Deck 9: Using Statistics to Answer Questions

Question 1

What kind of study is this (e.g., survey, case study, observational study, correlational study, experiment)? How do you know?

Answer 1

Experiment - there is a manipulated independent variable and a measured dependent variable.

Question 2

Ethan wants to determine the representative score in his distribution. Ethan will need to calculate

A) variability.
B) inferential statistics.
C) a measure of central tendency.
D) the range.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What is the level of measurement for the dependent variable?

Answer 3

ratio

Question 4

___________ statistics summarize numbers and _____________ statistics determine whether the results are significant.

A) Descriptive; inferential
B) Inferential; descriptive
C) Measurement; inferential
D) Descriptive; measurement

Question 5

The branch of mathematics that involves the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data is referred to as

A) algebra.
B) calculus.
C) statistics.
D) geometry.

Question 6

Read the following article and answer the questions that follow:
Ozkan, T., & Lajenen, T. (2005). Masculinity, femininity, and the Bem Sex Role Inventory in Turkey. Sex Roles, 52, 103-110.
How is this study a replication with extension?

Question 7

What are the two main branches of statistics?

A) descriptive statistics and inferential statistics
B) algebra and calculus
C) geometry and calculus
D) descriptive statistics and calculus

Question 8

Measures of _____________ refer to the typical or representative score.

A) variability
B) central tendency
C) inferential statistics
D) Type I errors

Question 9

Read the following article and answer the questions that follow:
Ozkan, T., & Lajenen, T. (2005). Masculinity, femininity, and the Bem Sex Role Inventory in Turkey. Sex Roles, 52, 103-110.
Is this a true experiment? Why or why not?

Question 10

The assignment of symbols to events according to a set of rules is known as

A) statistics.
B) a Type I error.
C) a Type II error.
D) measurement.

Question 11

How spread out the scores are refers to

A) variability.
B) central tendency
C) a Type I error.
D) a Type II error.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT one of the four scales of measurement?

A) ratio
B) interval
C) ordinal
D) variable

Question 13

What is the dependent variable in this study?

Question 14

Karen categorizes people in her sample as either male or female, which represents which scale of measurement?

A) ordinal
B) interval
C) nominal
D) ratio

Question 15

You are using a(n) _________ scale of measurement if events are assigned to categories.

A) interval
B) ordinal
C) nominal
D) ratio

Question 16

The scale of measurement for the _________ variable determines the type of statistical test you use to evaluate your data at the completion of your project.

A) independent
B) dependent
C) extraneous
D) modal

Question 17

How many levels does this independent variable have?

Question 18

Why is it important to understand scales of measurement?

A) The scale of measurement for the dependent variable determines the kind of statistical test that can be conducted.
B) Scales of measurement are integral for inferential statistics (but not necessarily descriptive statistics).
C) Scales of measurement are integral for descriptive statistics (but not necessarily inferential statistics).
D) Researchers can only analyze data on interval and ratio levels of measurement.

Question 19

What is the level of measurement for the independent variable?

Question 20

Identify the independent variable in this study.

Question 21

Why does temperature in Fahrenheit represent an interval scale of measurement?

A) Because it has a true zero point.
B) Because there are equal intervals between scores but no true zero point.
C) Because the zero point indicates the absence of heat.
D) None of the above.

Question 22

Which of the following is a limitation of the ordinal scale of measurement?

A) The ordinal scale of measurement represents a simple classification system.
B) There is no way to measure central tendency for variables measured on the ordinal scale of measurement.
C) When variables are measured on an ordinal scale of measurement, the intervals between numbers are not necessarily equal.
D) All of the above are limitations of the ordinal scale of measurement.

Question 23

If we rank the winners of a horse race (first, second, third), we are using a(n) ____________ scale of measurement.

A) ratio
B) ordinal
C) interval
D) nominal

Question 24

If there are equal intervals between numbers but no true zero point, we are using a(n) __________ scale of measurement.

A) ordinal
B) ratio
C) interval
D) nominal

Question 25

The presence of a true zero point is characteristic of the ________ scale of measurement.

A) nominal
B) ratio
C) interval
D) ordinal

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT a measure of central tendency?

A) mean
B) median
C) range
D) mode

Question 27

"Rachel made half as many mistakes as Erin." This statement represents a(n) __________ level of measurement.

A) ordinal
B) interval
C) ratio
D) nominal

Question 28

The mode can be used for variables measured using _________ scale of measurement.

A) nominal
B) ordinal
C) ratio
D) All of the above.

Question 29

Consider the following scores: 1, 2, 3, 3, 11. What is the mode?

A) 3
B) 4
C) 11
D) 20

Question 30

Which of the following is a property of the ratio scale of measurement?

A) true zero point
B) equal intervals between scores
C) scores are rank ordered
D) All of the above.

Question 31

The most frequently occurring score in a distribution is the

A) median
B) mean
C) mode
D) range

Question 32

Which scale of measurement provides the least amount of information?

A) ratio
B) interval
C) nominal
D) ordinal

Question 33

ACT scores are measured on an interval scale of measurement because

A) ACT scores are rank ordered and there are not equal intervals between scores.
B) there is a true zero point.
C) there are equal intervals between scores but not a true zero point.
D) the scores represent mutually exclusive categories.

Question 34

A scale of measurement that permits events to be rank ordered is

A) nominal.
B) interval.
C) ordinal.
D) ratio.

Question 35

Tammy conducted a study in which participants rank-ordered their favorite free-time activities. Tammy used a(n) _________ scale of measurement.

A) ratio
B) nominal
C) interval
D) ordinal

Question 36

Which scale of measurement provides the greatest amount of information?

A) ratio
B) interval
C) nominal
D) ordinal

Question 37

Number of errors on a math test represents a(n) __________ scale of measurement.

A) nominal
B) interval
C) ordinal
D) ratio

Question 38

Temperature in Fahrenheit represents a(n) __________ scale of measurement.

A) ordinal
B) interval
C) ratio
D) nominal

Question 39

The _________ is the only measure of central tendency that can be used for nominal data.

A) mean
B) median
C) mode
D) range

Question 40

Pam records responses on a questionnaire as either "agree" or "disagree." This represents a(n) ____________ scale of measurement.

A) interval
B) ratio
C) nominal
D) ordinal

Question 41

Consider the following amounts that were donated to charity: $1, $1, $1, $5, $10, $10, $100. What would be the best measure of central tendency in this case?

A) Mean
B) Mode
C) Median
D) Standard deviation

Question 42

Which measure of central tendency is favored by most psychologists?

A) Median
B) Mean
C) Mode
D) Variance

Question 43

What is the first step in calculating the mean?

A) Add up all the scores.
B) Locate the most frequently occurring score.
C) Rank-order the scores from lowest to highest.
D) Locate the least frequently occurring score.

Question 44

The __________ is the arithmetic average.

A) mode
B) mean
C) median
D) standard deviation

Question 45

Darnell would like to calculate a measure of central tendency for his rank-ordered data. Darnell should use the

A) mean.
B) median.
C) mode.
D) Central tendency cannot be calculated for this data.

Question 46

Consider the following scores: 1, 1, 1, 3, 4. What is the mean?

A) 1
B) 2
C) 10
D) The mean cannot be calculated for these scores.

Question 47

Isabelle would like to calculate a measure of central for number of errors rats made while running a maze. Isabelle should calculate the

A) range.
B) mean.
C) mode.
D) standard deviation.

Question 48

Consider the following scores: 2, 2, 2, 4, 5, 9. What is the median?

A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 2.5

Question 49

The _________ is the score that divides the distribution in half.

A) mean
B) mode
C) median
D) variance

Question 50

The median can be calculated for

A) nominal data only.
B) interval or ratio data.
C) ordinal, interval, or ratio data.
D) nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio data.

Question 51

What is the first step in calculating the median?

A) Add up all the scores.
B) Locate the most frequently occurring score.
C) Count the number of scores.
D) Rank order the scores from lowest to highest.

Question 52

Consider the following scores: 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3. What is the median?

A) 2
B) 3
C) 2.14
D) 15

Question 53

A _________ is a graphical representation of the percentage allocated to each alternative as a slice of a circular pie.

A) pie chart
B) bar graph
C) histogram
D) line graph

Question 54

Which measure of central tendency takes into account the value of every number in the distribution?

A) Mean
B) Mode
C) Median
D) Variance

Question 55

Consider the following scores: 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 12, 12. Why is the mode misleading in this situation?

A) The mode is considerably smaller than the other scores.
B) The mode is considerably larger than the other scores.
C) The mode does not take into account the two largest scores.
D) The mode cannot be calculated for these scores.

Question 56

The mean can be calculated for

A) nominal data only.
B) nominal or interval data only.
C) interval data only.
D) interval or ratio only.

Question 57

Under what circumstances should you calculate the median instead of the mean?

A) When there are a limited number of extreme scores in the distribution.
B) When scores are measured on a nominal scale of measurement.
C) When the scores form a bimodal distribution.
D) When the scores are all the same.

Question 58

Consider the following ratio-level scores: 1, 2, 3, 4, 24. What is the best choice for central tendency?

A) Mode
B) Median
C) Mean
D) Variance

Question 59

Casey needs to graph percentages that total 100%. Casey should use which kind of graph?

A) Histogram
B) Line graph
C) Polygon
D) Pie chart

Question 60

Joseph would like to find a measure of central tendency for his occupation variable (measured as "sales," "teacher," or "other"). Joseph should use the

A) median.
B) mode.
C) mean.
D) It is impossible to find central tendency for this variable.

Question 61

Generally, the y axis should be about _________ as tall as the x axis is long.

A) one-half
B) one-third
C) two-thirds
D) three-fifths

Question 62

If we place a dot in the middle of each bar in a histogram, connect the dots, and remove the bars, we have created a

A) line graph.
B) bar graph.
C) frequency polygon.
D) pie chart.

Question 63

Jordan would like to graph the number of men versus women in her class. Jordan should use a

A) histogram.
B) line graph.
C) frequency polygon.
D) bar graph.

Question 64

For an experiment, the IV is plotted on the ________ and the DV is plotted on the ________.

A) ordinate; y axis
B) abscissa; ordinate
C) x axis; abscissa
D) ordinate; abscissa

Question 65

The vertical or y axis of a graph is known as the

A) abscissa.
B) pie axis.
C) line axis.
D) ordinate.

Question 66

A graph in which the frequency for each category of a quantitative variable is represented as a vertical column that touches the adjacent column is called a

A) bar graph.
B) frequency polygon.
C) histogram.
D) pie chart.

Question 67

The extent to which scores spread out around the mean is known as

A) central tendency.
B) variability.
C) a Type II error.
D) a Type I error.

Question 68

To graph a qualitative variable, use a ________ graph, and to graph a quantitative variable, use a ___________ graph.

A) pie; bar
B) bar; histogram
C) histogram; bar
D) line; bar

Question 69

Which of the following graphs can be used interchangeably with a frequency polygon?

A) Bar graph
B) Pie chart
C) Histogram
D) Line graph

Question 70

Which of the following is NOT a measure of variability?

A) mode
B) range
C) standard deviation
D) variance

Question 71

The y axis of a graph is also known as the ________ and the x axis of a graph is also known as the ________.

A) abscissa; ordinate
B) Type I axis; abscissa
C) ordinate; Type I axis
D) ordinate; abscissa

Question 72

A graph in which the frequency for each category of a qualitative variable is represented as a vertical column that does not touch the adjacent column is called a

A) pie chart.
B) histogram.
C) line graph.
D) bar graph.

Question 73

Researchers frequently present the results of an experiment in a

A) line graph.
B) histogram.
C) pie chart.
D) frequency polygon.

Question 74

The horizontal or x axis of a graph is known as the

A) abscissa.
B) pie axis.
C) line axis.
D) ordinate.

Question 75

Qualitative categories

A) cannot be numerically ordered.
B) can be numerically ordered.
C) are not used in psychological research.
D) represent a ratio scale of measurement.

Question 76

When data are presented in a pie chart,

A) it is not possible to calculate a mean.
B) it is not possible to calculate a mode.
C) it is possible to calculate standard deviation.
D) it is possible to calculate a correlation coefficient.

Question 77

A histogram can be used for _________ categories.

A) quantitative
B) qualitative
C) quantitative or qualitative
D) neither quantitative nor qualitative

Question 78

April would like to create a frequency graph of the following quiz scores: 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10. April should use a

A) bar graph.
B) pie chart.
C) histogram.
D) None of the above.

Question 79

Leo randomly assigns half of his participants to read a neutral paragraph and half to read a biased paragraph. Participants rate the extent to which they liked the paragraph. Which kind of graph should he use to depict his results?

A) Histogram
B) Polygon
C) Line graph
D) Pie chart

Question 80

A bar graph can be used for _________ categories.

A) quantitative
B) qualitative
C) quantitative or qualitative
D) neither quantitative nor qualitative