Students who use mental imagery to study for an exam will do the same as those who do not

Students who use mental imagery to study for an exam will do better than those who do not. This sentence is an example of

    a. a biased hypothesis.
  b. a research problem.
   c. a scientific hypothesis.
  d. a null hypothesis.

There is frequently a trade-off between increasing either internal validity or external validity in an experiment. Which of the following may weaken internal validity while strengthening external validity?

    a. conducting the experiment in the students' high school rather than a university
  laboratory
  b. testing all participants at 10:00 a.m.
  c. using a standardized set of instructions that are given by a tape recording
  d. testing all participants in the same room

The statistical analysis technique used for nonexperimental data analysis in interval and ratio level data is called what?

    What will be an ideal response?

Although external validity is a desirable quality in an experiment, it is often attained at the expense of

    a. generalizability.
  b. random selection.
  c. applicability.
   d. internal validity.

The null hypothesis is

    a. a tentative solution to the research problem.
   b. the hypothesis that is actually statistically tested.
  c. the prediction that a negative correlation exists among the variables.
  d. all of the above.

If a researcher joined a religious cult to see how members are recruited and why affiliation is so strong, she would be using the: Ex post facto method
Phenomenological method
Participant – observer method
Experimental method

Participant – observer method

What is the most commonly cited disadvantage of using lab experiments to learn about human behavior?
 

Because they tend to be done in highly controlled settings, results may not be generalizable to the real world

If we find that two variables are correlated, which of the following conclusions with the unjustified?

A. We know that we have quantified a relationship between the two variables
B. We know that we can predict to some extent the value of one variable if we know the value of the other,
C. We know that changes in one of the variables cause changes in the other

C. We know that changes in one of the variables cause changes in the other

Qualitative research can be described in the following way:

It is interpretive, involves multiple methods, and focuses on people in their natural environment

Which of the following is NOT a defining characteristic of a psychological experiment?

A

According to your text there are 3 conditions for making justified claims of cause-and-effect. Which of the following is NOT one of these conditions:

A. The independent and dependent variables must be related
B. No other plausible explanations between the independent and dependent variables should exist,
C. The dependent variable must be manipulated by the researcher

C. The dependent variable must be manipulated by the researcher

Several recent studies have found that moderate drinkers of alcohol have lower levels of heart disease risk than non-drinkers. It has been hypothesized that moderate drinking may reduce stress which in turn may lead to a reduction in the risk of heart disease. In this example lowered stress levels would be considered a(n)_____ variable.

You want to conduct a study to determine whether single car accidents tend to occur more frequently at a particular time of day (for example early morning hours). What kind of study would you be conducting?

Natural manipulation
Phenomenological
Longitudinal
Meta-analysis

Study designed to identify factors involved in helping behavior, a man clutches his chest and falls to the floor. In one instance the man is clean-shaven and wearing a suit; in the other he has a scraggly beard and is wearing a dirty T-shirt and jeans. The amount of time it takes for someone to help the man is recorded. In this example of the independent variable is:

The appearance of the man

Which of the following is NOT a strength of the experimental approach?

Inferring a causal relationship
Proving your hypothesis is correct
Controlling extraneous variables
Manipulating precisely one or more variables

Proving your hypothesis is correct

Which of the following is not an objective of science?

A. Controlling conditions that determine a phenomenon
B. Explanation of how a phenomenon works
C. Prediction of what will happen in the future, under certain conditions
D. Proving a theory is true

Although we should be cautious when drawing conclusions from a single study, we can be more confident in the findings of______research which involves combining information from multiple studies.

Which of the following is an example of an operationalization of the construct of "hunger"?
A.  A child asking his mother whether supper is ready more than 5 times in a 15 minute.
B. Feeling of emptiness or growling in the stomach
C. A desire to eat brought about by an intense image of the taste and smell of a favorite food
D. Realizing it's been a long time since one has eaten anything

Psychologists use the concept of determinism to mean:

A

Lakatos is to_____as Kuhn is to______.

Research programs.   Paradigms

Which of the following best describes the relationship between empirical observation and theory?

A. Theory and empirical observation are independent of one another
B. Empirical observation guides theory (logic of discovery).
C. Theory guides future research which is empirically tested (logic of justification).
D. Both A and B.  There is constant interaction between theory and empirical observation.

_______ was a philosophical approach that influenced the development of the scientific method because of its emphasis on verifying scientific information through experience or observation.

A. Rationalism
B. Falsificationism
C. Revolutionary science
D. Logical positivism

Susie was working on her doctoral dissertation and in her social psychology class she learned that social facilitation, or the presence of others, influences performance. Based on this information she hypothesized that a person would run faster when running in a group of people then when running alone. Informing this hypothesis, Susie used what type of reasoning process?

Naturalism
Social rationalism
Deduction
Induction

After every trip Pete takes to the automatic carwash he finds a new ding in his car. He concludes that this automatic carwash damages cars. He is relying on what source of knowledge?

Science
Rationalism
Intuition
Empiricism

Control in an experimental situation involves:

A

B. Eliminating the influence of extraneous variables so that a cause and effect relationship can be established.

Which of the following is probably the major concern about internet resources in exploring your research idea?

• the theft of your research idea by hackers
• the accuracy information posted on Listserv’s
• the accuracy of information at some Web sites
• the quality of information received by e-mail from other researchers in the field

the accuracy of information at some Web sites

Failing to support the scientific hypothesis could result for numerous reasons. Which of the following is NOT among those reasons?

• the scientific hypothesis was conceived properly, but was actually false
• one or more prior studies may have been wrong, leading to a misconceived scientific hypothesis
• the literature review was misinterpreted, leading to a misconceived scientific hypothesis
• the null hypothesis was conceived properly, but was actually false

the null hypothesis was conceived properly, but was actually false

Why do scientists hold and attend annual or semi-annual professional conferences?

• to bypass having to read all the literature
• to catch up on very recent and/or on-going research
• to meet each other personally, in order to better judge each others work
• to get away from teaching commitments

to catch up on very recent and/or on-going research

Below are four examples of research problems. Which one conforms to your textbook author's definition of a good research problem?

• Can music improve learning?
• Does increasing the amount of food delivered per bar press increase a rat's bar press rate?
• Are people better off believing in an afterlife, or should they just be concerned about their behavior in this life?
• Why do women take psychology courses?

Does increasing the amount of food delivered per bar press increase a rat's bar press rate?

Jimmy is using PsycINFO to search for articles on bullying behavior. He wonders if there are other psychological terms (similar to bullying) he should be using in his search. What advice would you give Jimmy?

• he should also search in PsycARTICLES and PsycBOOKS
• he should not search for other terms because he would risk accessing articles that aren’t relevant for his research
• a quick Google search would be the most efficient way to obtain additional search terms
• he should use the Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms to identify similar terms used by other psychologists 

he should use the Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms to identify similar terms used by other psychologists

If you find an article that you would like to use for your research but are unable to locate it in your library, your next step should be to:

• search through your library’s microfiche files.
• use inter-library loan.
• search again using broader search terms.
• drive to the nearest “research” library where you will likely find the article.

Why are psychological theories often a good source for research ideas?

• because theories are usually about esoteric issues with no practical application, and research makes theory more practical
• because theories are basically everyday guesses about reality that need empirical verification
• because theories often make specific predictions about relationships among variables that must then be tested empirically
• because theories are often proposed in different forms by rival scientists, and science needs to know which one is correct

because theories often make specific predictions about relationships among variables that must then be tested empirically

Once you have reviewed the literature on a topic, you are in a position to:

• begin collecting data.
• formulate a research problem.
• determine the feasibility of your study.
• write a review article for the Annual Review of Psychology.

determine the feasibility of your study

“Students who use mental imagery to study for an exam will do better than those who do not.” This sentence is an example of

• a scientific hypothesis.
• a research problem.
• a research idea.
• a null hypothesis.

We can not use the scientific method to determine some questions like “Is there a God?” But an interest in religious belief can lead to ideas that can be translated into researchable questions. Which of the following is NOT a researchable question related to religion?

• Do couples with a serious commitment to their religion have less marital conflict
• Does meditation reduce stress better than prayer?
• Can prayer alone heal you?
• Does daily social prayer influence recovery rate among surgery patients?

Can prayer alone heal you?

Why do psychologists even consider doing research that has the potential for physical or psychological harm for the participants?

Why do psychologists even consider doing research that has the potential for physical or psychological harm for the participants?

An informed consent form would likely contain all of the following statements EXCEPT?

you are not required to participate, but if you begin the study you are required to finish it

Which of the following studies would NOT fall under the “exempt” category of the IRB?

a study looking at the effect of student race on teacher help and receptivity

According to the APA guideline for animal research, all workers involved in behavioral testing of animals

must be trained in all phases care, maintenance, and handling of the species.

Which of the following is true regarding authorship on scientific papers?

only individuals making significant contributions to the writing, conceptualization, or design of the study should receive authorship. Individuals performing subsidiary tasks (e.g., collecting data) are typically referenced in a footnote

keeping the identity of the participants unknown and/or untraceable.

It has been shown that giving participants all information about the experiment before they participate, as opposed to sufficient information to decide about participating,

can substantially alter the results obtained in the experiment.

Debriefing participants can be difficult when doing an Internet study because

all of the above are difficulties that can be encountered

Because a researcher may overemphasize the scientific value of their own research,

an IRB must be consulted to make recommendations regarding ethical dilemmas

Some fear that the use of deception in psychological experiments leads to distrust of the field of psychology, is an unnecessary invasion of privacy, and is a denial of self-determination. Follow-up studies of research participants have shown

participants do not mind deception and accept it as necessary for good research.

Is the consistency with which a measuring instrument yields a certain result when the entity being measured hasn't changed?

Why do psychologists even consider doing research that has the potential for physical or psychological harm for the participants quizlet?

Which of the following is not one of the key characteristics of a true experiment quizlet?

What research purpose is best suited for qualitative research studies?