Question 1

Two students in an art class are at least 20 years older than the others.Which measure of variation of class members' ages is most affected by the ages of these two students?

Accepted Answer

A)  standard deviation 
B)  mode 
C)  median 
D)  range

Question 2

New technologies such as smart phone apps and body-worn sensors have enabled the collection of "big data" by means of

Accepted Answer

A)  scatterplots. 
B)  case studies. 
C)  experimentation. 
D)  naturalistic observation.

Question 3

Following the scientific discovery that a specific brain structure is significantly larger in violent individuals than in those who are nonviolent,a news headline announced: "Enlarged Brain Structure Triggers Violent Acts." The headline writer should most clearly be warned about the dangers of

Accepted Answer

A)  the placebo effect. 
B)  regression toward the mean. 
C)  confusing association with causation. 
D)  generalizing from unrepresentative samples.

Question 4

In a psychological experiment,the experimental factor that is manipulated by the investigator is called the ________ variable.

Accepted Answer

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

Question 5

An experiment was designed to study the potential impact of alcohol consumption on emotional stability.A specification of the procedures used to measure emotional stability illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  the independent variable. 
B)  an operational definition. 
C)  the double-blind procedure. 
D)  random assignment.

Question 6

Professor Ober carefully observes and records the behaviors of children in their classrooms in order to track the development of their social and intellectual skills.Professor Ober is most clearly engaged in

Accepted Answer

A)  survey research. 
B)  naturalistic observation. 
C)  experimentation. 
D)  replication.

Question 7

Five students received the following test scores: 7,11,5,6,and 11.Calculate the mode,median,mean,and range of this distribution of scores.Which measure of central tendency would change the most if an additional test score of 2 was included in the distribution?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Five students received the following test scores:...

Question 8

Governor Donovan was greeted by large,enthusiastic crowds at all of his political rallies.As a result,he became overconfident about his chances of re-election.In this instance,the governor needs to be alerted to the value of

Accepted Answer

A)  replication. 
B)  random sampling. 
C)  experimental control. 
D)  naturalistic observation.

Question 9

When provided with the unscrambled solutions to anagrams,people underestimate the difficulty of solving the anagrams.This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  evidence-based conclusions. 
B)  perceiving order in random events. 
C)  critical thinking. 
D)  overconfidence.

Question 10

In a study of the effects of drinking alcohol,some participants drank a nonalcoholic beverage that actually smelled and tasted like alcohol.This nonalcoholic drink was a

Accepted Answer

A)  dependent variable. 
B)  replication. 
C)  placebo. 
D)  double blind.

Question 11

Hindsight bias most directly contributes to the perception that

Accepted Answer

A)  psychological theories are simply reflections of researchers' personal values. 
B)  psychological research studies are simplified versions of reality. 
C)  psychological theories and observations are merely common sense. 
D)  psychological research studies are unethical.

Question 12

A psychologist notes that we are especially attracted to people whose traits are different from our own.This statement would seem unsurprising to students because

Accepted Answer

A)  most students have often been attracted to people different from themselves. 
B)  this finding is consistent with common sense. 
C)  students are eager to interact with those who are different from themselves. 
D)  students,like everyone else,have a tendency to exaggerate their ability to have foreseen the outcome of past discoveries.

Question 13

Megan was certain that she would never live far away from her family.However,when offered a job in another state,she decided to move.Megan's experience best illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  hindsight bias. 
B)  perceiving order in random events. 
C)  unconscious thinking. 
D)  overconfidence.

Question 14

Professor Ambra was skeptical about the accuracy of recently reported research on sleep deprivation.Which process would best enable her to assess the reliability of these findings?

Accepted Answer

A)  naturalistic observation 
B)  replication 
C)  random sampling 
D)  the case study

Question 15

The ________ is a measure of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  standard deviation;central tendency 
B)  mean;variation 
C)  median;central tendency 
D)  mode;variation

Question 16

The principle of informed consent is most directly relevant to people's right to

Accepted Answer

A)  choose whether they wish to participate in a research study. 
B)  know whether they are assigned to an experimental or control group. 
C)  replicate the results of a research study. 
D)  be fully debriefed following their participation in research.

Question 17

In an experimental study of the extent to which mental alertness is inhibited by sleep deprivation,mental alertness would be the

Accepted Answer

A)  control condition. 
B)  independent variable. 
C)  experimental condition. 
D)  dependent variable.

Question 18

Several weeks after a political election,voters often exaggerate their ability to have predicted the election outcome.This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

A)  critical inquiry. 
B)  random sequences. 
C)  hidden values. 
D)  hindsight bias.

Question 19

Illusory correlation refers to

Accepted Answer

A)  the perception of a relationship between two variables that does not exist. 
B)  a correlation that exceeds the value of +1.00. 
C)  a random cluster of points on a scatterplot. 
D)  the belief that the correlation of two variables proves causation.

Question 20

Operational definitions are most likely to facilitate

Accepted Answer

A)  replication. 
B)  positive correlations. 
C)  regression toward the mean. 
D)  the placebo effect.

Exam 2: Thinking Critically With Psychological Science