Deck 2: Asking and Answering Research Questions

Question 1

If the goal of social psychology is not to provide answers to moral questions, such as whether abortion is right or wrong, then what can social psychological research actually tell us about these and similar issues?

Answer 1

The results of social psychological research can inform politicians about who engages in various forms of behavior and why, as well as the consequences of different types of behavior. This information can then be used to inform the political process.

Question 2

Which of the following characteristics of experimental research is the biggest threat to external validity?

A) In the lab, experimenters can control the setting.
B) Participants may pay more attention to information provided in the lab than in some other setting.
C) Studies in the lab usually last longer than studies in the field.
D) All of the above are threats

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Lin is from a collectivist culture and endorses this view of herself. Lin would most likely agree with which of the following statements?

A) "I am a unique individual."
B) "I like to stand out from others."
C) "My family comes first."
D) "I am looking out for number one."

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Dr. Zen is conducting a study on altruistic helping behavior with a group of Buddhist monks as her participants. She is excited to eventually make broad claims about helping behavior based on her findings from the monks. Based only on the limited information provided, which type of validity would appear to be the weakest in this study?

A) Construct validity
B) Internal validity
C) Convergent validity
D) External validity

Question 5

Why should researchers be concerned about using college students as research participants?

A) College students already have a well-established identity
B) College students have more stable relationships than those in the general population
C) College students are younger and more intelligent than the general population
D) All of the above

Question 6

_______ validity is the extent to which results of one study can be generalized to other groups, whereas _______ validity is the extent to which changes in the independent variable caused changes in the dependent variable.

A) Internal; external
B) Construct; external
C) External; internal
D) Construct; internal

Question 7

If a researcher is unable to manipulate certain variables for ethical or practical reasons, then they will probably NOT conduct which type of study?

A) An experiment
B) A field study
C) A correlational study
D) An observational study

Question 8

Edward has been trained to act like a regular participant, but subtly mimic the behavior of his partners (who are the real participants in the study) without their knowing. Research assistants like Edward, who are accomplices of the experimenter are known as ________.

A) spies
B) confederates
C) master manipulators
D) blind participants

Question 9

Imagine that a researcher wants to study the impact of humorous advertisements on intention to buy a product. Which of the following is an example of how the researcher could manipulate the independent variable in this study?

A) Half of the participants could read funny advertisements and the other half could read neutral advertisements.
B) All of the participants could read the same funny advertisement.
C) Participants could be randomly assigned to different groups.
D) The researcher could assess who intends to buy the product and who does not.

Question 10

Dr. Spock is examining the effect of mood on liking for another person. When participants show up for his study, Dr. Spock flips a coin to determine whether participants will be in the happy condition or the sad condition. Dr. Spock is using _______ to determine the condition in which the participants will be placed.

A) matching
B) random assignment
C) a confederate
D) an experiment

Question 11

In their study of the contact hypothesis among Canadian ethnic groups, Kalin and Berry (1982) found that greater contact led to more positive attitudes toward different ethnic groups. What is one potential threat to the internal validity of their study?

A) People who have more positive feelings about certain ethnic groups are more likely to live in neighborhoods where those ethnic groups are represented.
B) People who live in the same neighborhood may share similar backgrounds and interests.
C) Correlation does not equal causation.
D) All of the above.

Question 12

In the study by Kalin and Berry (1982), Canadians were asked how much they liked other Canadians from different ethnic groups. The results of their survey showed that people who lived in areas with a relatively high percentage of a particular group liked that group more than those who did not live near members of that ethnic group. This study of the contact hypothesis is using which type of research design?

A) Experimental
B) Field study
C) Archival
D) Correlational

Question 13

Jamie is conducting a study examining the relationship between playing violent video games and violence at school. If Jamie wants to ensure that his study has high internal validity, which type of research method or study should he use?

A) The nonexperimental method
B) A correlational study
C) The experimental method
D) A field study

Question 14

The owner of a large tuna canning factory wants to find ways to make his employees more productive. The owner hires a group of researchers who systematically vary aspects of the work environment (such as the lighting and temperature) and then observe how those changes impact the behavior of the employees. Much to the owner's delight, simple changes such as lowering the temperature and increasing the lighting, improved the productivity of his employees. Which of the following revelations would ca

A) Lowering the temperature improves productivity more than increasing the lighting.
B) These results cannot be generalized to other factories.
C) It is the presence of the researchers, not the environmental changes, which affect productivity.
D) All of the above.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a way to ensure construct validity? REWORD

A) Decrease internal validity
B) Use multiple measures
C) Use appropriate measures
D) Decrease the social desirability bias

Question 16

The 2000 study by Elizabeth Phelps and her colleagues showed that white participants who were more prejudiced showed greater amygdala activation when viewing images of African Americans. Dr. Phelps used which type of measure?

A) Archival
B) Self-report
C) Observational
D) Physiological

Question 17

________ measures are those in which traces of past behavior, such as news reports or old Facebook posts, are examined.

A) Physiological
B) Archival
C) Observational
D) Self-report

Question 18

In a study examining people's reactions toward homosexual individuals, a researcher measures how close heterosexual participants sit next to another individual they presume to be gay. Which type of measure is being used in this study?

A) A self-report measure
B) An observational measure
C) An archival measure
D) A physiological measure

Question 19

Whenever people are aware that they are being studied, whether in the lab or in the field, they may wonder about the purpose of the research and these questions may influence their behavior. In this case, the people's behavior is being influenced by _________ .

A) demand characteristics
B) construct validity
C) random assignment
D) confederates

Question 20

What is the best way to ensure external validity in a study?

A) The participants in a study should be representative of the larger population.
B) The setting in which a study is conducted should be representative of the larger population.
C) The study should be repeated multiple times with multiple populations.
D) All of the above

Question 21

Imagine that you want to study whether listening to music improves performance on a test. Explain how you will ensure that your study is ethical (be specific) Would you use deception in this study? Why or why not?

Question 22

Why is it so important to replicate the results of prior research? Even if the results of a study are replicated multiple times, why do researchers avoid saying that their theory has been "proven"?

Question 23

Design a study to test whether or not opposites attract. First, identify your independent variable and dependent variable. Next, explain how you will ensure high construct validity, and either high internal validity or high external validity.

Question 24

Select one nonexperimental design and describe the pros and cons of that method. Next, compare those pros and cons to those of running an experiment. Which type of method generally has higher internal validity and which one generally has higher external validity? Explain.

Question 25

Describe 2 reasons why a researcher could not conduct an experimental study. Illustrate your answer with real world examples.

Question 26

Dr. Nike wants to determine whether athletes are better under pressure than non-athletes. To study this question, Dr. Nike assigned all of the athletes to a condition in which they shoot baskets in front a group of judges. In contrast, all of the non-athletes were assigned to a condition in which they shoot baskets in a room by themselves. Dr. Nike has replicated this study multiple times with college students. What are the biggest threats to internal validity and external validity in this study

Question 27

Explain how construct validity is ensured by using multiple methods.

Question 28

One of your friends wants to conduct research on alcohol consumption and risky sexual behavior at your school. Your friend would like to design a questionnaire that directly asks students how many alcoholic beverages they consume per week and how often they engage in unprotected sex. Given that you know a little something about research methods, you decide to help your friend. First, explain to your friend what construct validity is and any potential threats to construct validity that may be pr

Question 29

Imagine that you want to study the impact of contact on liking for people from different cultures. Develop a theory that explains the relationship between contact and liking and describe how it will meet the three requirements of a good scientific theory.

Question 30

Which of the following statements about Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) is true?

A) The goal of the IRB is to determine which research studies are published in journals and which are not.
B) The IRB is comprised only of the psychologists from each institution.
C) The IRB may deny approval for a study if it is believed that the participants may be harmed.
D) The IRB reviews studies after they have been completed.

Question 31

In the question above, Petra thought that she was exposing another participant to loud, inescapable noise bursts, but she really wasn't. Actively misleading participants, like Petra, about particular aspects of a study is known as:

A) Deception
B) Informed consent
C) Debriefing
D) None of the above

Question 32

Petra just took part in a study in which she believed she was exposing a participant in another room to loud, inescapable noise bursts whenever the participant answered a test question wrong. In fact, the other participant was a confederate and the noise bursts were never played. At the conclusion of the study, Petra was thanked for her participation, but the experimenter failed to tell her the true details of the study. The experimenter in this study failed to:

A) Provide Petra with an informed consent
B) Properly deceive Petra
C) Properly prescreen Petra
D) Provide Petra with a proper debriefing

Question 33

Which of the following pieces of information would a good consent form NOT include?

A) A statement informing participants that they can withdraw from the study at any time.
B) A statement informing participants that they can withdraw from the study without penalty.
C) A statement describing the relevant theory as well as everything the participants will experience during the study.
D) A good informed consent would include all of the above information.

Question 34

Before taking part in a study on the relation between exercise and stress, participants were asked to complete a document that provided some information about the study and told the participants their rights. These participants have just completed:

A) A debriefing
B) A prescreening
C) An informed consent
D) An ethical background check

Question 35

What is one important way that researchers can ethically proceed with their studies without causing harm to their participants?

A) Use deception
B) Obtain participants' informed consent
C) Avoid debriefing the participants
D) All of the above

Question 36

When social psychologists use statistical techniques to compare and combine results of different tests of the same theory they are:

A) Running a meta-analysis
B) Conducting and experimental study
C) Replicating their study
D) Engaging in unethical behavior

Question 37

If a researcher wants to determine whether her theory is well-supported, what can she do after her lab study is completed?

A) Replicate the study
B) Run a meta-analysis
C) Run the study in the field
D) All of the above

Question 38

In which of the following scenarios would social desirability biases be less of a concern?

A) Participants are asked to complete a series of questionnaires and include their name and contact information on the questionnaires.
B) Participants are brought in to a lab and their interactions with another student of a different race are recorded by a researcher in the same room.
C) Participants' heart rates are recorded while they are alone in a room watching a documentary about the Holocaust.
D) Participants are interviewed about their future goals.

Question 39

What is one way to avoid the social desirability response bias?

A) Make sure participants take credit for their responses.
B) Use random assignment.
C) Assure participants that their responses will remain anonymous.
D) Use self-report measures rather than physiological measures.

Question 40

One way to avoid demand characteristics is to not tell anyone who will be interacting with participants the predicted results of the study.

Question 41

Social psychological findings from Western cultures do not always generalize to people from Eastern cultures.

Question 42

When it would be unethical to manipulate things such as people's relationships with their spouses or people's level of depression, it is best to run a nonexperimental study.

Question 43

Participants must be told that they will be interacting with a confederate before taking part in a study.

Question 44

Dr. Miller's study above would be considered to have high internal validity.

Question 45

Dr. Miller is conducting a study on the effects of alcohol consumption on risk-taking behaviors. When participants show up to his study, he allows them to select which experimental condition they want to be in. Dr. Miller's study will most likely be threatened by a failure of random assignment.

Question 46

Correlational studies are an example of a nonexperimental design.

Question 47

Correlational studies have greater internal validity than experiments.

Question 48

Every research design offers about the same level of internal validity.

Question 49

Internal validity is the extent to which a dependent variable causes changes in an independent variable.

Question 50

To avoid the social desirability bias, a researcher should use self-report measures.

Question 51

Social desirability is a threat to construct validity.

Question 52

Professor DeWall is studying whether young children or adults are higher in empathy. In this study, the independent variable is participants' empathy scores.

Question 53

A researcher has devised a new measure that accurately assesses people's level of social anxiety. This measure is high in construct validity

Question 54

Constructs are abstract concepts that cannot be directly observed.

Question 55

Better scientific theories are those that are specific and only apply to certain people or certain situations.

Question 56

Research conducted in field settings always has more external validity than research conducted in the lab.

Question 57

Professor Jankowsky just found conclusive support for his theory. Professor Jankowsky can now confidently state that his theory has been proven.

Question 58

College students are asked to complete a survey in which they indicate how often they have had unprotected sex and used illegal drugs. The author of this survey should be most concerned about which threat to construct validity?

A) The survey is an example of a nonexperimental design.
B) Random assignment was not used.
C) The survey utilizes self-report measures.
D) The social desirability response bias.

Question 59

Professor Lopez has been working hard to develop a new, 5-item measure of emotional intelligence that will be much easier to administer than an older, well-established measure that has 50-items. Unfortunately, every time he compares his participants' scores on his new measure to their scores on the well-established measure, he finds that the scores are completely unrelated. What should Professor Lopez conclude from these results?

A) His 5-item measure is low on construct validity
B) His 5-item measure is high on construct validity
C) His 5-item measure is low on external validity
D) He has just developed a valid measure of emotional intelligence

Question 60

Which type of validity measures the extent to which the independent variable and dependent variable correspond to the theoretical cause and effect concepts?

A) Internal validity
B) External validity
C) Construct validity
D) Face validity

Question 61

Which of the following is NOT a defining characteristic of a dependent variable?

A) It is the variable that is measured in a study.
B) It is the variable that is manipulated in a study.
C) It is the variable that is thought to be an effect of other constructs.
D) It is the variable that depends on another variable.

Question 62

Studies have shown that students who take intergroup relations classes that cover issues related to diversity are more tolerant than students who have not taken such classes. What is the independent variable in this study?

A) The classes
B) The students
C) The tolerance level of the students
D) The prejudice level of the students

Question 63

A researcher is interested in testing whether students who have recently been insulted are more or less likely to help a person in need. To study this issue, the researcher should make _______ the independent variable and _______ the dependent variable.

A) college students; high school students
B) males; females
C) helping behavior; the insults
D) the insults; helping behavior

Question 64

Dr. Lewis has developed a theory of leadership that applies to males and females all over the world. Dr. Lewis's theory is clearly _________ .

A) limited in scope
B) general in scope
C) high in internal validity
D) high in construct validity

Question 65

In the question above, the prediction that more exercise leads to greater happiness is an example of:

A) An intervention
B) Random assignment
C) A causal relation
D) External validity

Question 66

Professor Green theorizes that people who exercise more frequently are happier than people who exercise less frequently. The abstract concept of happiness in Dr. Green's theory is an example of:

A) A principle
B) A construct
C) A performance measure
D) An observational measure

Question 67

Which of the following is the goal of research in social psychology?

A) To discover general principles that explain the behavior of many people in many situations.
B) To understand individual events and specific people.
C) To discover general principles that explain the behavior of a few people in specific situations.
D) To discover basic principles rather than solve social problems.

Question 68

How do psychologists come up with research ideas?

A) Curiosity
B) From questioning already accepted ideas
C) From reading about well-publicized events
D) All of the above

Question 69

Social psychology is a(n) __________ science, which means that its theories and conclusions are based on the results of research.

A) observational
B) inferential
C) empirical
D) common sense

Question 70

Good social psychological research should provide answers to moral and ethical questions.

Question 71

As part of the informed consent process, the researcher can explain any necessary deception and discuss the overall purpose of the study.

Question 72

It is unethical to use deception in research.

Question 73

If deception is used in an experiment, the participants must be debriefed.

Question 74

If support is found for two opposing theories, then one must be right and one must be wrong.

Question 75

Most people are aware of the biases in their everyday thinking.