Deck 4: The Research Enterprise in Psychology Part 2

Question 1

The social desirability bias is a tendency to answer questions about oneself

A) by agreeing with nearly every statement.
B) by disagreeing with nearly every statement.
C) in a socially approved manner.
D) in a socially disapproved manner.

Answer 1

in a socially approved manner.

Question 2

Sampling bias is a problem because it

A) limits the generality of the findings.
B) makes it impossible to use inferential statistics.
C) makes it difficult to avoid a confounding of variables.
D) makes the effect of the independent variable appear to be bigger than it really is.

Answer 2

limits the generality of the findings.

Question 3

In scientific research when participants' expectations lead them to experience some change even though they received an empty, fake, or ineffectual treatment it is referred to as

A) experimenter bias.
B) subject bias.
C) the placebo effect.
D) a distortion in self-report.

Answer 3

the placebo effect.

Question 4

Sometimes a subject's expectations may lead to behavior change in the absence of any effective treatment. This is referred to as an example of

A) sampling bias.
B) experimenter bias.
C) socially desirable responding.
D) the placebo effect.

Question 5

Placebos are used in research to control for

A) nontreatment effects.
B) the subjects' expectations about treatment.
C) secondary drug effects.
D) random fluctuations in the independent variable.

Question 6

Placebo effects occur when

A) the sample is not representative of the population.
B) two variables are confounded.
C) subjects are influenced by the social desirability bias.
D) due to their expectations, subjects experience some change from a nonexistent or ineffective treatment.

Question 7

One is most likely to encounter problems with the social desirability bias when using

A) self-reports.
B) case studies.
C) naturalistic observations.
D) the experimental method.

Question 8

Subjects' self-reports often indicate that they are healthier, happier, and less prejudiced than other types of evidence would suggest. The most likely explanation is

A) experimenter bias.
B) faulty memory.
C) the social desirability bias.
D) a tendency to agree with almost every statement.

Question 9

Dr. Stillingsworth is interested in people's reactions to a controversial jury verdict. Dr. Stillingsworth calls people at their home between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon. In this example Dr. Stillingsworth has MOST likely selected

A) a representative sample.
B) a biased population.
C) a biased sample.
D) a statistically significant population.

Question 10

The tendency to respond to questions in a manner unrelated to the content of a question is called

A) cognitive confabulation.
B) response set.
C) counter confound.
D) counter placebo effect.

Question 11

When, or if, a research project uses a sample that is NOT representative of the population from which it was drawn, the project would show the effect of

A) experimenter bias.
B) sampling bias.
C) placebo effect.
D) subject bias.

Question 12

Dr. Limmex is trying to win FDA approval for a new drug to treat anxiety. Dr. Limmex claims that 14% of the people who took this new drug reported reduced anxiety; however other researchers claim that 14% of patients who receive no treatment also report reductions in their anxiety levels. It appears that the patients who improved after taking Dr. Limmex's drug

A) had a self-report bias.
B) may have been experiencing placebo effects.
C) were a non-representative sample.
D) should have been placed in the control group, rather than the experimental group.

Question 13

Research involving the repetition of a study to see whether the earlier results can be duplicated are referred to as

A) verification studies.
B) replication studies.
C) clarification studies.
D) duplication studies.

Question 14

If a college professor surveyed his students about their attitudes concerning the social security system and concluded that young adults doubt that they will ever receive social security benefits, his conclusion would be flawed because

A) his students were not a representative sample of young adults.
B) he did not survey the entire population of young adults.
C) he knew his subjects before he surveyed them.
D) his students were a random sample.

Question 15

The tendency for survey subjects to provide answers that place them in a favorable light is referred to as

A) sampling bias.
B) response stereotyping.
C) a placebo effect.
D) socially desirable responding.

Question 16

The subjects who participate in an experiment should

A) all be chosen from the same geographical area and socioeconomic class.
B) be allowed to choose which group they would like to be in.
C) come from a wide range of different age groups.
D) be carefully chosen so they are a representative sample of the population.

Question 17

While a(n) ____ is the group of individuals actually observed in a research study, the ____ is the group of individuals that researchers want to generalize or extend their findings to describe.

A) experimental group; control group
B) control group; experimental group
C) population; sample
D) sample; population

Question 18

Reinhold is filling out the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and as he reads each question he thinks about the way most other people would probably respond. When he answers, he selects the alternative that he thinks will present the most favorable impression. Reinhold's answers reflect

A) a social desirability bias.
B) a negative response set.
C) the placebo effect.
D) non-representative sampling.

Question 19

Darla has sent out a survey in which she is asking people to provide information about their attitudes on a number of sensitive subjects. When the surveys are returned Darla needs to be aware that the responses may be distorted due to

A) placebo effects.
B) self-report biases.
C) statistical artifacts.
D) meta-analytic controls.

Question 20

In an investigation of the effects of caffeine on concentration, half the participants were given regular colas which contained caffeine and half were given decaffeinated colas. In this study, the decaffeinated colas are being used as

A) a confounding variable.
B) a random factor.
C) the dependent variable.
D) a placebo.

Question 21

Experimenter bias typically results in

A) the effects of the bias disconfirming the experimenter's expectations.
B) the effects of the bias confirming the experimenter's expectations.
C) results that are not statistically significant.
D) the placebo effect.

Question 22

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

A) neutral sample procedure
B) single blind procedure
C) double blind procedure
D) blind sample procedure

Question 23

Which of the following statements concerning experimenter bias is false?

A) experimenter bias may influence the behavior of the participants
B) experimenter bias is often intentional
C) experimenter bias may influence the researcher's observations or recording of participants responses
D) experimenter bias may influence the research project in subtle ways

Question 24

One method to control for experimenter bias effects in research is to use

A) a socially desirable procedure.
B) reverse control groups.
C) a double-blind procedure.
D) a non-representative sample.

Question 25

The experimental procedure in which both the experimenter and subject are unaware of who is in the experimental and who is in the control group is referred to as the

A) placebo control procedure.
B) stereotaxic procedure.
C) single-blind procedure.
D) double-blind procedure.

Question 26

Experimenter bias occurs when

A) experimenters explicitly instruct the subjects to behave in a way that will be consistent with the hypothesis.
B) experimenters desire to make a favorable impression on their subjects.
C) experimenters' beliefs in their own hypotheses affect either the subjects' behavior or their observations of the subjects.
D) experimenters conduct their studies in a completely objective manner.

Question 27

Dr. Webb designs a research study in which neither the subjects nor the individuals who interact directly with the subjects know which is the control group and which is the experimental group in the study. Dr. Webb probably chose this type of research design in order to

A) avoid the need to obtain ethics approval for the study.
B) minimize the possibility of self-report bias.
C) ensure that her sample is not biased.
D) reduce the impact of experimenter bias.

Question 28

Scarlett is a graduate student who is observing children playing together after watching a film. She knows that some children saw a film that contained graphic scenes of violence and some children saw a non-violent film, but she doesn't know which film each child she is observing watched. In this case, Scarlett is recording data for

A) a double-blind research study.
B) a study with two independent variables.
C) an unethical research study.
D) a correlational study with confounded variables.

Question 29

In which of the scientific research methods are distortions in self-report MOST likely to be of concern to the researcher?

A) experimental method
B) correlational method
C) naturalistic observation method
D) survey method

Question 30

Which type of error is the research study by Rosenthal and Fode described in the text book is used to illustrate?

A) the placebo effect
B) double-blind research studies
C) confounded dependent variables
D) experimenter bias

Question 31

When a researcher's expectations or preferences about the outcome of a study influence the results obtained it is referred to as

A) experimenter bias.
B) subject bias.
C) the sampling effect.
D) the placebo effect.

Question 32

The most common types of psychological research conducted over the Internet are

A) experiments and surveys.
B) surveys and case studies.
C) case studies and naturalistic observation.
D) naturalistic observation and experiments.

Question 33

Which of the following is NOT a major source of distortions in self-report in scientific research?

A) the participants are not a representative sample
B) the participants may fail to remember information correctly
C) the participants may have misunderstood the question
D) the participants may have a tendency to give socially approved answers to the questions

Question 34

Melvin and Leigh are interviewing students at their campus to determine if the students agree or disagree with a proposed policy change. Melvin believes the proposed policy change is a good idea, but Leigh believes the change will be bad for students. Nearly all the students who Melvin interviewed supported the policy change, but nearly all the students who Leigh interviewed disapproved of the change. The differences in the results illustrate the potential impact of

A) the placebo effect.
B) double-blind research studies.
C) confounded dependent variables.
D) experimenter bias.

Question 35

Malinda is filling out a survey for a marketing agency in order to be eligible for a grand prize drawing. She doesn't actually read many of the questions, and simply answers "yes" to everything. Malinda's answers to the survey reflect

A) a social desirability bias.
B) the placebo effect.
C) a response set.
D) an interaction effect.

Question 36

Dr. Hugo designs an experiment to test the effectiveness of a new antidepressant drug. Half the participants will receive the actual drug and half will receive a sugar pill, but neither the participants nor the researchers who administer the drug will know who is receiving the actual drug and who is receiving the placebo. In this case, Dr. Hugo has designed

A) a study that will minimize self-report bias.
B) an unethical research procedure.
C) a double-blind research study.
D) a correlational study with two confounded factors.

Question 37

The fact that many times researchers unintentionally influence the outcome of their studies implies the existence of

A) experimenter bias.
B) a placebo effect.
C) sampling bias.
D) social desirability.

Question 38

John dislikes completing questionnaires, so each time he fills one out he always circles the same item (such as "strongly agree" or "strongly disagree"). John's behavior reflects

A) the placebo effect.
B) a sampling bias.
C) social desirability.
D) a response set.

Question 39

Which of the following terms is used to describe a situation in which a researcher's expectations or preferences about the outcome of a study influence the results obtained?

A) a social desirability bias
B) the placebo effect
C) a response set
D) experimenter bias

Question 40

Which of the following statements is MOST accurate concerning the results of the research study by Rosenthal and Fode described in the text book?

A) Half of the experimenters were told that the ratings would average -5 and half were told to expect ratings of +5.
B) The experimenters were prevented from conversing with their subjects.
C) The experimenter's expectations influenced the ratings given by the subjects.
D) A double blind procedure was used in the study.

Question 41

Which of the following is NOT a reason psychologists use animals in research?

A) They simply want to know more about the behavior of that specific animal.
B) They can expose them to treatments that are unacceptable with human subjects.
C) They want to see if certain laws of behavior apply to both humans and animals.
D) Animals are entitled to the same rights as human subjects.

Question 42

Zigfried Rosenblat, Jr. took part in a study on sexual deviance last year. He was somewhat dismayed when he read an article in a weekly journal discussing sexual deviance in which one patient was referred to as ZRJ. Although the article claimed all names had been disguised to protect personal identities, Zigfried is convinced he is the individual described in the article. In this case, it is possible that the researchers who conducted the study violated the ethical principle of

A) informed consent.
B) right to privacy.
C) full disclosure.
D) adequate debriefing.

Question 43

The single issue citizens write about most often to their congresspersons and the President is

A) homelessness.
B) animal welfare.
C) the drug problem.
D) crime.

Question 44

Research has revealed that subjects who participated in research involving deception

A) were psychologically distressed at being deceived.
B) suffered extreme embarrassment at being "fooled."
C) didn't mind being misled and generally enjoyed taking part in research.
D) lost the ability to trust others.

Question 45

Deception is used in some research in order to

A) help control for placebo effects.
B) help aid in double-blind procedures.
C) prevent socially desirable responding.
D) encourage socially desirable responding.

Question 46

Samantha took part in a study that she was told was investigating the relationship between future goals and school grades. First, she sat alone in a room with a plate of cookies in front of her for 30 minutes. After that she was asked to complete a brief questionnaire about her future goals and plans. After she completed the survey Samantha was told that the researchers were not interested in her answers to the questionnaire, instead they actually counted the number of cookies Samantha ate while in the room alone. In this case, it would appear that the researchers who conducted the experiment used

A) a double-blind procedure.
B) experimenter bias.
C) deception.
D) a social desirability bias.

Question 47

Which of the following statements is most accurate?

A) More than one-third of all psychological studies involve animals.
B) The American Psychological Association has developed strict ethical guidelines for research involving animals.
C) There have been few, if any, major advances in the treatment of mental or physical disorders in humans that are attributable to animal research.
D) The majority of psychological studies using animals involve painful or harmful manipulations.

Question 48

Dr. Jacobsen is investigating the link between social support networks and grades in school. Students in his classes are required to complete survey forms related to this research; however they are never told about the purpose of the survey. In this case, some researchers might argue that Dr. Jacobsen's research violates the ethical principle of

A) right to privacy.
B) protection for harm.
C) full disclosure.
D) informed consent.

Question 49

Which of the following statements regarding the use of animals in psychological research is MOST accurate?

A) animals are used as subjects in less than 10% of psychological research studies
B) psychologists, if given a choice, always prefer to conduct animal research instead of human research
C) most animal research involves exposing the animals to painful procedures
D) while ethical principles govern the treatment of humans in research, there are no ethical principles for conducting animal research

Question 50

One of the major concerns associated with Internet-mediated research is

A) the lack of diversity in the final sample.
B) the increased complexity of the final data analysis.
C) the potential for sampling bias.
D) the impact of the social desirability bias on individual responses.

Question 51

Which of the following is NOT one of the advantages that is associated with psychological research conducted over the Internet?

A) Data collection costs are typically lower when data is collected over the Internet.
B) Internet studies tend to have higher participation rates than conventional studies.
C) It typically takes less time to complete a study conducted through the Internet.
D) Internet studies can obtain samples that are much more diverse.

Question 52

The primary reason for the ethical dilemmas psychologists encounter regarding the use of deception in research reflects concerns

A) whether the deception affects all participants equally.
B) for the well-being of animals used in research.
C) about the possibility of inflicting harm on human subjects.
D) whether subjects believe the deception.

Question 53

Which of the following statements regarding the use of deception in psychological research is false?

A) defenders of deception believe that some research questions can only be studied by using deception
B) critics of deception believe that the conclusions from studies involving deception are not valid
C) critics of deception believe that the deception may result in subjects becoming less trusting of others
D) participants in research involving the use of deception generally report that they enjoyed the experience

Question 54

Which of the following is NOT one of the arguments that critics have used to argue against the use of deception in psychological research?

A) Lying is inherently immoral.
B) Subjects' ability to trust others may be undermined.
C) Subjects are likely to experience severe physical or psychological harm in this type of research.
D) Subjects may be made to feel foolish when the true purpose of the study is revealed.

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT a criticism of using animals in psychological research?

A) Many of the studies are trivial.
B) It is unethical to subject an animal to pain.
C) The studies cost too much for the limited amount of information they provide.
D) The studies are a waste of time, as the results often do not apply to humans.

Question 56

Which of the following is NOT one of the concerns that has been raised regarding psychological research conducted over the Internet?

A) The data are collected under less controlled conditions.
B) It is difficult or impossible to collect data from special populations.
C) The sample may be biased toward participants who are relatively young and affluent.
D) The participation rate tend to be lower than for a comparable non-Internet study.

Question 57

Compared to the samples typically used in laboratory research, studies conducted over the Internet often produce samples that are

A) much smaller and much less diverse.
B) much smaller but much more diverse.
C) much larger but much less diverse.
D) much larger and much more diverse.

Question 58

Which of the following reasons for conducting psychological research with animals is MOST controversial?

A) animals can live in research labs 24 hours a day while that would not be practical for human subjects
B) animals can be exposed to treatments that would be unacceptable to expose humans to
C) psychologists desire to understand and explain the behavior of certain species of animals
D) psychologists believe that the results of animal research can help identify general principles of behavior that are relevant to humans

Question 59

Which of the following statements is MOST accurate?

A) Deception has never been used in psychological research.
B) Although deception has been used in the past, it has recently been banned by the American Psychological Association.
C) In recent years, there has been a steady increase in the use of deception in psychological research.
D) Deception has been fairly common in psychological research since the 1960s.

Question 60

Which of the following is NOT included in the ethical guidelines for human participants in psychological research?

A) Participants should not be subjected to harmful or dangerous treatments.
B) Participants should be paid for their participation.
C) Participants' right to privacy should not be compromised.
D) Participants should volunteer to participate.

Question 61

The fact that research results can be affected by experimenter bias illustrates which of your text's unifying themes?

A) Our behavior is shaped by our cultural heritage.
B) Psychology is theoretically diverse.
C) Our experience of the world is highly subjective.
D) Behavior is determined by multiple causes.

Question 62

The abstract of a journal article provides

A) a concise summary of the entire article.
B) an overview of the research problem, relevant theories, and previous research.
C) a description of the research methods used in the study.
D) a concise summary of the raw data and statistical analyses.

Question 63

The data obtained in a research study, along with the statistical analyses, are reported in the

A) introduction section of a journal article.
B) results section of a journal article.
C) method section of a journal article.
D) discussion section of a journal article.

Question 64

According to the ethical guidelines for psychological research with humans, if you agree to be a participant in a research study you would understand that you

A) will not be exposed to harmful or dangerous treatments.
B) will not be exposed to deception.
C) have to commit to participating in the entire research study.
D) do not have the right to privacy.

Question 65

Individuals using PsycINFO can do all the following EXCEPT

A) see online a brief summary of a specific research article published in a journal.
B) see online a complete version of a specific research article published in a journal.
C) search for research articles authored by a specific individual.
D) search for research articles related to a specific topic.

Question 66

A summary of research literature in psychology can be obtained by looking in

A) Psychological Review.
B) PsychINFO.
C) Psychology Today.
D) the American Psychological Association home page.

Question 67

In psychology, MOST journal articles are

A) descriptions of newly developed theories.
B) reports that describe original empirical studies.
C) criticisms of previously published research.
D) reviews that summarize and reconcile the findings from a large number of studies.

Question 68

A periodical that published technical and scholarly material in a specific field is referred to as a

A) blog.
B) magazine.
C) publication.
D) journal.

Question 69

The various methods and procedures used in conducting psychological research and evaluating the research of other psychologists are consistent with which unifying theme in psychology?

A) psychology is empirical
B) psychology is theoretically diverse
C) our behavior is determined by multiple causes
D) our behavior is shaped by our cultural heritage

Question 70

The fact that subjects sometimes report beneficial effects from a placebo treatment illustrates which of your text's unifying themes?

A) Our experience of the world is highly subjective.
B) Psychology is empirical.
C) Heredity and environment jointly influence behavior.
D) Our behavior is shaped by our cultural heritage.

Question 71

Mackenzie took part in an experiment where she was told she would be required to sit alone in a darkened room for 30 minutes, after which she would be asked to complete a brief questionnaire about her future goals and plans. When she finished the questionnaire she was told the experiment was over. Mackenzie never really understood the purpose of the study, and she wasn't sure why she had to wait in the darkened room before filling out the short questionnaire. In this case, it would appear that the researchers who conducted the experiment

A) did not use an adequate debriefing procedure.
B) failed to obtain informed consent.
C) violated Mackenzie's right to privacy.
D) did not provide adequate protection from harm.

Question 72

In psychology, most journal articles

A) are reports that describe original, empirical studies.
B) summarize and reconcile the findings from a large number of studies on a specific issue.
C) propose new theories that are intended to stimulate research.
D) describe and evaluate new treatment methods for psychological disorders.

Question 73

PsychINFO contains

A) an alphabetical listing of the titles of all the psychological research studies published in a year.
B) the full text of articles published in 100 major psychological journals.
C) a descriptive listing of all the current web resources related to the field of psychology.
D) brief abstracts of psychological research published in journal articles, books, and chapters in edited books.

Question 74

The hypotheses for a research study are most likely to be found in the

A) methodology section of a journal article.
B) reference section of a journal article.
C) results section of a journal article.
D) introduction section of a journal article.

Question 75

The fact that researchers focus their attention on findings that are unlikely to have occurred by chance illustrates which of your text's unifying themes?

A) Our experience of the world is highly subjective.
B) Psychology is empirical.
C) Behavior is determined by multiple causes.
D) Psychology is theoretically diverse.

Question 76

Publishing research results so others can subject the methods and conclusions to critical scrutiny illustrates which of your text's unifying themes?

A) Behavior is determined by multiple causes.
B) Psychology is theoretically diverse.
C) Our experience of the world is highly subjective.
D) Psychology is empirical.

Question 77

Articles published in technical and scholarly journals are written for

A) students majoring in that field.
B) other professionals in that field.
C) the general public.
D) anyone with an interest in the topic.

Question 78

A computerized database that allows individuals to locate journal articles and other published works related to psychological research is

A) The Citation Index.
B) American Psychological Association Online.
C) Psychology Today.
D) PsycINFO.

Question 79

According to the ethical guidelines for conducting psychological research with animals, exposing animals to harmful or painful procedures

A) is justified if the research design requires the harmful or painful procedures.
B) is justified for lower animals but not for primates.
C) cannot be justified unless the potential benefits of the research are substantial.
D) is never justified.

Question 80

Dr. Dickinson is investigating the link between social support networks and grades in school. Students in his classes are required to complete survey forms related to this research. If a survey form is not completed by the end of the semester a student's grade is reduced by 10 points. In this case, some researchers might argue that Dr. Dickinson's research violates the ethical principle of

A) right to privacy.
B) full disclosure.
C) voluntary participation.
D) protection from harm.