Deck 1: The Science of Psychology

Question 1

 Which statement is the most accurate? 

A)Genes are only active during prenatal development.
B)Stress can be caused by both good and bad life events.
C)Our memory works like a video recorder.
D)People with schizophrenia have multiple personalities.

Answer 1

Stress can be caused by both good and bad life events.

Question 2

 Psychology is best described as a(n)____. 

A)theory
B)science
C)pseudoscience
D)hypothesis

Answer 2

science

Question 3

 Therapists and sports psychologists use psychology in order to help people change their behavior.This is an example of which goal of psychology? 

A)description
B)prediction
C)explanation
D)control

Answer 3

control

Question 4

 Which statement is best classified as pseudopsychology? 

A)By visualizing that a cancerous tumor is dying, you can cure yourself of cancer without chemotherapy.
B)Research published in professional journals shows that dogs can detect the scent of certain cancers.
C)A number of studies of childhood cancers show that there can be psychological effects long after successful treatment has ended.
D)According to research, successful pain control for persons with terminal cancer is possible.

Question 5

 What is a common myth about psychology? 

A)Psychology includes the study of the biological basis of behavior.
B)Psychology studies both abnormal and normal development.
C)Psychological theories can be used to explain both normal and abnormal behavior.
D)Psychology does not involve true experimental research because it cannot.

Question 6

 Who is engaging in critical thinking? 

A)Thomas, who typically develops a list of pros and cons for any important decision
B)Celeste, who relies on Consumer Reports for information about which product to purchase
C)Dalton, weighs only expert opinions when making important decisions
D)Maria, who goes with her gut when deciding which new car to buy

Question 7

 Psychologists attempt to understand behavior and mental processes by ____. 

A)using the scientific method
B)thinking deeply about the reasons for our behavior
C)using common sense to understand why we do what we do
D)studying the behavior of people with mental illnesses

Question 8

 Which statement is the most accurate? 

A)We are either left-brain or right-brain thinkers.
B)No new neurons develop after infancy.
C)Both legal and illegal drugs can cause brain damage.
D)During sleep, the brain rests.

Question 9

 One of the four goals of psychology is to ____. 

A)replicate
B)observe
C)interpret
D)predict

Question 10

 A scientific theory ____. 

A)is typically a gross oversimplification
B)rarely has a basis in experimentation
C)provides a summary to guide thinking
D)has no practical, real life importance

Question 11

 Many people have misconceptions about psychology.This fact suggests that psychology is ____. 

A)not a science
B)merely a collection of random theories
C)more than just common sense
D)rarely applicable to everyday life

Question 12

 A common misconception that people have about psychology is that ____. 

A)it involves the use of the scientific method
B)nearly all psychologists are involved in counseling
C)psychologists study behavior but ignore the underlying biology
D)psychologists only study abnormal behavior

Question 13

 A scientific theory is a(n)____. 

A)opinion that has very limited supporting facts
B)prediction of some future event
C)explanation of why and how a behavior occurs
D)method for testing hypotheses

Question 14

 Dr.O'Neill is interviewing parents about how they discipline their children in an attempt to outline the difference between normal levels of punishment and abuse.Dr.O'Neill is attempting to satisfy which goal of psychology? 

A)describing behavior
B)predicting behavior
C)explaining behavior
D)controlling behavior

Question 15

 What is the best example of a pseudopsychological finding? 

A)Studies show you a relationship between academic achievement and class attendance.
B)Research suggests that we tend to be attracted to people who are similar to us.
C)Surveys have found that men tend to report falling in love faster than women.
D)We use only 10% of our brains and therefore, nearly everyone is actually a genius.

Question 16

 What list correctly states the four goals of psychology? 

A)observe, interpret, correlate, replicate
B)monitor, survey, associate, experiment
C)describe, predict, explain, control
D)extract, inventory, analyze, change

Question 17

 Dr.Haupt has discovered that often,abusive parents themselves had parents who used harsh physical punishment on them.Having discovered this will most likely allow Dr.Haupt to fulfill which goal of psychology? 

A)predicting behavior
B)describing behavior
C)controlling behavior
D)explaining behavior

Question 18

 Which area of study is one of the American Psychological Association's foundational areas of contemporary psychology? 

A)research design and statistical analysis
B)psychodynamic theory
C)history of psychology
D)developmental and social psychology

Question 19

 Psychology is defined as the ____. 

A)scientific study of why people do what they do
B)scientific study of behavior and mental processes
C)study of the unconscious determinants of personality
D)study of mental illness and its treatment

Question 20

 The process of analyzing and evaluating information and applying it to other situations is known as ____. 

A)critical thinking
B)pseudopsychology
C)sensation and perception
D)human factors research

Question 21

 Causal hypotheses are most closely associated with which goal of psychology? 

A)analysis
B)prediction
C)explanation
D)description

Question 22

 Researchers use random sampling to obtain a(n)____. 

A)population of interest
B)experimental sample
C)control group
D)representative sample

Question 23

 Predictive hypotheses are used to address which two goals of psychology? 

A)understanding and predicting
B)testing and controlling
C)describing and predicting
D)manipulating and controlling

Question 24

 Dr.Abaee wants to use the scientific method.What is his first task? 

A)Develop a hypothesis.
B)Propose a theory.
C)Design an experiment.
D)Make predictions.

Question 25

 Samples of convenience are ____. 

A)unacceptable in psychology
B)not random
C)best for experiments
D)especially useful for causal hypotheses

Question 26

 Psychologists usually attempt to determine whether or not data supports a hypothesis through the use of ____. 

A)intuition
B)statistics
C)reason
D)polygraphs

Question 27

 Dr.Lowrey is testing the hypothesis that the more education a person has,the more money he or she will earn.Dr.Lowrey is testing a ____ hypothesis 

A)true
B)causal
C)predictive
D)factual

Question 28

 Which statement illustrates a causal hypothesis? 

A)Students who get more sleep do better on tests.
B)The amount of alcohol consumed will influence the ability to walk a straight line.
C)There is a relationship between the number of hot dogs people eat and their rate of cancer.
D)Shorter men tend to have higher incomes than taller men.

Question 29

 The scientific method is used by ____. 

A)all scientists, including psychologists
B)the physical but not behavioral or social sciences
C)experimental psychologists and scientists only
D)medical scientists only

Question 30

 The first step of the scientific method is to ____. 

A)form a testable hypothesis
B)analyze the data
C)choose a research method
D)make predictions about behavior

Question 31

 In order to test causal hypotheses,the researcher must use ____. 

A)case studies
B)experiments
C)naturalistic studies
D)correlational studies

Question 32

 Hypotheses can fall into one of two categories: ____. 

A)analytical and anecdotal
B)accidental and purposeful
C)controllable and uncontrollable
D)predictive and causal

Question 33

 Which progression represents the correct sequence of steps in the scientific method? 

A)make predictions, form a hypothesis, choose a research strategy, conduct a study, analyze the data
B)conduct a study, analyze the data, form a hypothesis, publish conclusions, obtain feedback
C)choose a research strategy, determine desired results, conduct a study, form a hypothesis, analyze data
D)develop a theory, conduct an experiment to test the theory, analyze data, publish data

Question 34

 If you have to do a research project for your psychology class and you use your roommates and family members as participants,you are using a ____. 

A)sample of convenience
B)control sample
C)random sample
D)representative sample

Question 35

 The hypothesis,"Having an efficient digestive system will lead to obesity in rats," is an example of a(n)____ hypothesis. 

A)predictive
B)causal
C)factual
D)untestable

Question 36

 Causal hypotheses can only be tested when the researcher has the ability to ____ the main variables of the study. 

A)predict or assess
B)control or manipulate
C)identify or understand
D)estimate or measure

Question 37

 Dr.Masood is conducting an experiment in which she is testing the effect of video game playing on the ability to think creatively.One group of children plays video games two hours a day for a week,another group of similar children plays video games for a total of two hours in a week,and a third group of children do not play video games at all.All three groups of children then take a test measuring their creativity.The hypothesis that Dr.Masood is testing is best described as a ____ hypothesis. 

A)predictive
B)control
C)causal
D)behavioral

Question 38

 In the scientific method,after making a prediction,the next step is to ____. 

A)conduct a study
B)analyze the data
C)form a testable hypothesis
D)develop a theory

Question 39

 A hypothesis is ____. 

A)a statement describing the actual outcome of an experiment
B)the question that forms the foundation for a particular study
C)a statement describing what the researchers expect to find in a study
D)a type of research method that involves experimentation

Question 40

 Psychology is considered a science because it ____. 

A)relies on technology to conduct research
B)uses a set of rules to gather and analyze information
C)has generated a series of proven theories
D)conducts laboratory and basic research studies

Question 41

 Students who participate more hours in study groups tend to do better in their classes,as measured by their GPAs.This association would be an example of a ____. 

A)negative correlation
B)positive correlation
C)cause and effect relationship
D)chance event

Question 42

 The independent variable is to the dependent variable as ____ is to ____. 

A)uncontrolled; controlled
B)cause; effect
C)criterion; predictor
D)outcome; input

Question 43

 The two main features of an experiment are ____. 

A)hypothesis formation and data collection
B)random assignment and control
C)prediction and manipulation
D)data collection and statistical analysis

Question 44

 Which correlation coefficient would best fit a finding that as variable A increases,variable B increases almost to the same degree? 

A)+.80
B)-.20
C)+.20
D)-.80

Question 45

 One of the biggest disadvantages of case studies is a lack of ____. 

A)depth and breadth of detail
B)generalizability
C)usefulness with rare conditions
D)flexibility

Question 46

 Reactivity presents the biggest problem in ____. 

A)case studies
B)experiments
C)archival studies
D)naturalistic observations

Question 47

 Dr.Kushman is doing an in-depth study on one of his clients who has had a significant change in personality since being hit in the head by a foul ball at a baseball game.Dr.Kushman is conducting a ____. 

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

Question 48

 If a research study involves the manipulation of one of the main variables,the study is most likely a(n)____. 

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

Question 49

 The point of an experiment is to ____. 

A)observe what happens in a natural environment
B)ask predetermined questions and record the responses
C)determine if one variable is associated with another variable
D)manipulate one variable to see its effects on another variable

Question 50

 A case study involving a person with 53 different personalities,although valuable in some ways,is unlikely to be ____. 

A)accountable
B)valid
C)significant
D)generalizable

Question 51

 A correlation coefficient is a number that indicates ____. 

A)the degree of causation between one variable and another
B)the amount of difference between two pieces of data
C)the strength of a relationship between two factors
D)whether a particular result is statistically significant or not

Question 52

 Naturalistic observations are predominantly used to achieve the goals of ____. 

A)prediction and control
B)explanation and prediction
C)description and prediction
D)explanation and control

Question 53

 To minimize reactivity,researchers conducting naturalistic observations may ____. 

A)attempt to control the variable being studied
B)inform the participants in the study about the hypotheses being tested
C)debrief participants extensively
D)observe from a discrete distance or via a video feed

Question 54

 Surveys are often used to test ____ hypotheses. 

A)predictive
B)causal
C)factual
D)experimental

Question 55

 Which statement is TRUE regarding the independent variable in an experiment? 

A)It is the variable that the experimenter manipulates.
B)It is the effect that is a constant.
C)It is the effect in the experiment.
D)It is the variable that is allowed to vary on its own.

Question 56

 When conducting their research,psychologists attempt to obtain a ____ that is representative of their ____. 

A)population of interest; sample
B)sample; population of interest
C)control group; experimental group
D)experimental group; control group

Question 57

 What do naturalistic observations,case studies,and correlational studies all have in common? 

A)They are used to test causal hypotheses.
B)They do not allow the researcher to control the main variables in the study.
C)They are most likely to be used by biological psychologists.
D)They are all non-scientific.

Question 58

 Suppose that Dr.Poonnamalee finds a correlation of +.68 between the amount of humor professors use and the grades that students earn in their classes.What can he appropriately conclude from this finding? 

A)There is no meaningful relationship between these two variables.
B)Greater use of humor is associated with higher grades.
C)Greater use of humor is associated with lower grades.
D)Humor, or the lack of it, causes student grades to be higher or lower.

Question 59

 A negative correlation describes a relationship in which ____. 

A)one variable has no effect on another variable
B)one variable decreases while another variable increases
C)two variables increase together
D)two variables decrease together

Question 60

 Because researchers do not control the main variables in a correlational study,____. 

A)the research is not considered to be scientific
B)the data drawn from the study will be random occurrences
C)they are unable to determine which variable causes the other
D)they have a greater chance of discovering the real relationship between the variables

Question 61

 In ____,neither experimenters nor participants know whether the participant is in the experimental or control group. 

A)double-blind studies
B)case studies
C)naturalistic observation
D)survey research

Question 62

 Confounding variables ____. 

A)are always controlled in correlational studies
B)can lead to alternative explanations for the results of a study
C)are possible effects other than the one hypothesized
D)are only of concern in case studies

Question 63

 Dr.Ford wants to test the hypothesis that room color can affect memory.To that end,he randomly assigns 10 students to a condition where they study a written passage while seated in a room that is painted a lilac color.The other 10 students study the passage while seated in an identical room that is painted bright orange.After both groups studied the passage for one hour,they are given a multiple-choice test over the material.Dr.Ford then calculates how many questions the students in both groups answer correctly.In Dr.Ford's study,the independent variable is ____. 

A)the people who studied the passage while seated in the lilac room
B)the color of the room in which the students studied the passage
C)the test scores of the students
D)whether or not the students were able to recall information about the passage

Question 64

 Dr.Ford wants to test the hypothesis that room color can affect memory.To that end,he randomly assigns 10 students to a condition where they study a written passage while seated in a room that is painted a lilac color.The other 10 students study the passage while seated in an identical room that is painted bright orange.After both groups studied the passage for one hour,they are given a multiple-choice test over the material.Dr.Ford then calculates how many questions the students in both groups answer correctly.In Dr.Ford's study,a potential confounding variable is the ____. 

A)students' test scores
B)color of the room in which the students studied the passage
C)age of the students
D)random assignment to groups

Question 65

 Quasi-experiments are studies which ____. 

A)rely on surveys and naturalistic observations
B)involve random assignment, but no manipulation of the main variables
C)involve random sampling, but no manipulation of the main variables
D)involve manipulation of the main variables, but no random assignment

Question 66

 To make sure that groups of participants in an experiment are not generally different from each other before the experiment begins,the experimenter ____. 

A)uses an objective observer to assign participants to groups
B)uses random assignment to assign participants to groups
C)assigns participants to groups by himself or herself without interference by anyone else
D)assigns participants to groups on the basis of an unimportant trait such as hair color

Question 67

 In a random sample,____. 

A)the independent variable is administered randomly to the participants in the study
B)participants are chosen to be included in the study based on personal characteristics
C)participants are taken on a volunteer basis only
D)every member of the population has an equal chance of being a participant in the study

Question 68

 Dr.Townsend wants to test the hypothesis that being tall for your age predicts that you will be shy.Which of the following types of research would Dr.Townsend be least likely to use? 

A)an experiment
B)a case study
C)naturalistic observation
D)a correlational study

Question 69

 Dr.Ikeda conducts an experiment on the effect of physical beauty on being hired for a job,and has both attractive and unattractive individuals apply for the same job.However,he fails to control for the possibility that the attractive applicants have better resumes.In this case,the quality of the resumes is considered a(n)____. 

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

Question 70

 Problematic variables that can lead to alternative explanations for the results of a study are called ____ variables. 

A)independent
B)confounding
C)dependent
D)experimental

Question 71

 Dr.Ford wants to test the hypothesis that room color can affect memory.To that end,he randomly assigns 10 students to a condition where they study a written passage while seated in a room that is painted a lilac color.The other 10 students study the passage while seated in an identical room that is painted bright orange.After both groups studied the passage for one hour,they are given a multiple-choice test over the material.Dr.Ford then calculates how many questions the students in both groups answer correctly.Dr.Ford's study is an example of a(n)____. 

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

Question 72

 The dependent variable ____. 

A)is the variable manipulated by the experimenter
B)is the cause of the outcome
C)needs to be controlled by the experimenter
D)shows the effect of the manipulation

Question 73

 What is an important disadvantage of experiments? 

A)Experiments do not do a good job of explaining the relationships between the variables studied.
B)Experiments require a great deal of technology to conduct, which makes them more expensive to conduct than other types of studies.
C)Some experiments cannot be conducted because to do so would be unethical.
D)The American Psychological Association requires that only those with doctoral degrees can conduct experiments, which means that many people cannot do them.

Question 74

 The effect of confounding variables is greatly reduced through ____. 

A)random sampling
B)utilizing several dependent variables
C)conducting a quasi-experiment
D)random assignment

Question 75

 Consider an experiment in which participants watch various types of TV programming and are then observed while playing a physical game to determine the number of aggressive acts they commit.In this example,the dependent variable would be the ____. 

A)gender of the participants
B)game played by the participants
C)type of TV programming watched
D)number of aggressive acts observed

Question 76

 Dr.Bozzo wants to test the hypothesis that eating a high protein diet leads to greater weight loss than a high carbohydrate diet.Which type of research design would Dr.Bozzo be most likely to use? 

A)an experiment
B)a survey
C)naturalistic observation
D)a correlational study

Question 77

 In contrast to experiments,naturalistic observations are typically ____. 

A)more conclusive
B)less artificial
C)less random
D)more scientific

Question 78

 Dr.Ford wants to test the hypothesis that room color can affect memory.To that end,he randomly assigns 10 students to a condition where they study a written passage while seated in a room that is painted a lilac color.The other 10 students study the passage while seated in an identical room that is painted bright orange.After both groups studied the passage for one hour,they are given a multiple-choice test over the material.Dr.Ford then calculates how many questions the students answer correctly.He finds that students in the lilac-room condition score much better than the students in the orange-room condition.Based on this study,what can Dr.Ford conclude? 

A)Room color predicts, but does not cause a change in, memory performance.
B)Room color causes a change in memory performance.
C)Students like cool colors better than warm ones.
D)Warm colors make students angry.

Question 79

 Random assignment is to ____ as random sampling is to ____. 

A)control of confounding variables; representative population
B)representative population; control of confounding variables
C)experiment; quasi-experiment
D)quasi-experiment; experiment

Question 80

 The fact that many psychological studies are conducted using college students as participants is relevant when considering ____. 

A)how important it is to obtain a college education
B)the popularity of psychology as a major in college
C)if the results can be generalized to the rest of the population
D)if the scientific method was actually followed in the administration of the study