Deck 1: Overview of Psychological Research

Question 1

Which of the following is an example of basic (rather than applied)research?

A) conducting a survey in the hopes of developing a more user-friendly TV remote control
B) determining if the reading of a color name (e.g.,blue)interferes with the processing of a different color of ink on a page (e.g.,red)
C) determining if people who are predisposed to later develop schizophrenia process pictures of human faces differently than other populations in the hopes of developing a test for early detection and diagnosis
D) reducing pilot error by determining in which of two displays pilots are faster at detecting a warning light

Answer 1

determining if the reading of a color name (e.g.,blue)interferes with the processing of a different color of ink on a page (e.g.,red)

Question 2

In an experiment,what is held constant is called the:

A) independent variable
B) dependent variable
C) control variable
D) confounding variable

Answer 2

control variable

Question 3

Which variable is most likely confounded with the conditions in the text's demonstration of the Stroop effect?

A) experimenter error in reading the clock
B) ceiling effects on accuracy
C) viewing position of participants
D) the order in which the conditions were run

Answer 3

the order in which the conditions were run

Question 4

In the conflict experiment in Chapter 1,____ was the dependent variable.

A) time of day
B) type of task
C) time to read the lists
D) order of conditions

Question 5

A critic is a person who:

A) always finds fault with something
B) makes informed judgments
C) makes biased judgments
D) accepts scientific results

Question 6

In the Stroop conflict experiment:

A) reading is faster than counting
B) counting is faster than reading
C) reading and counting take about the same time
D) counting is an automatic process

Question 7

In an experiment,what is observed or measured is called the:

A) independent variable
B) dependent variable
C) control variable
D) confounding variable

Question 8

Assume that your instructor wants to evaluate the effects of the intensity of surrounding light (in watts)on performance in a Nintendo game.Individuals who vary randomly in their initial skill level on the game are assigned to a room containing an overhead light at a selected intensity.Each participant plays the game in their assigned room at the same time of day,and their high score is measured.A control variable in this study is ____.

A) level of light (in watts)
B) Nintendo game score
C) time of day
D) skill level

Question 9

A testable hypothesis:

A) lacks measurable dependent variables
B) can be developed for variables that cannot be directly observed or manipulated
C) specifies how two or more variables are related
D) will tend to be supported by the obtained data

Question 10

Behavior is usually defined as:

A) covert psychological processes
B) thoughts and feelings
C) overt activities
D) the brain's response to a stimulus

Question 11

Pilot research refers to:

A) the guiding hypotheses that lead to a conclusion
B) applied research concerned with aviation
C) the outcomes of preliminary research
D) preliminary research prior to a complete project
E) the lack of information provided by most research

Question 12

Science begins with:

A) hypotheses
B) theories
C) observation
D) experiments

Question 13

Which of the following would be least helpful in searching for recent work on the Stroop effect?

A) Social Science Citation Index
B) PsycINFO
C) Stroop's article
D) a dictionary

Question 14

In an experiment,something that varies together with the independent variable is called the:

A) control variable
B) confounding variable
C) conflict variable
D) second independent variable

Question 15

Basic scientific research is done:

A) to solve practical problems
B) just to see what would happen
C) to verify a theoretical prediction
D) to gather data to test a theory

Question 16

Assume that you are interested in evaluating the effect of study context on reading comprehension for the current course material.Which of the following represents a possible independent variable for this research project?

A) time of study/reading
B) major course of study for the participant (e.g.,Psychology,Sociology,etc.)
C) type of distracting events at the time of study (e.g.,none,music,friend's conversation,etc.)
D) number of correct answers on a quiz

Question 17

A very good tool for searching the psychological literature is:

A) Social Science Citation Index
B) PsycINFO
C) Psychological Review
D) Psychological Reports

Question 18

In an experiment,what is manipulated or changed is called the:

A) independent variable
B) dependent variable
C) control variable
D) confounding variable

Question 19

In the conflict experiment in Chapter 1,____ was confounded with the levels of the independent variable.

A) time of day
B) age of the participants
C) time to read the lists
D) order of conditions

Question 20

Which statement is true regarding pilot research?

A) Pilot research usually involves a large number of participants.
B) Pilot research often is used to determine whether or not the levels of an independent variable are appropriate.
C) Pilot research is usually conducted once potential problems with the experiment have been resolved.
D) Pilot research cannot reveal potential causal relationships between variables.

Question 21

Which of the following represents a possible operational definition of violent behavior in school-age children?

A) the number of times a child slaps or strikes another child
B) any act of aggression against a child or teacher
C) the intent to harm another individual
D) when a child gets angry at another person

Question 22

The independent variable in the Stroop experiment was the task performed by the participants.

Question 23

Psychological research is always practical in its focus.

Question 24

The statement,"The cow yearned for the grass on the other side of the fence," is an example of:

A) experimenter bias
B) anthropomorphizing
C) species-specific behavior
D) an operational definition of hunger

Question 25

Morton argued that skull volume was related to intelligence,and that skull volume was correlated with race.This conclusion reflected a bias by Morton to design research to confirm his expectations.Which of the following approaches was responsible for helping to overcome this biased conclusion?

A) Morton became aware of his own preconceptions.
B) A strict protocol was used (all test procedures were identical).
C) Many scientists researched the problem in different ways.
D) Double-blind studies were used.

Question 26

An important source of researcher bias is:

A) deliberate fabrication of results
B) a researcher's preconceptions
C) different variables in experimental and control groups
D) the uniform treatment of participants in experimental and control groups

Question 27

One effective way of minimizing inadvertent researcher bias is to:

A) use a protocol
B) not allow participants to know which treatment was given
C) allow the researcher to know which participants get which treatment
D) conduct a pilot study

Question 28

In an experiment concerned with the effects of marijuana on the perception of colors,perception of colors is the dependent variable.

Question 29

One problem in evaluating pilot research is:

A) the small sample of participants
B) the number of confounding variables
C) the lack of a testable hypothesis
D) the lack of a dependent variable

Question 30

Deliberate fabrication in reported research is:

A) more common than inadvertent bias
B) increasing in psychological journals
C) usually undetected
D) less common than inadvertent bias

Question 31

An operational definition:

A) cannot be obtained for abstract concepts such as anxiety
B) must allow other people to apply it
C) must be scientifically sensible
D) is a behavioral measure that is agreed upon by all researchers working in the field

Question 32

A placebo:

A) is a pharmacologically inert substance
B) tends to increase reactivity in participants
C) is given to researchers to reduce their bias
D) will be effective regardless of whether or not a double-blind design is used

Question 33

In a Stroop conflict study,counting is usually faster than reading.

Question 34

A critical thinker looks for design flaws such as confounding.

Question 35

In a double-blind experiment:

A) the participant knows which treatment was given
B) the researcher knows who received what treatment
C) participant reactivity and researcher bias are minimized
D) the researcher poses as another participant

Question 36

Scientific progress is driven by basic questions and practical problems.

Question 37

In an experiment concerned with the effects of type of music on the rate of learning,rate of learning is the independent variable.

Question 38

You need a Ph.D.to do good psychological research.

Question 39

Thoughts and feelings aren't observed directly,so they aren't studied in psychology.

Question 40

About 90 percent of psychology departments require or recommend some combination of courses in statistics and research design.

Question 41

"Chevrolets are better than Fords" is an example of a good testable hypothesis.

Question 42

"Using Crest daily will prevent new cavities" is an example of a good testable hypothesis.

Question 43

Pilot research is important because it is a problem-free way of gathering preliminary data.

Question 44

An ethical researcher does not have to be concerned about animal subjects,but he or she does have to be concerned about human participants.

Question 45

A review of the literature may help you determine the levels of your independent variable.