Deck 2: Exsetntion: Research Methods

Question 1

Ryan,a professional bass fisherman,is trying to determine which lure is most effective on Wakeby Lake-the plastic worm he normally uses,or the new minnow-style lure he bought yesterday.Based on this scenario,what would constitute the control?

A)The new minnow lure
B)The plastic worm
C)Neither the minnow lure nor the plastic worm
D)There is no control.

Answer 1

The plastic worm

Question 2

Students of psychology are often frustrated because there are very few,if any,clear-cut answers to many of their questions.What is the primary limiting factor in obtaining first-hand knowledge of questions such as the long-term effects of child abuse or the effects of smoking marijuana on a pregnancy?

A)Most people in the general public are not concerned with these issues.
B)It is difficult to find people who are victims of abuse or mothers who smoke marijuana during pregnancy.
C)Ethical guidelines in research prevent psychologists from carrying out many of these studies.
D)Institutional review boards encourage participation in studies that may be harmful to participants either mentally or physically.

Answer 2

Ethical guidelines in research prevent psychologists from carrying out many of these studies.

Question 3

When a researcher tests his or her hypothesis,he or she is often hoping to gather information that is consistent with a particular theory.What,more specifically,allows a researcher to say that he or she has "proven" a theory?

A)Any time a hypothesis is confirmed,a theory is automatically "proven."
B)Any time a hypothesis confirms one theory and simultaneously disconfirms at least one other theory,a theory has been "proven."
C)Any time a hypothesis confirms one theory and simultaneously disconfirms all other known theories,a theory has been "proven."
D)A researcher is never able to say that he or she has "proven" a theory.

Answer 3

A researcher is never able to say that he or she has "proven" a theory.

Question 4

A therapist wishes to show that his new therapy is a marked improvement over the current best available therapy.To do so,he examines the number of participants who improved with each.A total of 125 participants received his treatment (and 100 of them improved).A total of 80 participants received the alternative treatment (and 64 of them improved).What should the therapist conclude?

A)His treatment is superior to the alternative because 100 is greater than 64.
B)His treatment is no better than the alternative because the percentages are the same.
C)His treatment is inferior because the percentages are the same.
D)His treatment is superior because it included 125 people as opposed to 80.

Question 5

The _____ variable is what the experimenter "manipulates" or varies.

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

Question 6

Which of the following is one of the two types of statistics that researchers use to analyze the data that they collect?

A)Predictive statistics
B)Constrictive statistics
C)Descriptive statistics
D)Computational statistics

Question 7

A graph that can be used to represent the pattern of relationship between scores from two variables is called a

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

Question 8

Dr.Potter,an English professor,is curious about his students' attitudes toward one of his favorite books.What research method is he most likely to use to gather this information?

A)Survey
B)Case Study
C)Experiment
D)Naturalistic observation

Question 9

A major limitation in reading about the results of psychological research in the newspaper is that

A)reporters provide too much detailed information about the research study that the general public cannot comprehend in their articles.
B)reporters are so well-trained to discuss research that they cannot easily communicate about it with the average lay person.
C)reporters create controversy where none exists by treating scientific evidence and dissenter's biased opinions as equally compelling.
D)reporters do not know how to identify experts to interview for many of their stories,and end up unintentionally misleading the public.

Question 10

A mechanism by which experts in a field carefully screen the work of their colleagues is known as

A)experimental validity.
B)experimenter bias effect.
C)peer review.
D)peer assessment.