Deck 2: Section 5: Methods in Psychology

Question 1

_____ use specific rules and techniques for observation, known as a _____, to observe and understand natural phenomena.

A)Dogmatists; measure
B)Empiricists; method
C)Dogmatists; method
D)Humanists; measure

Answer 1

Empiricists; method

Question 2

An operational definition of a psychological construct that is conceptually unrelated to the construct results in the measure NOT being:

A)valid.
B)reliable.
C)empirical.
D)powerful.

Answer 2

valid.

Question 3

Bethany thinks her dog is overweight so she switches the dog to a new brand of food for overweight dogs. The switch in dog food is an example of a(n):

A)manipulation.
B)correlation.
C)operational definition.
D)matched pairs.

Answer 3

manipulation.

Question 4

When unobtrusive naturalistic observation is not an option, which is the best technique to avoid demand characteristics?

A)Use cover stories to not reveal the true purpose of the study.
B)Use the matched-pairs technique to equate demand characteristics.
C)Use the case study method to evaluate demand characteristics on a case-by-case basis.
D)Use random selection to ensure a representative sample.

Question 5

A boxer suddenly begins experiencing wild mood swings and bizarre behavior. A neuroscientist determines that the boxer has traumatic brain injury probably caused by numerous concussions. The neuroscientist then studies the brain functioning of the boxer in great detail using fMRI brain-imaging techniques to learn more about concussions. This represents a(n):

A)experiment.
B)naturalistic observation.
C)independent variable.
D)case method.

Question 6

Why can you NOT claim a cause-and-effect relationship with correlational studies?

A)Correlational studies are not empirical.
B)Behavior is too complex, variable, and reactive to allow for cause-and-effect determinations.
C)The correlation between two variables might arise due to the presence of a third variable, causing an effect in both variables of interest.
D)If two variables are correlated, then by definition one cannot cause the other.

Question 7

A scientist theorizes that several billion years ago, a large asteroid collided with the Earth, knocking tons of rock into space and creating the Moon. Which statement constitutes a research hypothesis that follows from this theory?

A)The universe was created by a Big Bang.
B)It is possible to someday inhabit the Moon.
C)Moon rock should be made of the same elements as Earth rock.
D)The Moon will itself someday collide with the Earth.

Question 8

A college recently banned the use of plastic water bottles on campus in an effort to be more eco-friendly. A psychologist at the college is interested in the attitudes of the students toward this ban. She obtains a list of all of the students who are enrolled at the college. She randomly picks 100 students from this list and administers to these students a survey designed to assess their opinions on the plastic water bottle ban. The psychologist is using which method?

A)random sampling
B)random assignment
C)experiment
D)naturalistic observation

Question 9

Katarina is interested in attention deficit disorder and behavioral problems in school but believes that subjects' socioeconomic statuses may affect her results. So she is studying two groups of children in an intervention treatment, and makes sure each child in one group comes from a home with the same level of income as each child in the other group. What technique is this?

A)matched samples
B)matched pairs
C)random sampling
D)third-variable correlation

Question 10

According to the American Psychological Association, which statement about the use of coercion in psychological research is true?

A)It can only be used when there is no other way to conduct the research.
B)It can be used when the benefits of the study will outweigh the risks to the participants.
C)Monetary compensation can be used to persuade a person to participate.
D)It is not permissible.

Question 11

Professor Knice gives his introductory psychology class of 300 students an exam, and everyone earns an A. The exam lacks the _____ to detect which students studied and which did not.

A)sample size
B)reliability
C)power
D)significance

Question 12

In order for a study to be a true experiment, you must _____ variable and _____ variable.

A)manipulate an independent; measure a dependent
B)manipulate a dependent; measure an independent
C)randomly sample an independent; randomly assign a dependent
D)randomly sample a dependent; randomly assign an independent

Question 13

The more time children spend playing video games at home, the lower their grades are at school. This represents a:

A)causal relationship.
B)negative correlation.
C)positive correlation.
D)case study.

Question 14

If an experiment has a high degree of _____, a causal relationship can be demonstrated between two variables.

A)reliability
B)internal validity
C)external validity
D)correlation coefficient

Question 15

A psychologist observes that some people exposed to a traumatic childhood experience develop anxiety disorders later in life, while others do not. This illustrates which reason why human behavior is a challenging subject matter for science?

A)validity
B)variability
C)complexity
D)reactivity

Question 16

Terrence is studying how music affects attitudes. On a hot June day, he exposes one group of college students to classical music and another group to jazz, while he measures their attitudes toward war. The dependent variable is:

A)type of music.
B)attitude toward war.
C)the students' grade point averages.
D)the temperature in the testing room.