Deck 3: The Research Enterprise in Psychology Part 1

Question 1

Any measurable conditions, events, characteristics, or behaviors that are controlled or observed in a study are called

A) hypotheses.
B) correlations.
C) variables.
D) confounds.

Answer 1

variables.

Question 2

Answering the question of "why" something happens is most closely associated with which goal of science?

A) the search for truth
B) application and control
C) measurement and description
D) understanding and prediction

Answer 2

understanding and prediction

Question 3

The use of ____ allow scientists to objectively ____ behavior.

A) application tools; understand
B) application tools; describe
C) measurement techniques; understand
D) measurement techniques; describe

Answer 3

measurement techniques; describe

Question 4

Which is NOT among the goals of psychology?

A) the development of measurement techniques for describing behavior precisely and accurately
B) understanding why certain behaviors occur
C) applications of research findings to solve everyday problems
D) searching for absolute truths about behavior

Question 5

Mrs. Smith, an elementary school teacher, believes that girls are smarter than boys. She predicts that the girls in her class will learn more than the boys during the school year. Her prediction is a(n)

A) hypothesis.
B) opinion.
C) fact.
D) theory.

Question 6

The scientific approach assumes that

A) events are governed by some lawful order.
B) each event is completely unique.
C) there are no general laws or principles that apply to human behavior.
D) the search for absolute truth is the ultimate goal.

Question 7

The use of reinforcement principles to modify a child's unruly behavior reflects the goal of science that deals with

A) understanding and prediction.
B) measurement and description.
C) deterministic and teleological.
D) application and control.

Question 8

If a psychologist hopes that his research will help to solve some practical problem, his hope reflects which goal of science?

A) application and control
B) construction and revision
C) understanding and prediction
D) measurement and description

Question 9

The ____ approach assumes that events are governed by some lawful order.

A) philosophical
B) mechanical
C) scientific
D) cognitive

Question 10

Dr. Marqueta believes that "misery loves company." Based on this belief, Dr. Marqueta predicts that people who have received bad news will seek out other people. Dr. Marqueta's belief is an example of ____, and her prediction is an example of ____.

A) a hypothesis; a theory
B) a theory; a hypothesis
C) a variable; an application
D) a hypothesis; a variable

Question 11

Theory construction is

A) a gradual iterative process that is always subject to revision.
B) a standard step-like process that quickly moves toward the truth.
C) a circular process that typically leads nowhere.
D) a process that results in concrete findings that are accepted by other scientists.

Question 12

Answering the question of "how" something works is most closely associated with which goal of science?

A) the search for truth
B) application and control
C) measurement and description
D) understanding and prediction

Question 13

A tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables is a

A) cause.
B) theory.
C) hypothesis.
D) research method.

Question 14

A scientific theory has to be

A) true.
B) accepted by others.
C) testable.
D) well established and not disputed.

Question 15

When a scientist attempts to explain why "something happened," his work is MOST closely associated with which goal of science?

A) application and control
B) construction and revision
C) measurement and description
D) understanding and prediction

Question 16

A tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables is a(n)

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

Question 17

IQ score, age, weight, grade point average, and income are all examples of

A) constants.
B) variables.
C) correlations.
D) statistics.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT one of the three goals of science?

A) application and control
B) measurement and description
C) construction and revision
D) understanding and prediction

Question 19

The scientific approach assumes that

A) events will always remain unpredictable.
B) events are governed by some lawful order.
C) events occur in a random order.
D) events are the result of unseen causes.

Question 20

Theories permit researchers to move from

A) understanding to application.
B) concept to description.
C) application to control.
D) description to understanding.

Question 21

A theory is

A) an objective description of behavior.
B) a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations.
C) the application of research to practical problems.
D) a statement about the relationship between two or more variables.

Question 22

Jackson is working with a company to help them develop more effective training programs for their employees. He has spent a great deal of time reviewing all the documentation the company has about previous training opportunities they have provided for their employees. Up to this point in time, Jackson has been engaged in

A) psychological testing.
B) archival research.
C) direct observation.
D) meta-analysis.

Question 23

Dr. Dobbins wants to study attachment patterns in single-parent families. The first step in her scientific investigation would be to

A) design the study and select the research method.
B) analyze the data.
C) formulate a testable hypothesis.
D) collect the data.

Question 24

If you believe that increasing levels of anxiety are associated with drug abuse, you have just formulated

A) an epiphenomenon.
B) a theory.
C) a correlation.
D) a hypothesis.

Question 25

Hypotheses are typically expressed as

A) theories.
B) variables.
C) predictions.
D) statistics.

Question 26

A researcher is interested in examining whether relaxation techniques help decrease the perception of anxiety in subjects. The second step in this scientific investigation would be

A) to design the study and select the research method.
B) to analyze the data.
C) to formulate a testable hypothesis.
D) to collect the data.

Question 27

When subjects are administered a series of written questions designed to assess their attitudes, opinions, or behavior, this is called

A) direct observation.
B) a questionnaire.
C) an interview.
D) a psychological test.

Question 28

A psychologist monitors changes in the subject's heart rate as the subject watches a violent movie. The data collection technique being used is

A) direct observation.
B) psychological testing.
C) physiological recording.
D) archival records.

Question 29

Dr. Malm predicts that if teachers ignore students who act up in class, fewer students will act up in class. Dr. Malm's prediction is an example of

A) an operational definition.
B) a theory.
C) inferential statistics.
D) a hypothesis.

Question 30

A clinical psychologist notes that an unusually large number of obese people are depressed or anxious, and she offers an explanation that excess weight causes emotional disorders. Her explanation is a(n)

A) hypothesis.
B) theory.
C) opinion.
D) fact.

Question 31

Two of the data collection techniques that are most likely to involve direct contact between the researcher and the research participant are

A) direct observation and interviews.
B) archival research and psychological testing.
C) questionnaires and interviews.
D) archival research and questionnaires.

Question 32

Dr. Licciardi predicts that if people are observed while they perform a complex task they will make more errors. Dr. Licciardi's prediction is an example of

A) a hypothesis.
B) an operational definition.
C) a theory.
D) inferential statistics.

Question 33

Dr. Critell is studying aggression in children and plans to define aggression as the number of times one child pushes or strikes another child. Defining aggression in this way would

A) be an example of a hypothesis.
B) violate ethical guidelines for psychological research.
C) represent an operational definition.
D) require a double-blind research design.

Question 34

Scientific theories are most directly associated with which goal of science?

A) application and control
B) construction and revision
C) measurement and description
D) understanding and prediction

Question 35

Laura answered a series of written questions that asked about her attitudes and opinions on a number of current issues. The method of data collection that was being used in this case was

A) a standardized psychological test.
B) archival research.
C) direct observation.
D) a questionnaire.

Question 36

While theories are most closely associated with the scientific goal of ____, hypotheses are most closely associated with the goal of ____.

A) application; description
B) description; application
C) understanding; prediction
D) prediction; understanding

Question 37

An operational definition

A) describes the actions and procedures used to measure or control a variable.
B) separately defines each term used.
C) provides a logical basis for each term.
D) states relationships to other variables.

Question 38

A standardized measure used to obtain a sample of a person's behavior is called

A) a psychological test.
B) a case study.
C) an experiment.
D) a survey.

Question 39

A researcher is measuring the heart rate of subjects as an index of anxiety. In this study, heart rate is

A) a confounded variable.
B) negatively correlated with anxiety.
C) an independent variable.
D) an operational definition of anxiety.

Question 40

A hypothesis is

A) a random guess as to what might happen in an experiment.
B) a tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables.
C) a conclusion drawn from an experiment.
D) a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations.

Question 41

The scientific approach requires that people specify exactly what they are talking about when they formulate hypotheses. Which advantage of scientific investigation does this illustrate?

A) precision
B) acceptance of a degree of error
C) skepticism
D) operational definitions

Question 42

A scientific journal refers to

A) a personal diary kept by a scientist.
B) a periodical that publishes technical and scholarly articles.
C) a detailed record of the daily procedures followed in conducting a study.
D) a collection of biographies of famous scientists.

Question 43

The two main types of research methods used in psychology are the

A) experimental and descriptive/correlational research methods
B) experimental and case study research methods
C) descriptive and correlational research methods
D) descriptive/correlational and case study research methods

Question 44

A researcher wants to see if a protein-enriched diet will enhance the maze-running performance of rats. One group of rats is fed the high-protein diet for the duration of the study; the other group continues to receive ordinary rat chow. In this experiment, the rats' maze-running performance is the

A) correlated variable.
B) control variable.
C) dependent variable.
D) independent variable.

Question 45

The first step in a scientific investigation is

A) to develop a theory.
B) to formulate a testable hypothesis.
C) to collect the data.
D) to select the research method and design the study.

Question 46

The different general strategies for conducting scientific investigation are referred to as

A) data collection techniques.
B) operational definitions.
C) research methods.
D) hypotheses.

Question 47

Publication of research findings is extremely important to the scientific method because

A) it allows for critique and self-correction.
B) it brings recognition to the research worker.
C) it forces the writer to be clear.
D) the royalties help the researcher pay for the research.

Question 48

Psychologists use a variety of data collection techniques; which of the following is well suited for studying attitudes?

A) questionnaires
B) direct observations
C) psychological tests
D) physiological recordings

Question 49

A psychologist measures blood alcohol level to determine intoxication. In this example, blood alcohol level is the ____ definition of intoxication.

A) operational
B) dictionary
C) objective
D) precise

Question 50

Manipulating a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observing the changes in a second variable defines

A) the testing approach.
B) the survey approach.
C) the experimental approach.
D) naturalistic observation.

Question 51

The two main advantages of the scientific approach are science's

A) commonsense approach and intolerance of error.
B) commonsense approach and easy acceptance of the research findings of others.
C) clarity and precision and intolerance of error.
D) clarity and precision and easy acceptance of the research findings of others.

Question 52

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of the scientific approach?

A) clarity
B) precision
C) acceptance of a degree of error
D) skepticism

Question 53

The experiment is a research method in which the investigator

A) systematically observes two variables to see whether there is an association between them.
B) observes behavior as it occurs in its natural environment.
C) conducts an in-depth investigation of an individual subject.
D) manipulates a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observes whether there are changes in a second variable as a result.

Question 54

A researcher decides exactly how his research project will be conducted when

A) analyzing the data and drawing conclusions.
B) selecting a research method and designing the study.
C) formulating a testable hypothesis.
D) collecting the data.

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT true regarding common sense analyses of behavior?

A) they tend to be vague and ambiguous
B) they often tolerate contradictory generalizations
C) they usually involve little effort to verify ideas or detect errors
D) they are typically based on precise definitions and hypotheses

Question 56

Operational definitions are most closely associated with which major advantage of the scientific approach?

A) commonsense approach
B) clarity and precision
C) intolerance of error
D) tolerance of error

Question 57

In scientific investigations a researcher must clearly define the variables under study by precisely describing how they will be measured or controlled. These definitions are referred to as

A) objective definitions.
B) precise definitions.
C) operational definitions.
D) dictionary definitions.

Question 58

Statistical procedures are used during which step in conducting a scientific investigation?

A) collect the data
B) select a research method and design the study
C) report the findings
D) analyze the data and draw conclusions

Question 59

The FINAL step in a scientific investigation is to

A) conduct the study.
B) analyze the data.
C) decide whether or not the hypothesis was supported.
D) report the findings.

Question 60

Most typically, researchers report their findings

A) by holding a press conference.
B) in a book.
C) in a scientific magazine.
D) in a journal.

Question 61

A dependent variable in an experiment refers to the variable

A) held constant across the experimental conditions.
B) deliberately manipulated by the experimenter.
C) that changes value because of the systematic manipulation in the experiment.
D) that the experimenter is depending on to cause something to happen in the experiment.

Question 62

An industrial designer wants to determine if the new design for a piece of office equipment will result in fewer errors. The designer sets up a machine with the old design in one room, and a machine with the new design in a second room. He counts how many errors are made using each of the two machines. In this study, the number of errors that are made would be

A) a control variable.
B) the dependent variable.
C) the independent variable.
D) an extraneous variable.

Question 63

A researcher has children watch 30 minutes of violent television, and then counts the number of times they hit each other afterward in a one-hour play period as a measure of aggression. The researcher concludes that television violence causes aggression. However, this conclusion may be invalid because

A) the study is strictly correlational.
B) aggression wasn't operationally defined.
C) there was no control group.
D) it is unethical to force children to watch violent television.

Question 64

In an experiment, the variable that is controlled or manipulated by the researcher is called the

A) dependent variable.
B) independent variable.
C) control variable.
D) stimulus variable.

Question 65

In an experiment designed to test memory processes, one group was given special instructions and asked to group the items on a list into categories while they tried to memorize them. A second group of participants was given the same list, but they did not receive any special instructions. In this study, the experimental group is

A) the group in which the participants remember the least items from the list.
B) the group who did not receive any special instructions.
C) the group who received the special instructions.
D) the group in which the participants remember the most items from the list.

Question 66

If we view an experiment as an attempt to establish a cause-effect relationship, the ____ variable would be the cause, and the ____ variable would be the effect.

A) dependent; independent
B) independent; dependent
C) control; experimental
D) independent; confounded

Question 67

In a study designed to test the effects of a new drug developed to treat Alzheimer's disease, half the patients were given the actual drug while the other half of the patients were given a placebo (sugar pill). In this study, the experimental group is

A) the patients who show evidence of an improvement in their memory.
B) the group who received the actual drug.
C) the group who received the placebo.
D) the patients who were not included in the study.

Question 68

The purpose of the control group is to

A) make the experiment more complex.
B) isolate the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.
C) make statistical significance more likely.
D) isolate the effect of the dependent variable on the independent variable.

Question 69

A group of researchers is investigating the effects of gingko biloba on memory. During the first part of the study the animals learn to run a maze while they are not receiving the supplement; in the second part of the study the animals learn to run a different maze while they are receiving the supplement. In each case the researchers count how many trials it takes before the animals can run the maze pattern without making any errors. In this study, the independent variable is

A) the type of animal that the researchers select for the study.
B) the presence or absence of the food supplement in the animal's diet.
C) the number of trials it takes to run the maze without making any errors.
D) the age of the animals in the study.

Question 70

A group of researchers conducts a study to determine if children's performance is affected by the presence of other children. First, the children are taken to a room with no other children and timed while they complete a puzzle. Later, the same children are taken to a room with four other children and timed while they complete a similar puzzle. In this study, the length of time it takes to complete the puzzle would be

A) the independent variable.
B) an extraneous variable.
C) a control variable.
D) the dependent variable.

Question 71

Researchers who were studying plant growth raised plants in two separate rooms. One room had taped conversations playing 24 hours a day; the other room was silent. The researchers found that the plants grew better in the room which had the conversations playing. In this study, the type of room (conversation or silence) would be

A) the dependent variable.
B) an extraneous variable.
C) a placebo.
D) the independent variable.

Question 72

Researchers studying the effects of sleep deprivation tested the physical coordination skills of 25-year-old males who had been sleep deprived for either 24, 36, or 48 hours. In this study, the dependent variable would be

A) the age of the research participants.
B) the physical coordination skills of the men in the study.
C) the length of time the participants had been sleep deprived.
D) the type of physical coordination task the researchers use.

Question 73

The experimental group

A) consists of the subjects who receive some special treatment with regard to the independent variable.
B) consists of the subjects who receive some special treatment with regard to the dependent variable.
C) consists of the subjects who do not receive the special treatment.
D) must be chosen so as to be as different from the control group as possible.

Question 74

Researchers who were studying memory had participants learn a list of words after consuming a soft drink with caffeine or a decaffeinated version of the same soft drink. The researchers then counted the number of words that were recalled from the list. In this study, the type of beverage (caffeinated or decaffeinated) would be

A) the independent variable.
B) an extraneous variable.
C) the dependent variable.
D) a placebo.

Question 75

A group of researchers wanted to determine if people will eat more food in a room with red paint and red decorations than in a room that is decorated blue. Half the participants in this study ate in a red room and half ate in a blue room. The researchers then measured how much food was consumed in each of the two rooms. In this study, the independent variable was

A) the type of food that was available during the study.
B) the amount of food that was consumed.
C) the color of the decorations in the room.
D) how hungry the participants were at the end of the study.

Question 76

A researcher found that clients who were randomly assigned to same-sex groups participated more in group therapy sessions than clients who were randomly assigned to coed groups. In this experiment, the dependent variable was

A) the amount of participation in the group therapy sessions.
B) whether or not the group was coed.
C) the clients' attitudes toward group therapy.
D) how much the clients' mental health improved.

Question 77

An independent variable in an experiment refers to

A) the variable that is held constant across experimental conditions.
B) the variable deliberately manipulated by the experimenter.
C) the variable that the experimenter believes will change in value because of systematic correlations that exist in the experiment.
D) the variable that provides an alternative explanation for the results of the experiment.

Question 78

A group of researchers wants to determine if people are more likely to follow directions if the person giving the directions is in a uniform. Half the participants are directed to a parking spot by a uniformed security guard, the other half are directed to a parking spot by an individual wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt. In this study, the dependent variable would be

A) the number of participants who park in the spot they are directed to.
B) the type of clothing worn by the person giving the directions.
C) the gender of the person driving into the parking lot.
D) the distance between the parking spot and the entrance.

Question 79

A researcher wants to see if a protein-enriched diet will enhance the maze-running performance of rats. One group of rats is fed the high-protein diet for the duration of the study; the other group continues to receive ordinary rat chow. In this experiment, the group of rats that is fed the high-protein diet is ____ group; the group that receives ordinary rat chow is ____ group.

A) a control; a control
B) a control; an experimental
C) an experimental; an experimental
D) an experimental; a control

Question 80

David and Alexandra both take part in a research study that is investigating the effects of sleep deprivation on reaction time. David is kept awake for 24 hours straight, while Alexandra follows her normal sleep routine. In this study, David is part of the

A) hypothesis group.
B) experimental group.
C) control group.
D) dependent variable group.