Deck 2: Studying Behaviour Scientifically

Question 1

A distinction between theories and hypotheses is that:

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

Answer 1

theories tend to be broader than hypotheses.

Question 2

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) a theory.
C) a dependent variable.
D) correlational research.

Answer 2

a hypothesis.

Question 3

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

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

Answer 3

theory

Question 4

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

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

Question 5

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) open-mindedness
C) rationality
D) curiosity

Question 6

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 that his co-workers must assume that 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) theory
C) trial
D) experiment

Question 7

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) liberalism
C) creativity
D) skepticism

Question 8

The first step in the scientific process is to:

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

Question 9

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

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

Question 10

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

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

Question 11

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 illustrates one of the limitations of:

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

Question 12

Sitting in class one day, Ben wonders aloud to his friend James, why the 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) open-mindedness
C) skepticism
D) creativity

Question 13

On the first day of school, Ted's fifth grade 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) hypothesis
C) fact
D) formal explanation

Question 14

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

Question 15

A theory is best defined as:

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

Question 16

According to the results of the study done by John Darley and Bibb Latané, 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) one person across the street witnesses the crime
B) the robber wears a mask and thinks he is not recognized by the bystanders
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 17

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) a theory.
B) a hypothesis.
C) conducting research.
D) scientific skepticism.

Question 18

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) an empirical or correlational statement.
D) a set of formal statements that explain how certain events are related to one another.

Question 19

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

Question 20

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

Question 21

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

Question 22

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

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

Question 23

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

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

Question 24

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

Question 25

A(n) definition defines a variable in terms of the specific procedures used to measure it.

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

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

Question 27

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

Question 28

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 a good theory?

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

Question 29

Scientists typically test their understanding through:

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

Question 30

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(n):

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

Question 31

An advantage of using operational definitions is that:

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

Question 32

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

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

Question 33

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

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

Question 34

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

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

Question 35

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

Question 36

Shireen thinks that people learn better when they enjoy the course in 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; student ratings of the course
B) test score; number of assignments submitted
C) number of hours studying; student ratings of the course
D) number of hours studying; number of assignments submitted

Question 37

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

Question 38

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) hypotheses.
B) operational definitions.
C) hindsight reasoning.
D) theoretical predictions.

Question 39

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

Question 40

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

Question 41

A researcher wants to know how much time students in a dorm spend watching TV, but she has noticed that students tend to leave the TV room when she comes in to 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 time students spend watching TV. Like many psychologists, this researcher is using a(n):

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

Question 42

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

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

Question 43

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

Question 44

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

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

Question 45

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 studying people.
C) is a poor method for studying rare events.
D) is a poor source for new ideas and hypotheses.

Question 46

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

Question 47

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

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

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

Question 49

An fMRI study confirmed that the ventral and dorsal streams of the visual cortex independently processes object perception and object _.

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

Question 50

In order to assess the effectiveness of a new province-wide 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) archival record.
B) sequential record.
C) historical record.
D) chronological record.

Question 51

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

Question 52

A limitation of physiological measures of behaviour is that:

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

Question 53

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

Question 54

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) motor cortex.
C) visual cortex: dorsal stream.
D) cerebellum.

Question 55

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(n):

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

Question 56

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

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

Question 57

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

Question 58

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

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

Question 59

A case study is considered to be which type of research method?

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

Question 60

Brain imaging technology is generally used to explore the following:

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

Question 61

As part of a class on animal behaviour, 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) naturalistic observation
B) a case study
C) an experiment
D) a survey

Question 62

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

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

Question 63

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

Question 64

Which of the following statements regarding survey research is true?

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

Question 65

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) measures
B) manipulates
C) maintains
D) discounts

Question 66

In survey research, a population is defined as:

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

Question 67

Which of the following statements about naturalistic observations is true?

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

Question 68

In survey research, a sample is defined as:

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

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) placebo effect
C) random sampling
D) social desirability bias

Question 70

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

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

Question 71

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 assignment.
B) characteristic sample.
C) representative sample.
D) random sample.

Question 72

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

Question 73

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) experimental research
C) correlational research
D) a case study

Question 74

An advantage of survey research is that it:

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

Question 75

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

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

Question 76

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

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

Question 77

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) interviewer bias
C) random assignment
D) placebo effect

Question 78

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

Question 79

Some psychologists studied the bullying behaviour by elementary school-aged children as it occurred during school recess. They found that:

A) the schoolmates were frequently present during bullying episodes but rarely intervened.
B) naturalistic observation was not an effective research method for studying children's bullying behaviour.
C) the research methods did not influence the children's behaviours.
D) the observations made during the research permitted causal conclusions about bullying behaviour.

Question 80

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

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