Deck 2: Methods of Study

Question 1

In an experiment, what is manipulated by the researcher?

A) the confounding variable
B) the dependent variable
C) the extraneous variable
D) the independent variable

Answer 1

D

Question 2

What is the most widely used method of collecting data in industrial/organizational psychology?

A) archival research
B) the case study
C) laboratory experiment
D) survey-questionnaire

Answer 2

D

Question 3

What method of study allows for enhanced realism but may also be criticized for its limited degree of control?

A) archival research
B) the case study
C) field experiment
D) laboratory experiment

Answer 3

C

Question 4

What kind of factor, or variable, causes the relationship between two other variables to change at different levels?

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

Question 5

What aspect of the organizational snapshot focuses on the composition and distribution of the organizational members?

A) organizational demography
B) organizational networks
C) organizational power and politics
D) organizational structure

Question 6

Acme, Inc. is looking to hire marketing team members who exhibit entrepreneurship skills. Research suggests looking for individuals who score highly in ________.

A) agreeableness and conscientiousness
B) agreeableness and extraversion
C) conscientiousness and emotional stability
D) conscientiousness and openness to experience

Question 7

Which of the following research methodologies allows causal inferences to be made?

A) archival research
B) the case study
C) field experiment
D) survey-questionnaire

Question 8

What method of study would a researcher be least likely to use to test a hypothesis?

A) archival analysis
B) the case study
C) field experiment
D) survey-questionnaire

Question 9

In which method of study is a researched limited to the data that an organization has available on his or her topic of interest?

A) archival analysis
B) the case study
C) field experiment
D) survey-questionnaire

Question 10

A manager is interested in identifying the average number of absences his employees had during the last quarter of the year. What descriptive statistic should he calculate to determine this?

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

Question 11

Allyson wants to know how different or similar the scores are within her distribution. What descriptive statistic listed below is one method for assessing that?

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

Question 12

Which of the following represents the strongest correlation between the two variables?

A) job satisfaction and productivity, r = + .17
B) job satisfaction and turnover, r = - .40
C) perceived control and job performance, r = .20
D) perceived control and organizational commitment, r = .30

Question 13

Michelle wishes to make a highly structured ordering of the findings derived from many studies on a related theme. What statistical technique should she use to accomplish this goal?

A) descriptive statistics
B) experimental analysis
C) inferential statistics
D) meta-analysis

Question 14

Joel is creating an organizational snapshot for the telecommunications firm he is interning at. Which of the following will he have the hardest time obtaining?

A) organizational demography
B) organizational networks
C) organizational politics
D) organizational structure

Question 15

Jayan is examining how many divisions exist within an organization for which he is a hired consultant. He is also examining information about how units are created and eliminated as well as the patterns of interaction regarding information throughout the company. What aspect of the organizational snapshot is Jayan examining?

A) organizational demography
B) organizational network
C) organizational power and politics
D) organizational structure

Question 16

Briefly describe the instrumental forces that shape developments with an organization.

Question 17

How could a case study be used to identify variables or questions of interest to be studied through a more controlled and rigorous research methodology like a survey or a laboratory experiment?

Question 18

Contrast field and laboratory experiments.

Question 19

Explain how descriptive statistics can be used by a researcher to summarize a data set.

Question 20

Differentiate the four aspects obtained from the organizational snapshot.