Deck 4: The Research Endeavor

Question 1

As part of a research study, Margaret wants to determine if religious environments will influence the consumption of alcohol among freshmen. She has several hundred freshmen complete her survey. Once the data have been collected, she analyzes the scores. Which of the following is the dependent variable in this study?

A) Consumption of alcohol
B) Religious environments
C) College freshmen
D) Surveys

Answer 1

Consumption of alcohol

Question 2

Professor Sanders wants to study how constant distractions during an exam affect student performance. She randomly assigns her students to different classrooms where the experimental group will receive a predetermined number of distractions while taking an exam. In this study, the independent variable is the _____ and the dependent variable is the _____.

A) classrooms where the exams were taken; number of distractions
B) number of distractions; performance scores on the exam
C) classrooms where the exams were taken; students taking the exam
D) performance scores on the exam; number of distractions

Answer 2

number of distractions; performance scores on the exam

Question 3

What is the independent variable in a study that investigates the impact of religious environments on discipline problems in children?

A) The children in the study
B) Religious environments
C) Parenting styles
D) Discipline problems

Answer 3

Religious environments

Question 4

A factor or characteristic that can vary within an individual or between individuals is known as a(n) _____.

A) variable
B) hypothesis
C) null hypothesis
D) operational definition

Question 5

Which of the following statements is true of the study of psychopathology?

A) Self-reports are often accurate and reliable sources of information.
B) Observer assessments of behavior are not as effective as self-reports.
C) The multiple causes of abnormality can be easily captured in a single study.
D) It is often difficult to obtain the participation of populations of interest.

Question 6

The process of following a basic series of steps which are designed to obtain and evaluate information relevant to a problem in a systematic way is known as the _____.

A) systematic method
B) scientific method
C) organizational method
D) schematic method

Question 7

Dr. Williams wants to know if room temperature influences students' performance on exams. She randomly determines which classes will receive the experimental conditions and then increases the temperature in those classrooms. Which of the following is the independent variable in this experiment?

A) Performance on exams
B) College students
C) Room temperature
D) Expectations of increased performance

Question 8

A _____ is a testable statement of what we predict will happen in our study.

A) criterion
B) variable
C) diagnosis
D) hypothesis

Question 9

Researchers who favor a continuum model of psychopathology:

A) argue that the results of studies of people with moderate depression cannot be generalized to individuals with diagnosed depressive disorders.
B) argue that people who fall short of a diagnosable disorder are inherently different from those who have a disorder.
C) believe that the results of studies of people with moderate depression will be different from those of studies on people with diagnosed depressive disorders.
D) believe that people who have symptoms of a disorder but do not meet the criteria for diagnosis provide valuable insights into people who suffer from diagnosable disorders.

Question 10

The primary hypothesis:

A) is often supported, while the null hypothesis is often rejected.
B) must be constantly reevaluated and modified during the course of the study.
C) may eventually be dropped or modified if the null hypothesis is consistently supported by several studies.
D) may be dropped if the null hypothesis uses a single methodology.

Question 11

The variable that we believe will affect the dependent variable is the _____.

A) confounding variable
B) discrete variable
C) independent variable
D) extraneous variable

Question 12

Adolescents in divorced families experience more depressive episodes than those in intact families. In this hypothesis, the independent and dependent variables are _____, respectively.

A) adolescents and depressive episodes
B) depressive episodes and family situation
C) family situations and depressive episodes
D) adolescents and family situations

Question 13

A(n) _____ variable is a factor researchers try to predict.

A) dependent
B) mediating
C) extraneous
D) independent

Question 14

Which of the following is the correct sequential order of the steps followed in the scientific method?

A) Define a problem; generate a hypothesis; collect and analyze the data; develop a method to test the hypothesis; draw conclusions
B) Generate a hypothesis; collect and analyze the data; define the problem; draw conclusions
C) Define a problem; generate a hypothesis; develop a method to test the hypothesis; collect and analyze the data; draw conclusions
D) Generate a hypothesis; develop a method to test the hypothesis; draw conclusions; collect and analyze the data

Question 15

As part of a research study, Margaret wants to determine if religious environments will influence the consumption of alcohol among freshmen. She has several hundred freshmen complete her survey. Once the data have been collected, she analyzes the scores. Which of the following is the independent variable in this study?

A) Consumption of alcohol
B) Religious environments
C) College freshmen
D) Surveys

Question 16

When variables are operationalized in a study, it means they:

A) have no definitive meaning.
B) are immeasurable.
C) can be measured or manipulated.
D) cannot be controlled.

Question 17

In which closed community was Janice Egeland's study of psychological disorders conducted?

A) Old Order Amish community of Pennsylvania
B) Old Colony Mennonites of South America
C) Native American community in New Mexico
D) Gypsy communities of Syria

Question 18

In the study of psychopathology, researchers must often rely on _____, which are people's own accounts of their internal states and experiences.

A) case studies
B) self-reports
C) autobiographies
D) personal essays

Question 19

A hypothesis which states that there is no relationship between the phenomena being studied is called a _____.

A) null hypothesis
B) zero hypothesis
C) nondirectional hypothesis
D) latent hypothesis

Question 20

A multimethod approach in research means that:

A) a researcher generates multiple hypotheses.
B) the research method utilizes several theoretical frameworks.
C) a variety of methodologies are used to study the same issue.
D) several researchers are responsible for developing the research.

Question 21

Case studies help researchers:

A) focus on unconscious motivations and conflicts.
B) measure overt behaviors.
C) make general inferences about the sources of psychopathology.
D) eliminate biological factors from the potential causes of psychopathology.

Question 22

Which of the following statements is true of the ethical issues involved in research?

A) Researchers should offer substantial monetary incentives to participants so that they cannot refuse to participate.
B) Researchers should explain the deception to the participants after the research is completed in case it is necessary to deceive participants.
C) Researchers should report data gathered from individual participants rather than data aggregated across participants.
D) Researchers may impose some sort of a negative consequence on participants if they choose to withdraw their participation once the study has begun.

Question 23

Correlational studies:

A) are forms of cause-and-effect research.
B) do not involve the manipulation of variables.
C) involve single-subject designs.
D) do not involve continuous variables.

Question 24

Dr. Peters investigated the relationship between academic performance of middle school students and the absence of recess. The study revealed that students who were allowed recess had higher performances. This study is indicative of a:

A) zero correlation.
B) positive correlation.
C) negative correlation.
D) cross-correlation.

Question 25

Which of the following represents a perfect correlation?

A) -.01 or +.01
B) -1.0 or +1.0
C) -10.0 or +10.0
D) -100 or +100

Question 26

Luther realized that the more he engaged in outdoor activities, the less time he spent playing video games. This is an example of a _____.

A) zero correlation
B) positive correlation
C) negative correlation
D) one-to-one correlation

Question 27

Which of the following statements is true about case studies?

A) Case studies are not used in the study of rare problems, as people often have biased recollections of their experiences.
B) Case studies are the most apt method for capturing the uniqueness of an individual's perspective and experiences.
C) Case studies have high generalizability, that is, their findings can be applied to other individuals and groups.
D) Case studies suffer from a lack of objectivity on the part of the people telling their stories, but researchers tend to be more neutral and unbiased.

Question 28

A detailed history of an individual who has suffered a psychological disorder is called a(n) _____.

A) research report
B) case study
C) executive summary
D) biopic

Question 29

Which of the following statements is true of the ethical issues involved in research?

A) Once the study has begun, participants are not allowed to withdraw their participation.
B) Individuals not capable of understanding the risks of a study (e.g., children) must have a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult make the decision about their participation in the study.
C) Written consent of participation is mandatory under all circumstances, even if participants remain anonymous or if participants are put at risk if it is discovered that they talked with researchers.
D) Researchers are allowed to deceive participants about research aspects that might affect their willingness to participate, but only when such techniques are absolutely essential and justified.

Question 30

Cross-sectional studies observe:

A) groups at only one point in time.
B) similar groups over different periods of time.
C) the same group over different periods of time.
D) different groups over different periods of time.

Question 31

Which of the following is a committee that reviews the procedures of studies done with humans to ensure that the benefits of the study substantially outweigh any risks to the participants and that the risks to the participants have been minimized?

A) A participant review board
B) A human participants committee
C) An ethical research association
D) A procedural review committee

Question 32

A researcher is interested in the relationship between depression and the loss of a loved one. The individuals of interest are bereaved adults and non-bereaved adults. The variables in this study receive no manipulation, and depression is measured in both sets of adults. This is an example of:

A) naturalistic observation.
B) a group comparison study.
C) an experimental study.
D) a case study.

Question 33

If a researcher found that the more cooperative children were with their parents, the more they cooperated with their teachers. This would be an example of a _____ correlation.

A) unknown
B) negative
C) zero
D) positive

Question 34

When the conclusions drawn from a study are applicable to other individuals or groups, this is known as _____.

A) rationalization
B) operationalization
C) conceptualization
D) generalizability

Question 35

The type of study that observes people on two or more occasions over time is a _____ study.

A) cross-sectional
B) correlation-coefficient
C) case
D) longitudinal

Question 36

Brad wants to study the relationship between anxiety and registration events in first-semester freshman. Most likely, Brad will use a(n) _____.

A) group comparison study
B) experimental design
C) sequential type of study
D) cross-sectional type of study

Question 37

Dr. Samuel wants to study the relationship between test anxiety and age in younger children. His participants are 3^rd-, 4^th-, and 5^th-graders who will be studied over a three-year period. This is an example of a(n):

A) cross-sectional study.
B) experimental study.
C) longitudinal study.
D) case study.

Question 38

A _____ between stress and depression would mean that people who report more stressors have higher levels of depression, and a _____ would mean that people who report more stressors actually have lower levels of depression.

A) positive correlation; positive correlation
B) negative correlation; negative correlation
C) negative correlation; positive correlation
D) positive correlation; negative correlation

Question 39

The correlation coefficient is:

A) a qualitative method of measuring the outcomes of a study.
B) a statistic used to represent the relationship between variables.
C) a reference to the themes generated across descriptive research.
D) indicative of the number of participants randomly assigned to each group.

Question 40

Explaining the purpose of the research and answering participants' questions at the end of the study is known as:

A) admission.
B) declaration.
C) debriefing.
D) acknowledgement.

Question 41

External validity refers to the extent to which the:

A) results can be generalized to real-life phenomena.
B) results can be replicated.
C) independent variable is responsible for the manipulation.
D) study is quantifiable.

Question 42

Conditions or variables that are associated with a higher susceptibility to a disorder are called:

A) potentialities.
B) risk factors.
C) prone positions.
D) eligibilities.

Question 43

Statistical significance represents:

A) the quantification of the dependent variable.
B) the probability that the results occurred by chance.
C) the correlation coefficient that supports the hypothesis.
D) the relationship between the independent and dependent variable.

Question 44

A representative sample in research means:

A) the participants were hand-picked by the research according to race.
B) the participants in the sample are highly similar to the population of interest.
C) the participants were invited to participate in the study by a representative of the research group.
D) some participants have a greater chance of being selected than others.

Question 45

One of the advantages of conducting a longitudinal study instead of a cross-sectional study is that:

A) it allows researchers to follow groups long enough to assess both short-term and long-term effects.
B) it produces results that are almost always generalizable to the larger population.
C) it is often inexpensive and the least time consuming of all research designs.
D) it rarely suffers from the third variable problem and can accurately separate causes from consequences.

Question 46

James found a strong relationship between stress and depression in his study. However, he suspects that another variable was responsible for the results. This is an example of the _____ problem.

A) continuous variable
B) intervening variable
C) third variable
D) pseudo-variable

Question 47

Internal validity in experimental research means that:

A) the dependent variable was responsible for the manipulation.
B) the dependent variable received the manipulation.
C) the dependent variable was responsible for the changes that occurred to the independent variable.
D) the changes in the dependent variable can be attributed to the manipulation of the independent variable.

Question 48

The study of the frequency and distribution of a disorder, or a group of disorders in a population is known as _____.

A) quantitative correlations
B) biostatistics
C) epidemiology
D) disease diffusion mapping

Question 49

In epidemiological research, _____ refer(s) to the number of new cases of the disorder that develop during a specific period of time.

A) risk factors
B) prevalence
C) course
D) incidence

Question 50

If participants in the experimental group and control group differ significantly, this may threaten the _____ of the study.

A) constructs validity
B) internal validity
C) face validity
D) extraneous validity

Question 51

Dr. Dell's study demonstrated a statistical significance of p < .20. He seemed somewhat disappointed with these results. Which of the following conclusions could be drawn concerning Dr. Dell's study?

A) The results were probably based on a skewed sample and bias was evident.
B) The sample size in his population was probably large and he thus expected the results to be statistically significant.
C) The statistical significance is arbitrary and researchers need not pay attention to these numbers.
D) As long as the positive correlation was close to +1.0 he should not be concerned about the statistical significance.

Question 52

If two variables have a correlation (r) of + .95, it means that:

A) there is a low positive correlation between the variables.
B) the study resulted in a near perfect negative correlation.
C) the variables show no correlation.
D) there is a high positive correlation between the variables.

Question 53

Epidemiological studies:

A) can establish that a risk factor causes a disorder.
B) overcome almost all of the limitations of correlational studies.
C) are generally unaffected by the problem of the third variable.
D) provide valuable information on the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for disorders.

Question 54

Robert is gathering data for his graduate research project. He targets psychology students as his participants. He randomly selects several psychology classes to administer his questionnaire. Which of the following is true about Robert's participants?

A) The students in the psychology classes represent the population and all the psychology students on campus also represent the population.
B) The students in the psychology classes represent the population and all the psychology students on campus represent the sample.
C) The students in the psychology classes represent the sample and all the psychology students on campus also represent the sample.
D) The students in the psychology classes represent the sample and all the psychology students on campus represent the population.

Question 55

A sample that is not representative is said to be _____.

A) generalizable
B) truly random
C) random
D) biased

Question 56

Which of the following represents the appropriate sequence of steps followed by researchers to determine the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for a disorder?

A) Identify the population of interest; estimate how many people in different categories of risk factors have the disorder; identify a random sample; interview participants
B) Identify the population of interest; identify a random sample; interview participants; estimate how many people in different categories of risk factors have the disorder
C) Estimate how many people in different categories of risk factors have a disorder; identify the population of interest; identify a random sample; interview participants
D) Estimate how many people in different categories of risk factors have a disorder; identify a random sample; interview participants

Question 57

An instructor asked you to report the proportion of the population that has a specific disorder during a specific point in time. The instructor has asked you for the _____ of the disorder.

A) incidence
B) course
C) prevalence
D) duration

Question 58

In an experimental study, the group that shares all the same experiences as the group of interest but does not receive the key manipulation is the _____.

A) experimental group
B) randomly selected group
C) control group
D) treatment group

Question 59

In human laboratory studies, the research is designed to:

A) create conditions that capture some of the key characteristics of real-world events.
B) alter conditions that will cause the disorder to manifest.
C) control conditions so that the impact of stress is lessened.
D) reduce the exposure to control for third variable problems.

Question 60

Judith has been complaining of pain in her lower back. Her friends suggested that Judith change her heel height. She began wearing a lower heel, but still continued to experience pain in her lower back. In this case, the relationship between Judith's back pain and the heel height is a _____.

A) zero correlation
B) positive correlation
C) negative correlation
D) one-to-one correlation

Question 61

Which of the following is NOT true of therapy outcome research?

A) Even when a therapy works, researchers often cannot know exactly what it is about the therapy that works.
B) Some researchers believe it is unethical to withhold treatment or to provide a treatment they believe is ineffective for people in distress.
C) Therapists who vary the dosage of a drug or deviate from a study's procedure for psychological intervention may compromise the results of the study.
D) In the real world, mental health services are delivered in controlled, high-quality atmospheres, and patients fit neatly into the criteria for an "optimal patient."

Question 62

In _____, one individual or a small number of individuals are studied intensively.

A) therapy outcome studies
B) human laboratory studies
C) group comparison studies
D) single-case experimental designs

Question 63

Studies designed to test whether a specific therapy-whether it be a psychological therapy or a biological therapy-reduces psychopathology in individuals who receive it are called _____.

A) non-human research studies
B) human laboratory studies
C) therapy outcome studies
D) single subject case studies

Question 64

In human laboratory studies, _____ is considered a primary limitation.

A) reliability
B) operationalization
C) replication
D) generalizabililty

Question 65

Which of the following is most often used for measuring the effectiveness of new drugs?

A) Experimental group
B) Placebo control group
C) Simple control group
D) Wait list control group

Question 66

The participants in a wait list control group receive the treatment:

A) before the experimental group.
B) at the same time as the experimental group.
C) at a later time than the experimental group.
D) before and after the experimental group.

Question 67

Dr. Wayne and his associates developed a new therapy for anxiety. In their research, they had participants who met the criteria for generalized anxiety disorder. Group 1 received no treatment while Group 2 received the newly developed treatment. In this example, the researchers most likely used a _____.

A) simple control group
B) wait list control group
C) double-blind group
D) placebo control group

Question 68

Janice was involved in a single-case experiment where the treatment was introduced, withdrawn, and then reintroduced. Janice most likely participated in a study that used the _____ design.

A) longitudinal
B) cross-sectional
C) reversal
D) sequential

Question 69

Participants who are part of the placebo control group:

A) have little or no interactions with the experimenters.
B) are fully aware that they are not receiving the real treatment.
C) receive the same treatment as the experimental group.
D) are unaware that the treatment is an inactive substance.

Question 70

Darin participated in a double-blind study. In this study:

A) the experimenter and Darin knew who received the treatment.
B) only Darin knew who received the treatment.
C) neither Darin nor the experimenter knew who received the treatment.
D) only the experimenter knew who received the treatment.

Question 71

What is the primary advantage of human laboratory studies?

A) Reliability
B) Validity
C) Participants
D) Control

Question 72

Lee participated in a study that involved the treatment of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The researchers assessed Lee with others who were participating in the study. However, he received the treatment several weeks into the study. Lee most likely was part of a(n) _____.

A) double-blind group
B) simple control group
C) placebo control group
D) wait list control group

Question 73

Because researchers cannot know whether the results will generalize to what happens outside of the laboratory, human laboratory studies often have _____.

A) high external validity
B) low external validity
C) high internal validity
D) low internal validity

Question 74

To avoid demand characteristics, participants may be given tests, often called _____, that have nothing to do with the purpose of the study in order to obscure the real purpose of the study.

A) fabrications
B) double-blind stories
C) filler measures
D) analogues

Question 75

Internal validity is threatened by:

A) the qualifications of the researcher.
B) the random assignment of participants.
C) the experimental conditions of the study.
D) the presence of demand characteristics.

Question 76

A _____ study is when neither the researchers nor the participants know who is in the experimental group and who is in the control group.

A) pseudo-experimental
B) double-blind
C) placebo control
D) single-blind

Question 77

Steven was participating in a study where the researcher actually interacted with the participants. After several conversations, the experimenter started providing subtle hints about the way Steven should behave. By doing so, the experimenter is running the risk of creating _____.

A) demand characteristics
B) filler measures
C) a threat to external validity
D) reliability

Question 78

Dr. Tuten randomly assigned his abnormal psychology students to participate in a study of memory encoding specificity. This means that:

A) each student was hand-picked.
B) the sample is not truly representative of the identified population.
C) each student had an equal chance of being selected.
D) all the students participated in the study to eliminate biased selection.

Question 79

Therapy outcome research that tests how well a therapy works in highly controlled settings with a narrowly defined group of people is said to test the _____ of a therapy, while therapy outcome research that tests how well a therapy works in real-world settings is said to test the _____ of a therapy.

A) external validity; internal validity
B) efficacy; effectiveness
C) objectivity; subjectivity
D) passivity; activity

Question 80

The major difference between a case study and a single-case experimental design study is that:

A) case study participants are subject to the manipulation of variables.
B) single-case experimental design studies involve naturalistic observation.
C) case study participants' behaviors are measured by some standard method.
D) single-case experimental design study participants receive some type of intervention or manipulation, and behaviors are measured more than once.