Deck 3: Assessing and Diagnosing Abnormality

Question 1

Which of the following variables is manipulated in an experimental study?

A) Dependent variable
B) Outcome variable
C) Extraneous variable
D) Independent variable

Answer 1

Independent variable

Question 2

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

A) The children in the study
B) The parenting style
C) The researchers expectations
D) Discipline problems in children

Answer 2

The parenting style

Question 3

Margaret is a graduate student who wants to investigate if religious environments influence college students' consumption of alcohol. She uses the student union's database to generate the surveys. Once the data collection is complete, she analyzes the scores. What is the dependent variable (DV)?

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

Answer 3

Consumption of alcohol

Question 4

Which of the following is not a key component of the scientific method?

A) Defining the problem
B) Specifying a hypothesis
C) Defining the variables
D) Replicating the results

Question 5

Margaret is a graduate student who wants to investigate if religious environments influence college students' consumption of alcohol. She uses the student union's database to generate the surveys. Once the data collection is complete, she analyzes the scores. What is the independent variable (IV)?

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

Question 6

What is meant by a multi-method approach to research?

A) The researcher generates multiple hypotheses
B) The researcher uses several theoretical frameworks
C) A variety of methodologies are used in the research design
D) Several researchers are responsible for developing the research design

Question 7

Dr. Williams wants to know if room temperature will influence a student's performance on exams. She randomly determines which classes will receive the experimental condition in which she increases the temperature in the classroom. What is the independent variable (IV)?

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

Question 8

Adolescents of divorced families experience more depressive episodes than those of intact families. In this hypothesis, the independent variable is ______________ and the dependent variable is ______________.

A) Adolescents; depressive episodes
B) Depressive episodes; family situation
C) Family situation; depressive episodes
D) Adolescents; family situation

Question 9

Which of the following terms refers to the steps a researcher takes to obtain and evaluate information in a systematic way?

A) Scientific method
B) Scientific scrutiny
C) Scientific inquiry
D) Scientific acquisition

Question 10

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

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

Question 11

What does the term "operationalize" mean?

A) The variables have no definitive meaning
B) The variables are immeasurable
C) The variables can be measured and manipulated
D) The variables are not controlled experimentally

Question 12

What is a hypothesis?

A) Testable statement
B) Questionable statement
C) Analytical statement
D) Systematic statement

Question 13

What type of hypothesis states that there is no relationship between the variables being studied?

A) Null hypothesis
B) Zero hypothesis
C) Signal hypothesis
D) Latent hypothesis

Question 14

Which of the following is true of all variables in a study?

A) They should be defined and operationalized
B) They should be independent variables
C) They should be given the same weight
D) They should be predictable and observable

Question 15

Independent variable is to ___________ and dependent variable is to _________.

A) Intervention; treatment
B) Manipulation; outcome
C) Reliability; validity
D) Experimental group; control group

Question 16

Which of the following terms refers to a factor or characteristic that can vary within an individual or between individuals?

A) Variable
B) Hypothesis
C) Null hypothesis
D) Operational definition

Question 17

Which of the following variables is being predicted in a study?

A) Confounding variable
B) Dependent variable
C) Independent variable
D) Extraneous variable

Question 18

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

A) Old Order Amish community of Pennsylvania
B) Older Colony Mennonites of South America
C) Native Canadian community in Quebec
D) The Mennonite children of Ontario

Question 19

Which of the following is the correct sequential order for the scientific method?

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

Question 20

To state that there is no relationship between depression and stressful experiences would be an example of which of the following?

A) Theory
B) Null hypothesis
C) Hypothesis
D) Primary hypothesis

Question 21

Which of the following represents a perfect correlation?

A) 0
B) -1.0 or +1.0
C) -1.0
D) +1.0

Question 22

What is a correlation coefficient?

A) A qualitative method of measuring outcomes in a study
B) A statistical method of measuring the relationship between variables
C) The average effect size across a large number of studies
D) A statistical method of determining the generalizability of a finding

Question 23

Which of the following is an advantage of case studies?

A) They enable the researcher to focus on unconscious conflicts
B) They enable the researcher to measure overt behaviours
C) They enable the researcher to understand the individual and make inferences
D) They enable the researcher to eliminate biological causal factors

Question 24

What does replication refer to?

A) Drawing conclusions based on statistical analysis
B) Duplicating the results of a previous study
C) Making a correlation between variables
D) Copying the methodology of a previous study

Question 25

Dr. Samuel wants to study the relationship between test anxiety and age in younger children. His participants will be 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th graders and he will study the groups over a 3-year period. What type of research design is being used?

A) Longitudinal study
B) Cross-sectional study
C) Experimental study
D) Case study

Question 26

Which term refers to conclusions that are applicable to other individuals or groups?

A) Generalizability
B) Rationalization
C) Operationalization
D) Conceptualization

Question 27

You decided to take the Special K challenge and ate two bowls of cereal for 2 weeks and lost 6 kilograms. What type of correlation would describe the relationship between eating of cereal and weight loss?

A) Zero correlation
B) Positive correlation
C) Negative correlation
D) Perfect correlation

Question 28

Which of the following terms refers to a detailed history of an individual who has suffered a psychological disorder?

A) Case history
B) Case study
C) Case log
D) Case story

Question 29

Which of the following is true of correlational studies?

A) They examine causal relationships between variables
B) They examine the relationship between two or more variables
C) They often involve single subject designs
D) They focus on one primary variable of interest

Question 30

The researchers are interested in the relationship between depression and the loss of loved ones. The groups of interest are the bereaved and non-bereaved. The variables in this study receive no manipulation and depression is measured in both groups. What type of research design is being used?

A) Naturalistic observation
B) Group-comparison study
C) Cross-sectional study
D) Case study

Question 31

Which of the following statements is true if the correlation between two variables is +.95?

A) Results of the study suggest a low positive correlation between the variables
B) Results of the study suggest a near perfect negative correlation
C) Results of the study suggest the variables were unrelated
D) Results of the study suggest a high positive correlation between the variables

Question 32

Which is the logical order of events when developing a research study?

A) Operationalizing the variables, developing a theory, generating a hypothesis
B) Generating a hypothesis, operationalizing the variables, developing a theory
C) Developing a theory, generating a hypothesis, operationalizing the variables
D) Generating a hypothesis, developing a theory, operationalizing the variables

Question 33

Which type of study examines the same group over time?

A) Longitudinal study
B) Cross-sectional study
C) Group-comparison study
D) Extended-examination study

Question 34

One month following the ice storm that affected parts of Canada and the United States, researchers observed a link between an increase in subjective levels of stress and elevated levels of salivary cortisol. What kind of study is this an example of?

A) An experimental study
B) A correlational study
C) A single-case experiment
D) A case study

Question 35

The detailed history of Kurt Cobain and his symptoms of depression and suicidality in the text is an example of

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

Question 36

Measured or manipulated variables in a study must be defined in a clear and specific manner. What is this referred to as?

A) Conceptualization of variables
B) Operationalization of variables
C) Generalization of variables
D) Manipulation of variables

Question 37

Which of the following statements about case studies is false?

A) Case studies are often conducted using surveys
B) Case studies are in-depth histories of the individual's experiences
C) Case studies are rich in detailed information that is unique to the individual
D) Case studies often lack objectivity and generalizability

Question 38

Brad wants to study the relationship between anxiety levels and the number of social events attended by 1^st semester university students. What type of research design will Brad most likely use?

A) A cross-sectional study
B) A group comparison study
C) An experimental study
D) A longitudinal study

Question 39

Which of the following is not a type of correlational study?

A) Cross-sectional
B) Sequential
C) Group comparison
D) Longitudinal

Question 40

Which of the following is not true about case studies?

A) Case studies provide a wealth of information about the individual under study
B) Case studies provide an excellent opportunity to study rare problems
C) Case studies generalize to the rest of the public
D) Case studies were often used by traditional theorists such as Freud

Question 41

The administration at your university is concerned about the retention rate of students who take evening classes. They found that the later the class is held, the higher the withdrawal rate. What type of correlation existed between retention rate and timing of classes?

A) Zero correlation
B) Positive correlation
C) Negative correlation
D) Perfect correlation

Question 42

Which of the following is not a disadvantage of correlational studies?

A) They are not able to establish a causal relationship among the variables
B) They are problematic if variables are not assessed at the right time
C) They have poor external validity
D) They cost a great deal of time and money

Question 43

Which of the following statements is true of correlational studies?

A) They establish a positive correlation among the variables examined in the study
B) They use a correlational coefficient as a statistical index for measuring the relationship among variables
C) They rarely have the third-variable problem
D) They are typically inexpensive and require little time

Question 44

Which of the following terms refers to the study of the frequency and distribution of a disorder or a group of disorders in a population?

A) Epidemiology
B) Abnormal psychology
C) Psychopathology
D) Prevalence

Question 45

Judith has been complaining of low back pain. Her friends suggested that Judith change her heel height. At her friend's suggestion, she began wearing a lower heel, but found no difference in the intensity of her low back pain. What type of correlation existed between heel height and back pain?

A) Zero correlation
B) Positive correlation
C) Negative correlation
D) Perfect correlation

Question 46

Which of the following is not a primary focus of epidemiological research?

A) Incidence
B) Prevalence
C) Risk factors
D) Causation

Question 47

Which of the following terms refers to the proportion of the population who has a particular disorder over a specific time period?

A) Incidence
B) Course
C) Prevalence
D) Duration

Question 48

What does the term "statistical significance" refer to?

A) The level of probability of the results occurring by chance
B) The level of probability of the results being a true finding
C) The correlational coefficient that supports the hypothesis
D) The quantification of the dependent variable

Question 49

What does external validity refer to?

A) The extent to which the results can be generalized in real life
B) The extent to which the results can be replicated
C) The extent to which the independent variable is responsible for the dependent variable
D) The extent to which the study is quantifiable

Question 50

What does a statistical significance of p<.05 mean?

A) 5 percent of the subjects had favorable outcomes
B) 5 participants out of populations obtained desired results
C) 5 chances out of 100 that the results were significant
D) 5 chances out of 100 that the results occurred by chance

Question 51

Which of the following is not a type of experimental study?

A) Human laboratory study
B) Group-comparison study
C) Therapy outcome study
D) Animal study

Question 52

Luther realized that he spent more time in outdoor activities after he decreased the amount of time he spent playing video games. What type of correlation existed between outdoor activities and video games?

A) Zero correlation
B) Positive correlation
C) Negative correlation
D) Perfect correlation

Question 53

Incidence refers to _________________ while prevalence refers to ___________.

A) Number of new cases of the disorder reported over a specific period of time; number of pre-existing cases of the disorder reported over a specific time period
B) Number of new cases of the disorder reported over a specific period of time; the proportion of the population who has the disorder over a specific time period
C) The proportion of the population who has the disorder over a specific period of time; number of new cases of the disorder reported over a specific time period
D) The proportion of the population who has the disorder over a specific period of time; number of pre-existing cases of the disorder reported over a specific time period

Question 54

Which of the following is most true of experimental studies?

A) They examine the relationship between two or more variables
B) They observe participants in their natural environment
C) They are limited to laboratory studies
D) They investigate possible cause and effect relationships

Question 55

James examined the relationship between stress and depression and found that another variable might have been responsible for depression. Which of the following terms refers to this other variable that was not measured in the study but could have potentially influenced the dependent variable?

A) Continuous variable
B) Intervening variable
C) Third variable
D) Extraneous variable

Question 56

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 concerning Robert's participants?

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

Question 57

Which of the following is true?

A) Representative samples tend to be more biased than any other sampling methods
B) True random samples are more likely to be representative of the population
C) Recruiting participants often bring more random samples to the study
D) Representative samples are likely ungeneralizable

Question 58

A researcher found that the more cooperative children were with their parents, the more they cooperated with their teachers. What type of correlation describes the relationship between cooperation with parents and teachers?

A) Unknown
B) Negative
C) Zero
D) Positive

Question 59

Dr. Peters investigated the relationship between academic performance of middle school children and the absence of recess. The study demonstrated that students who were allowed recess had higher performances. What type of correlation existed between recess and performance?

A) Zero correlation
B) Positive correlation
C) Negative correlation
D) Perfect correlation

Question 60

Which of the following is true of epidemiological studies?

A) They provide valuable information about the causes of disorders
B) They share many of the same limitations as correlational studies
C) They are not limited by the third-variable problem
D) They yield little information about who might be at higher risk for developing a disorder

Question 61

Which type of control group is typically used for measuring the efficacy of new drugs?

A) Double-blind control group
B) Placebo control group
C) Simple control group
D) Wait list control group

Question 62

Steven was participating in a study in which the researcher actually interacted with the participants. After several conversations, the experimenter began to make subtle hints as to the way Steven should behave. What might the experimenter's behaviour create?

A) Demand characteristics
B) Third variable problem
C) Threat to external validity
D) Reduced reliability

Question 63

Lee participated in a study that involved the treatment of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The researchers assessed Lee along with the other participants of the study. However, Lee started receiving the treatment several weeks into the study. What type of control group was Lee likely part of?

A) Wait list control group
B) Experimental control group
C) Randomly selected control group
D) Placebo control group

Question 64

Which of the following is a threat to internal validity?

A) Random assignment of participants
B) Experimental conditions of the study
C) Analogue study designs
D) Demand characteristics

Question 65

Which of the following is true of participants in a wait list control group?

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

Question 66

What type of study was developed in an attempt to reduce the factors that cause psychopathology?

A) Non-human research study
B) Human laboratory study
C) Therapy outcome study
D) Single subject case study

Question 67

Which of the following statements is true of experimental research?

A) Experimental research includes a control condition and an experimental condition
B) Experimental research is only conducted on non-human subjects for ethical reasons
C) Experimental research determines if there is a negative correlation between variables
D) Experimental research is an intense study of small groups over a length of time

Question 68

What is the primary advantage of human laboratory studies?

A) Reliability
B) Control
C) Validity
D) Random sampling

Question 69

Which type of validity might be threatened if participants in the experimental group and control group differ significantly at the start of the study?

A) Construct validity
B) Internal validity
C) Face validity
D) External validity

Question 70

What does research in human laboratory studies aim to do?

A) Create conditions in the laboratory that resemble conditions in the real world
B) Create conditions that will cause the disorder to manifest
C) Control conditions so that the impact of stress is lessened
D) Control conditions so that the independent variable can be measured

Question 71

Which of the following is not a problem when conducting human laboratory research?

A) Ethical issues
B) Generalizability
C) Random sampling
D) Long term effects

Question 72

Which of the following is true of participants who are part of the placebo control group?

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

Question 73

Dr. Tuten randomly assigned his abnormal psychology students to either a control or an experimental group in order to study the encoding process in short-term memory. What does the term "randomly assigned" mean?

A) Each student was randomly selected from the class
B) The class sample is representative of the population
C) Each student had an equal chance of being assigned to either the control or the experimental group
D) All students participated in the study to eliminate bias selection

Question 74

Why are therapy outcome studies useful?

A) They prepare researchers to become clinical practitioners
B) They establish causal relationships among the variables
C) They have yielded an equal number of positive outcomes as biological therapy studies
D) They allow researchers to help people while obtaining useful information

Question 75

Results that do not generalize outside of the laboratory are said to have which of the following?

A) High external validity
B) Low external validity
C) High internal validity
D) Low internal validity

Question 76

In an experimental study, which group is similar in most ways to the primary group of interest but does not experience the variable thought to cause changes in the dependent variable?

A) Control group
B) Experimental group
C) Randomly selected group
D) Treatment group

Question 77

What is meant by the term "internal validity" in experimental research?

A) The dependent variable was responsible for the manipulation
B) The independent variable was responsible for the manipulation
C) The dependent variable was responsible for the changes to the independent variable
D) The independent variable was responsible for the changes to the dependent variable

Question 78

Which of the following research designs allows researchers to prevent demand effects?

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

Question 79

Dr. Wayne and his associates developed a new therapy for anxiety. All the participants meet the criteria for generalized anxiety disorder. Group 1 received no treatment while Group 2 received the newly developed treatment. Both groups started and ended the study at the same time. What type of control group was most likely used in this study?

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

Question 80

Which of the following is a primary limitation of human laboratory studies?

A) Reliability
B) Operationalization
C) Replication
D) Generalizability