theory is best defined as:

A)a tentative explanation or prediction about some phenomenon.
B)a specific prediction,often in the form of an "if-then" statement.
C)conducting research to test a prediction.
D)a set of statements that explains the relationship between various events.

Question 10

John Darley's and Bibb Latané's statement,"IF an emergency occurs,THEN the greater the number of bystanders,the less likely any one bystander will be to intervene" is best considered an example of a(n):

A)specific prediction.
B)proven theory.
C)behavioural correlation.
D)initial research question.

Question 11

On the first day of school,Ted's grade 5 teacher asks her students to introduce themselves and tell the class what they did on their summer vacation.Ted notes that all of the smart kids had gone on great trips; so travel,he reasons,must make you smart.Ted gathers information from the students in his school and analyzes it.Ted is testing this ___________.

A)theory
B)fact
C)hypothesis
D)formal explanation

Question 12

John Darley and Bibb Latané made the following assumption: diffusion of responsibility reduces the likelihood of any single bystander feeling responsible to intervene in an emergency.This assumption is an example of a(n):

A)dependent variable.
B)operational definition.
C)independent variable.
D)hypothesis.

Question 13

Bruce notices that on the days that he eats lunch at Archie's diner,people are less likely to ask him to join them for the afternoon coffee break.Bruce wonders why this is happening and thinks his co-workers must assume he doesn't want coffee after a hearty lunch.If Bruce were to use the scientific process now that he has a tentative explanation,he would translate this into a(n):

A)specific prediction
B)trial
C)theory
D)experiment

Question 14

What three key attitudes did John Darley and Bibb Latané display in their research on "bystander apathy"?

A)curiosity,skepticism,open-mindedness
B)curiosity,optimism,open-mindedness
C)creativity,optimism,curiosity
D)rationality,curiosity,skepticism

Question 15

The first step in the scientific process is to:

A)create a hypothesis.
B)form a question about something interesting.
C)propose a prediction.
D)test a theory.

Question 16

As part of their research on bystander apathy,John Darley and Bibb Latané created fake "emergencies" in their experimental laboratory and observed people's responses.When making these observations,what step of the scientific process were they engaged in?

A)creating a hypothesis
B)creating a prediction
C)generating a theory
D)conducting research

Question 17

Sitting in class one day,Ben wonders aloud to his friend James,why it is that multiple-choice exams seem harder than essay exams.James,whose older sister is a college professor,tells him that research shows that it is easier to trick students with multiple-choice questions so they are in fact harder."Wow!" Ben thinks,"So that explains it." Ben would have been better off seeking another opinion,or at least asking James about the research he is talking about.If he had,Ben would be demonstrating a healthy scientific attitude of:

A)liberalism
B)skepticism
C)open-mindedness
D)creativity

Question 18

When presented with the findings of psychological research,it is not uncommon for people to comment that the results are trivial and obvious.This tendency is an illustration of the limitations of:

A)hypotheses.
B)hindsight understanding.
C)theories.
D)independent variables.

Question 19

A hypothesis is best considered as:

A)a tentative explanation about some phenomenon.
B)a specific prediction,often in the form of an "if-then" statement.
C)a set of formal statements that explain how certain events are related to one another.
D)an empirical or correlational statement.

Question 20

A researcher who is always willing to consider criticisms of his theory and to make theoretical revisions and adjustments when the evidence supports it is demonstrating behaviour most consistent with which key scientific attitude?

A)skepticism
B)curiosity
C)rationality
D)open-mindedness

Question 21

Which of the following was mentioned as a characteristic of a good theory?

A)Good theories are simple theories.
B)Good theories are long and explicative theories.
C)Good theories confirm pre-existing hypotheses.
D)Good theories focus on independent variables.

Question 22

An advantage of using operational definitions is that:

A)they allow other researchers to agree with these definitions.
B)they let other researchers know exactly what is meant by the various terms.
C)they automatically generate the relevant dependent and independent variables.
D)they are consistent with the law of parsimony.

Question 23

A psychologist is interested in studying stress.Since stress can mean different things to different people,she decides that she would like to assess stress by measuring people's blood pressure.This psychologist has just created:

A)a control group.
B)an operational definition.
C)an independent variable.
D)a case study.

Question 24

If a research study found that career motivation was higher among recent immigrants to Canada than long-standing Canadian residents,most people might readily offer several reasonable explanations for this finding.However,if a study found that career motivation was higher among long-standing Canadian residents than recent immigrants to Canada,most people might generate an equally convincing set of explanations.This example demonstrates the problems associated with:

A)operational definitions.
B)hypotheses.
C)after-the-fact explanations.
D)theoretical predictions.

Question 25

Professor Smith has developed a theory that is rather straightforward compared to the complex theory of Professor Jones.Both theories generate a number of new hypotheses from other researchers.Even though both theories predict the same phenomena well,the preferred theory is: ___________.

A)Professor Smith's because it conforms to the law of parsimony.
B)Professor Smith's because it will be easiest to prove.
C)Professor Jones' because it is complex and will generate more hypotheses.
D)Professor Jones' because its complexity allows for more testability.

Question 26

A child psychologist is working with a young child named Sally.In order to get more information,the psychologist interviews Sally's parents and asks them about Sally's childhood experiences.This would best be considered an example of which of the major ways of measuring behaviour?

A)self-report measures
B)physiological measures
C)reports by others
D)behavioural observations

Question 27

A researcher is interested in studying the frequency of aggression in school-aged children.Which would be the best method to use to measure aggression?

A)self-report measures
B)behavioural observations
C)physiological measures
D)archival records

Question 28

Imagine a research area in psychology where there are several seemingly conflicting findings and theories.You develop a new theory that resolves these conflicts and explains the findings of this area within a single broad framework.Your theory best demonstrates which characteristic of a good theory?

A)Your theory conforms to the law of parsimony.
B)Your theory's predictions are supported by previous research.
C)Your theory conforms to the law of simplicity.
D)Your theory organizes information in a meaningful way.

Question 29

In research,any characteristic that can vary is called a(n)____________.

A)operational definition
B)hypothesis
C)variable
D)theory

Question 30

The essential function of an operational definition is that it translates something:

A)observable into something abstract and measurable.
B)measurable into something abstract and observable.
C)observable into something abstract and measurable
D)abstract into something observable and measurable.

Question 31

The notion that if two theories can equally explain and predict the same phenomenon,then the simpler one is the preferred theory is the law of____________.

A)least complexity
B)parsimony
C)consistency
D)simplicity

Question 32

This is a type of definition that defines a variable in terms of the specific procedures used to measure it:

A)dependent definition
B)independent definition
C)operational definition
D)representative definition

Question 33

After a visit to her doctor,Kristen is told she has a rare disease and needs surgery immediately.When Kristen seeks a second opinion,she avoids a hindsight understanding from her second doctor.What did Kristen do to avoid the second doctor's hindsight understanding?

A)She told the second doctor the first doctor's diagnosis so that she has all of the information necessary to make her own diagnosis.
B)She told the second doctor the first doctor's diagnosis because it is rare and the symptoms might be easily missed.
C)She did not tell the second doctor the first doctor's diagnosis,as the second opinion is costing her just as much as the first.
D)She did not tell the second doctor the first doctor's diagnosis so he/she is not influenced by the first doctor's explanation.

Question 34

The social desirability bias exists as a limitation of which of the ways of measuring behaviour?

A)physiological measures
B)behavioural observations
C)reports by others
D)self-report measures

Question 35

Which of the following is a characteristic of a good theory?

A)A good theory is complex and sophisticated.
B)A good theory is difficult to test through empirical science.
C)A good theory organizes information in a meaningful way.
D)A good theory uses operational definitions.

Question 36

A psychologist during the time of Freud creates a new and different theory designed to explain human behaviour.Using this new theory,it is relatively easy to design studies and experiments to evaluate its validity.This is in contrast to the concepts of Freud's theory,which were very difficult to measure.This new theory best illustrates which characteristic of good theory?

A)The theory is testable.
B)The theory is parsimonious.
C)The theory is consistent with previous research findings.
D)The theory organizes information in a meaningful way.

Question 37

The tendency to respond in a socially appropriate manner rather than according to how a person actually thinks,feels,or behaves is called the:

A)social acceptability bias.
B)social desirability bias.
C)social adequacy bias.
D)social worth bias.

Question 38

Scientists typically test their understanding through:

A)prediction and control.
B)the use of narrative research.
C)examining existing variables.
D)the use of survey research.

Question 39

Shireen thinks people learn better when they enjoy the course for which they are studying.In order to test her prediction,she must operationalize her variables.Which of the following best represents valid operational definitions of the variables contained within her prediction?

A)test score; attitude towards the course
B)number of hours studying; attitude towards the course
C)test score; attendance at lectures
D)number of hours studying; attitude towards the course.

Question 40

A researcher is interested in studying what factors influence interpersonal attraction.In a study designed to explore this variable,the researcher uses a very attractive person for an assistant.Interpersonal attraction is then assessed by whether the people participating in the study call up the attractive assistant to ask the person on a date.In this example,the means used to assess interpersonal attraction would be considered a(n):

A)correlational study
B)hypothesis
C)case study
D)operational definition

Question 41

People sometimes change their behaviour when they know that they are being observed.To counter this problem,psychologists monitor behaviours in a way that people are unaware that they are being observed.These measures are called___________.

A)hidden measures
B)unintentional measures
C)unobtrusive measures
D)subtle measures

Question 42

An fMRI study confirmed that the visual cortex independently processes object perception and object ______ .

A)shape
B)action
C)size.
D)colour

Question 43

An in-depth study of an individual,group,or event is called ____________________.

A)naturalistic observation
B)survey
C)case study
D)correlational study

Question 44

In a study designed to investigate the causes of stress,a psychological researcher measures stress by monitoring people's heart rate and blood pressure.In this study,the researcher has utilized which method of measuring behaviour?

A)self-report measures
B)archival records
C)physiological measures
D)behavioural observations

Question 45

Two research assistants trained to code the type of interactions observed between siblings,repeatedly disagree on how to code siblings' sarcastic comments toward one another.The resulting data may then be:

A)useful,as there is diversity in the observation
B)useful,the consistent disagreement can be further studied
C)useless,the coding system may be faulty
D)useless,the information learned may be unreliable

Question 46

In order to assess the effectiveness of a new provincewide seatbelt law,researchers collect data from the department of transportation regarding the number of traffic fatalities in the last year.This type of measurement of behaviour is called a(n):

A)chronological record.
B)archival record.
C)historical record.
D)sequential record.

Question 47

Brain imaging technology is generally used to explore the following:

A)physical disabilities
B)motivation
C)drug efficacy
D)social skills acquisition

Question 48

One of the major limitations of behavioural observations is that:

A)researchers know that people may behave differently when they know they are being watched.
B)researchers know that people may not behave differently when they know they are being watched.
C)researchers do not know whether people's behaviours are internally valid.
D)researchers do not know what a given physiological response really means.

Question 49

Despite having excellent vision,Kris was unable to grasp or pick up objects properly.It is likely that he has damaged his:

A)visual cortex: ventral stream.
B)visual cortex: dorsal stream.
C)motor cortex.
D)cerebellum.

Question 50

Case study method was used to study the program to train mothers of failure-to-thrive infants in nutrition and feeding techniques at Surrey Place Centre in Toronto.Case study method helped researchers to:

A)study the phenomenon and determine the cause of infant wait gain due to the program.
B)illustrate effective interventions developed by clinical psychologists to treat special populations.
C)generalize the findings to other training programs.
D)access and use archival methods.

Question 51

Which of the following is an advantage of the case study method of research?

A)Case studies are generalizable to the population at large.
B)Case studies are a good method for studying rare events.
C)Case studies are very useful for determining cause-effect relationships.
D)Case studies are a good method for studying a large number of participants.

Question 52

At the University of Western Ontario,Mel Goodale and his colleagues' studied a patient who had suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning and had suffered damage to several parts of her brain.The research on this patient provided evidence that perception and action can be processed independently,by different parts of the human brain.The research method used was:

A)case study.
B)correlational study.
C)experimental.
D)naturalistic observation.

Question 53

An important limitation of the case study research method is that it:

A)is a poor method for determining cause-effect relationships.
B)is a poor source for new ideas and hypotheses.
C)is a poor method for studying rare events.
D)is a poor source for studying people.

Question 54

A researcher wants to know how much TV students in a dorm are watching,but she has noticed that students tend to leave the TV room when she comes into see who is watching.To get around this problem,she decides to observe wear-and-tear on the TV remote control as a measure of how much TV is being watched.Like many psychologists,this researcher is using a(n):

A)unobtrusive measure.
B)hypothetical measure.
C)double-blind measure.
D)placebo measure.

Question 55

A social psychologist is interested in studying aggression in sports fans.He goes to various sporting events and keeps track of the number of aggressive acts that occur between fans using a well-defined coding system.This psychologist is using which of the following ways of measuring behaviour?

A)self-report measures
B)physiological measures
C)behavioural observations
D)scientific measures

Question 56

A limitation of physiological measures of behaviour is that:

A)they are subject to the social desirability bias of physiological measurement.
B)they are subject to random sampling of physiological measures.
C)they fail to use operational definitions for physiological measures.
D)they fail to convey what a given physiological response means.

Question 57

If a measure of behaviour is reliable,we know that it is:

A)valid.
B)operationally defined.
C)based on a theory.
D)consistent.

Question 58

Case study is considered which kind of method of research?

A)descriptive research
B)correlational research
C)experimental research
D)hypothetical research

Question 59

Pre-existing documents that researchers use to gather information about people's overt behaviours are called _____________.

A)archival records
B)physiological reports
C)self-report measures
D)random samples

Question 60

Imagine that someone has developed an absurd theory that asserts that every child with blond hair will be over 6 feet tall when they are adults.An adult friend of yours is blond but happens to only be 5'6".This example best demonstrates which of the following advantages of the case study method?

A)Case studies are useful for studying rare events.
B)A single case study can challenge the validity of a theory.
C)A single case study can be a rich source for new ideas and hypotheses.
D)Case studies tend to have variables with stronger operational definitions than do other methods.

Question 61

A sample in a survey should accurately reflect the important characteristics of the population from which it is drawn.For example,if a certain population has 53% women and the sample has 53% women,then the sample is said to be a:

A)random sample.
B)representative sample.
C)random assignment.
D)select sample.

Question 62

Which of the following statements regarding survey research is true?

A)It is better to have a smaller sample than a larger sample.
B)It is better to have a larger unrepresentative sample than a smaller representative sample.
C)It is better to have a smaller representative sample than a larger unrepresentative sample.
D)It does not matter whether the sample size is small or large .

Question 63

Which of the following statements about naturalistic observations is true?

A)Naturalistic observations often make use of the double-blind procedure.
B)Naturalistic observations do not contribute to making causal conclusions.
C)Naturalistic observations tend to have low external validity.
D)Naturalistic observations tend to have more independent than dependent variables.

Question 64

A researcher is examining the relation between two variables: variable X and variable Y.If she is conducting a correlational study,the researcher measures variable X and _______________ variable Y.

A)manipulates
B)discounts
C)maintains
D)measures

Question 65

In survey research,a sample is defined as:

A)a subset of individuals drawn from the entire group in which we are interested.
B)all the individuals about whom we are interested in drawing conclusions.
C)a specific percentage of the individuals we are interested in drawing conclusions about.
D)a pilot survey designed to determine whether there are any problems with the instrument.

Question 66

As part of a class on animal learning,students are sent to a local park and are asked to watch and record the feeding behaviour of the crows there.These students are engaged in which method of research?

A)a case study
B)naturalistic observation
C)a survey
D)an experiment

Question 67

An important advantage of the method of naturalistic observation is that:

A)it can provide important information on cause-effect relationships.
B)it can more easily be incorporated into meta-analyses.
C)it can provide detailed information on naturally occurring behaviour.
D)it can more easily be matched to correlational research.

Question 68

Which of the following was discussed as a potential limitation of naturalistic observation?

A)The observer's presence may disrupt or influence the behaviour of the person or animal he/she is watching.
B)The settings in which naturalistic observations typically occur tend to have low external validity.
C)Naturalistic observation often makes improper use of random assignment.
D)Naturalistic observation relies too heavily on the use of archival data about the person or animal being observed.

Question 69

While conducting a research interview,a participant becomes slightly embarrassed and decides to answer the questions in such a way as to make himself look more friendly and acceptable to the interviewer.This example most clearly demonstrates which limitation of interview methods in research?

A)experimenter effects
B)demand characteristics
C)social desirability bias
D)random sampling

Question 70

Which of the following is a disadvantage of the case study research method?

A)A single case study cannot be used to refute or challenge a theory.
B)Case studies often have high internal validity.
C)Case studies often have questionable generalizability.
D)A case study is a poor method for studying rare events or people.

Question 71

A researcher who observes behaviour as it occurs in a normal or typical setting is doing ____________.

A)survey research
B)a case study
C)correlational research
D)naturalistic observation

Question 72

In survey research,a population is defined as:

A)the number of people selected to be in a survey.
B)the number of people who actually complete a survey.
C)the number of individuals who responded in a survey with a particular response (e.g.,53 percent "yes",47 percent "no").
D)the number of individuals about whom we are interested in drawing conclusions.

Question 73

Dr.Jones is interested in conducting a survey of all the college students at her university.She is careful when conducting her research to make sure that each student on campus has an equal opportunity to participate in her survey.To create her survey sample,Dr.Jones will use:

A)random sampling.
B)random assignment.
C)random preference.
D)random appointment.

Question 74

What type of research gathers information about an area of interest by administering questionnaires or interviews to many people?

A)case studies
B)naturalistic observations
C)survey research
D)experimental research

Question 75

Sally wants to know what percentage of Canadian university students are receiving financial aid their first year in university.Sally attends a small university with a large percentage of students who commute to campus every day.Sally stands outside of the residence dining hall one weekday evening and hands out surveys to every third person entering the hall for dinner.Sally's data will be invalid because ___________.

A)she did not use a representative sample.
B)she did not define her population.
C)she did not use random sampling.
D)she did not pilot test her survey.

Question 76

In order to learn about the social behaviour of children,a developmental psychologist goes to an elementary school,finds a seat near one of the windows in a classroom,and watches the children playing on the playground outside during recess.This psychologist is engaged in which method of research?

A)naturalistic observation
B)correlational research
C)a case study
D)experimental research

Question 77

In order to estimate the results in a local election,a pollster contacts a select group of people and asks them how they voted.The pollster is using which of the following research methods?

A)correlational research
B)survey research
C)a case study
D)naturalistic observation

Question 78

While conducting a phone survey,the interviewer asks questions in such a way that it influences and affects the answers of the people she is interviewing.This example most clearly demonstrates which limitation of survey research?

A)social desirability bias
B)random assignment
C)interviewer bias
D)demand characteristics

Question 79

York University's Pepler and colleagues studied bullying behaviour by elementary-aged children as it occurred during school recess.They found that:

A)the observations made during the research permitted causal conclusions about bullying behaviour.
B)the research methods did not influence the children's behaviours.
C)the children's self-reports about bullying did not accurately reflect how the children were observed to behave.
D)naturalistic observation was not an effective research method for studying children's bullying behaviour.

Question 80

An advantage of survey research is that it:

A)allows us to make inferences regarding cause-effect relations.
B)is an efficient way to gather information about people's opinions and lifestyles.
C)is usually conducted without people knowing what they are being asked.
D)is very effective at reducing the placebo effect.