Psychology Fourth Canadian Canadian 4th Edition Wade Tavris Saucier Elias Test Bank

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Psychology, Cdn 4e (Wade)

Chapter 2 How Psychologists Do Research
Quick Quiz (1)
1) A/An is an organized system of assumptions and principles that purports to explain a

specified set of phenomena.
A) theory
B) hypothesis
C) operational definition
D) experiment
Answer: A
Explanation: A) This is the definition of a theory.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
2) An ideal scientist should:

A) not express skepticism of new ideas.
B) rely on scientific intuition.
C) not support falsifiable theories.
D) be willing to make "risky predictions."
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Scientists should be willing to make "risky predictions." All the other choices are the
opposite of ideal characteristics of scientists.
Type: MC
1
Copyright © 2013 Pearson Canada Inc.
Skill: Conceptual
3) An advantage of correlation is that:

A) it shows whether two or more variables are related.
B) firm conclusions about cause and effect can be drawn.
C) it is often useful in the first stages of a research program.
D) it provides a large amount of information on large numbers of people.
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Answer: A
Explanation: A) Correlation is a technique used to measure the strength and direction of a
relationship between two or more variables.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
4) Which of the following methods would be most appropriate to study the effects of alcohol
consumption on problem solving ability?
A) correlation
B) experiments
C) case study
D) naturalistic observation
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Since this example is looking for a cause-and-effect relationship, experiment is the
only appropriate method.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
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5) The variable manipulated by the researcher in an experiment is the:
A) control variable.
B) independent variable.
C) dependent variable.
D) experimental variable.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) This is the definition of an independent variable.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
6) The purpose of a double-blind study is:

A) to eliminate experimenter effects.
B) to increase experimental effects.
C) to test the effects of a placebo.
D) to determine the visual ability of newborn infants.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Double-blind studies are used to eliminate possible bias and experimenter effects.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
7) An advantage of naturalistic observation is that:

Answer: C
Explanation: C) Naturalistic observation is important early in the research process to generate
hypotheses, but it does not test hypotheses.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
8) Descriptive statistics:
A) organize and summarize research data.
B) allow determination of statistical significance.
C) allow researchers to draw inferences about their results.
D) show how likely it is that a study's results occurred merely by chance.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Descriptive statistics organize and summarize results, while inferential statistics help
to determine whether results are significant.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
9) Meta-analysis is used to:

A) determine statistical significance.
B) combine results from several studies.
C) determine the probability of chance affecting the results.
D) maintain ethical standards in research.
Answer: B
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Explanation: B) Meta-analysis is a statistical technique for combining the results of multiple studies.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
10) CPA ethical standards require researchers to:

A) avoid double-blind studies.
B) avoid the use of deception.
C) limit the use of volunteers as subjects.
D) obtain informed consent from subjects.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) CPA ethical guidelines require the use of informed consent to protect research
subjects.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
Quick Quiz (2)
1) A/An is a statement that attempts to predict or to account for a set of phenomena.

A) theory
B) hypothesis
C) operational definition
D) experiment
Answer: B
Explanation: B) This is the definition of a hypothesis.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
2) An ideal scientist should:

A) not express skepticism of new ideas.
B) rely on scientific intuition.
C) make sure theories are falsifiable.
D) not make "risky predictions."
Answer: C
Explanation: C) A scientist should make sure theories are falsifiable. All the other choices are the
opposite of ideal characteristics of scientists.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
3) An advantage of case studies is that:

A) they can confirm hypotheses.
B) general behavioural principles can be derived from them.
C) they can help determine cause and effect.
D) they provide in-depth information about unusual cases.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Case studies provide in-depth information about an individual case and generate
hypotheses, but they cannot be used to confirm hypotheses or determine cause and
effect.
Type: MC
4
Skill: Conceptual
4) An advantage of a survey is that:

Answer: D
Explanation: D) Surveys can provide a lot of information about attitudes, beliefs, opinions, and
behaviours of large groups of people.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
5) An advantage of an experiment is that:

Answer: B
Explanation: B) The primary advantage of an experiment is that it can be used to determine cause
and effect.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
6) In a double-blind experiment:
A) neither the subjects in the experimental group nor the subjects in the control group know
the experimental hypothesis.
B) neither the subjects in the experimental group nor the subjects in the control group know
which group they are in.
C) neither the subjects nor the researcher know which subjects are in which group.
D) neither the subjects in the experimental group nor the subjects in the control group know
or can see the experimenter.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Double-blind experiments are conducted to eliminate experimenter effects by
keeping both the subjects and the researcher "blind" to which group a particular
subject is in.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
7) Statistical significance means that:

A) results are meaningful.
B) results are important.
C) results are unlikely to be due to chance.
D) results are typical.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Tests of statistical significance are used to determine the likelihood that a particular
set of results are due to chance factors.
Type: MC
5
Skill: Factual
8) Cross-sectional studies allow one to determine the:

A) statistical significance of results.
B) effect size.
C) experimenter effects.
D) generational differences.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Cross-sectional studies are useful in studying generational differences, whereas
longitudinal studies are more useful in studying changes in a person over a period of
time.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
9) Which of the following methods would be most appropriate to study maternal behaviour in
chimpanzees?
A) correlation
B) experiments
C) case study
Answer: D
Explanation: D) In this case, naturalistic observation would be most appropriate because the
researcher wants to know about the natural behaviours of chimpanzees.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
10) Which of the following is NOT a reason psychologists study animals?

A) to discover practical applications
B) to improve human welfare
C) to avoid use of deception
D) to clarify theoretical questions
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Psychologists should use caution in experiments with humans that involve
deception, but they do not need to avoid deception. The other choices are all reasons
that psychologists study animals.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
Test Questions
1) When psychologists learned that hopeful parents of autistic children were being drawn to a
program of "facilitated communication," they:
A) conducted a survey of all the facilitators working with autistic children.
B) argued that it was not ethical to use this technique with children.
C) conducted experiments involving autistic children and their facilitators.
D) carefully analyzed the testimonials about the therapy before accepting it.
Answer: C
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Explanation: C) The research involving autistic children and their facilitators demonstrated that the
claims concerning "facilitated communication" were false.
Type: MC
Section: Chapter 2 Introduction
Skill: Factual
2) Research methods are important for all of the following reasons EXCEPT that they:
A) are the basic foundation for psychology and other sciences.
B) can help a person make a wiser decision between alternatives.
C) provide the means for false claims to be verified.
D) allow researchers to separate reliable information from unfounded claims.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Research methods provide the means for false claims to be found out for what they
are. All other choices are accurate.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
3) Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons why research methods matter so much to
psychologists?
A) These methods allow psychologists to separate truth from unfounded belief.
B) These methods allow psychologists to gain respect from the "hard" sciences.
C) These methods allow psychologists to correct false ideas that might cause people harm.
D) These methods allow psychologists to sort out conflicting views.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) While use of research methods may result in increased respect from the "hard"
sciences, this is not the reason they are used. They are used because psychology is a
science and, as such, its data must be based on empirical evidence.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
4) When the authors refer to psychologists as scientists, they mean that psychologists:
A) wear white coats when they conduct animal research.
B) rely upon sophisticated brain-imaging machines.
C) work with complicated computers and laboratory equipment.
D) base their work on scientific attitudes and procedures.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) As a science, psychology trusts only evidence based on empirical data resulting from
the use of the scientific method. Science is a way of asking and answering questions
and has little to do with the equipment used or the clothing worn.
Type: MC
Section: What Makes Psychological Research Scientific?
Skill: Conceptual
5) An organized system of assumptions and principles that purports to explain a specified set of
phenomena and their interrelationships is called a/an:
A) theory.
7
B) hypothesis.
C) double-blind study.
D) operational definition.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) This is the definition of a theory.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
6) A theory is:
A) an organized system of assumptions and principles that attempts to explain some
phenomenon.
B) an opinion or idea about the causes of some phenomenon.
C) a group of interrelated statements about cause and effect.
D) a hunch about the causes of related phenomena.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) A theory is an organized system of assumptions and principles that attempts to
explain some phenomenon.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
7) Theory is defined as:

A) a statement that attempts to predict a set of phenomena, and specifies relationships
among variables that can be empirically tested.
B) the precise meaning of a term, which specifies the operations for observing and
measuring the process or phenomenon being investigated.
C) the principle that a scientific theory must make predications that are specific enough to
expose the theory to the possibility of disconfirmation.
D) an organized system of assumptions and principles that purports to explain a specified
set of phenomena and their interrelationships.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) A theory is an organized system of assumptions and principles that attempts to
explain some phenomenon.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
8) A scientific theory could be thought of as:

A) an established truth.
B) an organized system of assumptions.
C) a measure of strength between two variables.
D) a personal opinion.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) A theory is not a personal opinion, an established truth, or a measure of strength. It is
an organized system of assumptions and principles that attempts to explain some
phenomenon.
Type: MC
8
Skill: Conceptual
9) Which of the following statements is true?

A) Hypotheses are derived from theories, which, in turn, lead to testable predictions.
B) Testable predictions derive from theories based on a set of hypotheses.
C) Predictions are derived from theories, which lead to a set of hypotheses.
D) Theories derive from hypotheses based on a set of predictions.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) From a theory, a scientist derives a hypothesis. A hypothesis, in turn, leads to
predictions.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
10) A statement that attempts to predict or to account for a set of phenomena is called a/an:
A) hypothesis.
B) theory.
C) operational definition.
D) double-blind study.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) A hypothesis is a prediction, usually derived from a theory.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
11) Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A) A hypothesis is a statement that attempts to explain a specific behaviour.
B) A hypothesis is a specific prediction derived from a theory.
C) A hypothesis is a prediction about future events based on guesswork.
D) A hypothesis is a statement about a relationship between variables that may be
empirically tested.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Hypotheses are not based on guesswork, though they may be educated guesses
based on empirical knowledge.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
12) A hypothesis is defined as:

A) the principle that a scientific theory must make predications that are specific enough to
B) an organized system of assumptions and principles that purports to explain a specified
C) a statement that attempts to predict a set of phenomena, and specifies relationships
D) the precise meaning of a term, which specifies the operations for observing and
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Answer: C
Explanation: C) A hypothesis is a prediction, usually derived from a theory.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
13) Which of the following is NOT a key characteristic of scientists?

A) openness
B) scepticism
C) precision
D) humanism
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Precision, skepticism, openness to new ideas, and reliance on empirical evidence are
the hallmarks of a scientist.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
14) Which of the following is NOT one of the key characteristics of the ideal scientist?
A) scepticism
B) avoidance of risky predictions
C) openness in regard to ideas and research
D) precision
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Scientists are not afraid to make risky predictions.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
15) An operational definition is:

A) a statement that attempts to predict a set of phenomena, and specifies relationships
B) an organized system of assumptions and principles that purports to explain a specified
C) the principle that a scientific theory must make predications that are specific enough to
D) the precise meaning of a term, which specifies the operations for observing and
Answer: D
Explanation: D) An operational definition states how a variable will be measured.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
16) An operational definition tells:

A) how something is to be observed and measured.
B) what is expected to result from manipulation of a variable.
C) the meaning of a term in scientific language.
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D) the meaning of a term in lay language.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) An operational definition states how a variable will be measured.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
17) Which of the following is an operational definition of depression?

A) a feeling of extreme sadness
B) the opposite of euphoria
C) a sense of futility and hopelessness
D) a score on the Beck Depression Inventory
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Only a score on the Beck Depression Inventory specifies how depression will be
measured.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
18) Which of the following is NOT a possible operational definition of intelligence?

A) a person's score on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test
B) the length of time a person takes to solve a complex maze
C) a student's cumulative GPA
D) a person's ability to reason and solve problems
Answer: D
Explanation: D) An operational definition must specify how a variable is to be measured.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
19) The principle of falsifiability is defined as:

A) the precise meaning of a term, which specifies the principles for observing and
B) a statement that attempts to predict a set of phenomena, and specifies relationships
C) an organized system of assumptions and principles that purports to explain a specified
D) the principle that a scientific theory must make predications that are specific enough to
Answer: D
Explanation: D) To be useful, a scientific theory must be specific enough that its predictions can be
proven or disproven.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
20) A precise meaning of a term, which specifies the operations for observing and measuring the
process or phenomenon being investigated, is called a/an:
11
A) double-blind study.
B) theory.
C) hypothesis.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) This is a definition of an operational definition.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
21) Marcy is trying to define "anxiety" in a way that can be empirically tested. She is attempting to
find an appropriate:
A) operational definition.
B) double-blind study.
C) hypothesis.
D) theory.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Operational definitions specify how variables are to be observed or measured.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
22) Hannah has always been drawn to the saying "Absence makes the heart grow fonder," and she
decides to incorporate this saying into her research project. Hannah is trying to define "absence"
in a way that can be empirically tested. She is attempting to find an appropriate:
A) theory.
B) double-blind study.
C) hypothesis.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Operational definitions specify how variables are to be observed or measured.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
23) Which of the following is most characteristic of scientists?

A) reliance on scientific authority
B) intense conviction that a hypothesis is true
C) creativity in developing new ideas to test
D) reliance on empirical evidence
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The basis of all science is reliance on empirical evidence.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
24) The principle of falsifiability means that:

A) scientists, as well as people in general, tend to accept false information when it is
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endorsed by an authority.
B) a scientist must state an idea in such a way that it can be refuted or disproved by
counterevidence.
C) scientists must be careful not to falsify their results.
D) theories that have not been proven are considered falsified.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) To be useful, a scientific theory must be specific enough that its predictions can be
proven or disproven, that is, it is falsifiable.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual

A) Even though skepticism about new ideas is important, a scientist should accept older
ideas that have been endorsed by authorities in the field.
B) It is important to balance skepticism with openness to new ideas.
C) Skepticism and caution go hand in hand.
D) Skepticism in science is an unwillingness to accept an idea without empirical evidence.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) All ideas, both new and old, should be subjected to the test of empirical support and
should not be accepted just because they are endorsed by an authority.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
26) In order to be taken seriously, a hypothesis must be:

A) backed by empirical evidence.
B) imaginative and appealing.
C) plausible given the current theories.
D) suggested by a credible authority.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Empirical evidence is the key to taking a theory or hypothesis seriously in science.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
27) Confirmation bias is a:

A) tendency to accept replicated studies but not accept studies that have not been replicated.
B) belief that bias exists in many studies that prevents them from being confirmed.
C) tendency to believe theories that have been confirmed by empirical data.
D) tendency to look for evidence that supports our theory and ignore evidence that
contradicts it.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Confirmation bias is a tendency to look for evidence that supports our theory and
ignore evidence that contradicts it.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
13
28) The tendency to look for information that supports one's own belief is called the:
A) criterion validity.
B) volunteer bias.
C) principle of falsifiability.
D) confirmation bias.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) This is a definition of confirmation bias.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
29) According to the principle of falsifiability:

A) false conclusions are reached in a scientific study when researchers make risky
predictions.
B) researchers must conduct naturalistic observations in order to reach a causal explanation
about a particular behaviour.
C) hypotheses should be considered false until scientific research proves, without a doubt,
that they are true.
D) a scientific theory must make predictions that are specific enough to expose the theory to
the possibility of disconfirmation.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) To be useful, a scientific theory must be specific enough that its predictions can be
proven or disproven, that is, it is falsifiable.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
30) Descriptive methods, such as case studies, are useful when researchers are:
A) not certain what it is they are studying.
B) not able to conduct an experiment.
C) not able to make appropriate observations.
D) not able to make predictions.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Case studies produce detailed descriptions of an individual and, like other
descriptive methods, can generate more specific hypotheses.
Type: MC
Section: Descriptive Studies: Establishing the Facts
Skill: Conceptual
31) On the internet, reports of murderous satanic cults operating in Canada are widespread, but the
RCMP has never been able to substantiate this claim. Some individuals continued to believe in
the existence of the cults, saying that the RCMP has been part of the conspiracy. This is an
example of a violation of in everyday life.
A) the volunteer bias
B) the principle of falsifiability
C) the coefficient of correlation
D) replication
Answer: B
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Explanation: B) The belief in satanic cults could not be disproven; therefore, it was not a valid theory.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
32) Which of the following statements is true?

A) Disclosure of the details of a study is important to allow for replication by others.
B) Research procedures, once patented, should be shared openly.
C) It is a waste of time and money to replicate a study that has already been done.
D) Scientists should keep their research secret so others will not steal their ideas.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Science depends on the free flow of ideas and full disclosure of studies. Replication is
an essential part of the scientific process.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
33) Scientists are expected to submit their results to professional journals, which send the findings to
experts for evaluation before publication. This process is called:
B) peer review.
C) content validity.
D) reliability.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) This is a definition of the peer review process.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
34) One purpose of peer review is to:

A) make sure that the researchers did not deceive their subjects in any way.
B) make sure that the research does not involve animals as subjects.
C) scrutinize the evidence before any announcement to the public.
D) choose which, among competing interpretations of a finding, is best.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) A major purpose of peer review is to make sure a study used valid methods in
obtaining its results. Otherwise the results are not valid and could be misleading.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
35) What was wrong with Norman Cousins’s claim that humour and vitamins could cure life-
threatening diseases?
A) It was not falsifiable.
B) It was not based on empirical evidence.
C) It resulted from confirmation bias.
D) Its variables were not operationally defined.
Answer: B
15
Explanation: B) Norman Cousins's claim was based on only one case, his own, and was therefore
anecdotal evidence that had not been empirically tested.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
36) Replication relies upon a scientist’s:

A) openness.
B) skepticism.
C) reliance on empirical evidence.
D) precision.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Replication is an essential part of the scientific process. This process ensures that
other scientists can verify or challenge the findings.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
37) Science is meant to be a/an activity.

A) elite B)
secret C)
private
D) communal
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Scientists are expected to share their evidence and procedures with others.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
38) Descriptive methods allow a researcher to do all of the following EXCEPT:

A) choose one explanation about behaviour over competing ones.
B) predict behaviour.
C) describe behaviour
D) depict behaviour.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Descriptive methods allow researchers to describe and predict behaviour but not
necessarily choose one explanation over another.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
39) Research methods that depict behaviour but are not necessarily causal explanations are called:
A) significance tests.
B) experimental methods.
C) descriptive methods.
D) single-blind studies.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) This is a definition of descriptive research techniques.
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Type: MC
Skill: Factual
40) A detailed description of a particular individual being studied or treated is called a:

A) case study.
B) single-blind study.
C) representative sample.
D) naturalistic observation.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) This is the definition of a case study.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
41) Which of the following is an advantage of case studies?

A) Case studies produce a more detailed picture of an individual than do other methods.
B) The observer may have biases that influence which facts are observed and which are
ignored.
C) An individual case may not be representative of others.
D) Information is often missing or hard to interpret.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) All of the other choices are disadvantages, not advantages, of case studies.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
42) The case of Genie illustrated that:

A) autistic children often have cold, rejecting mothers.
B) there is an early critical period for language development.
C) early severe deprivation can be overcome with later therapy.
D) language acquisition is possible even if it is delayed until adolescence.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The case study of Genie demonstrated that, in this individual, early severe deprivation
could not be overcome. Therefore it appears that there is an early critical period for
language development.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
43) In the 1970s, a 13-year-old girl was found locked up in a room, strapped to a potty chair. Since
she had grown up in a world without human speech, researchers studied Genie's ability to
acquire words, grammar, and pronunciation. This type of research is called a:
A) representative sample.
B) naturalistic observation.
C) case study.
D) single-blind study.
Answer: C
17
Explanation: C) This is an example of a case study, a detailed study of one individual.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
44) In the 1970s, Genie's difficulty acquiring words, grammar, and pronunciation led researchers to
conclude that:
A) Genie's linguistic deficits can be generalized to other abused children.
B) Genie had suffered brain damage in the birth process.
C) language depends on nurture rather than nature.
D) a critical period exists for language development.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The case study of Genie demonstrated that, in this individual, early severe
deprivation could not be overcome. Therefore it appears that there is an early critical
period for language development.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
45) are usually sources of hypotheses, rather than tests of hypotheses.

A) Single-blind studies
B) Case studies
C) Double-blind studies
D) Field research studies
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Case studies do not test hypotheses, but may suggest them.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
46) Dr. Olson wants to know whether or not the first three years of life are critical for acquiring
language. She decides to study children who have been deprived of human language. The
appropriate method to use to explore this issue would be a/an:
A) case study.
B) observational study.
C) survey.
D) experiment.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) It would not be ethical to do an experiment in this case. The other methods listed
would be possible, but one or several related case studies would be most useful.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
47) On the basis of case study research, psychoanalyst Bruno Bettelheim wrote that autism in
children is caused by cold and rejecting mothers. Thousands of women blamed themselves for
lacking warmth. The example is described in order to:
A) demonstrate that nurture is more important than nature in psychological problems such
18
as autism.
B) illustrate the importance of motherhood so that other children don't suffer this type of
tragedy.
C) illustrate that drawing conclusions solely on the basis of case studies can have disastrous
results.
D) demonstrate that case studies are able to establish causal connections in some clinical
cases.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Case studies may generate hypotheses, but it is not appropriate to generalize from
case studies and draw conclusions about other people.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
48) A case study would be the most appropriate method to investigate which of these topics?
A) the math skills of students in Japan as compared to those of Canadian students
B) the development of a male baby raised as a female after a surgical error destroyed his
penis
C) physiological changes that occur when people watch violent movies
D) the ways in which the games of boys differ from the games of girls
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Case studies are most useful in unusual or rare cases.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
49) Over a period of 55 years, a British woman sniffed large amounts of cocaine, which she obtained
legally under British regulations for the treatment of addicts. She appeared to show no negative
effects, other than drug dependence. What does this case tell us about the dangers/safety of
cocaine?
A) It is safe when legally regulated.
B) Not much.
C) It is dangerous because it causes dependence.
D) It should be legalized in Canada.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) This is a case study and cannot be generalized to other people, therefore it tells us
nothing.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
50) Which of the following is NOT a descriptive method?

A) tests
B) case studies
C) surveys
D) correlation
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Correlation is a statistical technique, not a descriptive technique.
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Type: MC
Skill: Factual
51) Which descriptive method would be most appropriate for studying flirtation behaviour in college
students?
A) test
B) survey
C) observation
D) case study
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Because flirtation is often engaged in without awareness, observation would be most
appropriate.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
52) Which descriptive method would be most appropriate for studying mathematics ability of
incoming college students?
A) case study
B) test
C) observation
D) survey
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Tests are most useful in measuring ability of large groups of people.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
53) Which descriptive method would be most appropriate for studying changes in behaviour
following a rare brain disorder?
A) observation
B) survey
C) case study
D) test
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Case studies are most useful in rare or unusual cases.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
54) An academic researcher would use the case study method in all of the following situations
EXCEPT:
A) when the purpose of the research is to track down a cause.
B) when practical considerations prevent other methods of gathering information.
C) when first beginning to study a research topic.
D) when ethical considerations prevent other methods of gathering information.
Answer: A
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Explanation: A) The case study method is not useful in determining causes, though it may result in
hypotheses.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
55) In the researcher carefully and systematically watches and records behaviour, without
interfering with the behaviour.
A) survey research
B) double-blind research
C) experimental research
D) observational research
Answer: D
Explanation: D) This is a description of observational research.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
56) An advantage of observational studies is that:

A) they can provide accurate descriptions of behaviour.
B) they do not provide hypotheses to be tested.
C) they can answer questions about cause and effect.
D) the presence of observers can alter the behaviour being observed.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Observational studies provide good descriptive information but cannot answer
questions about cause and effect, though they may provide some hypotheses to be
tested. Observer effects are a disadvantage, not an advantage.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
57) Dawn is systematically recording behaviours at a nursery school, making sure that she doesn't
interfere with the behaviours. Dawn is engaged in:
A) double-blind research.
B) observational research.
C) survey research.
D) experimental research.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) This is an example of observational research.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
58) For his adult development class, Barry is systematically recording behaviours at an assisted-care
facility, making sure that he doesn't interfere with the behaviours. Barry is engaged in:
A) observational research.
B) statistically significant research.
C) standardized testing.
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D) experimental research.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) This is an example of observational research.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
59) Dr. Littman-Smith is conducting research in Kenya in order to determine the ways that mothers
and their toddlers interact throughout the day. It is most likely that she is engaged in:
A) case study research.
B) experimental research. C)
laboratory observation. D)
naturalistic observation.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Naturalistic observation, or observation in a natural setting, would be most useful in
this example.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
60) Dr. Nicod is conducting research in France in order to determine the ways that mothers and their
toddlers interact throughout the day. It is most likely that she is engaged in:
A) meta-analysis research.
B) naturalistic observation.
C) survey research.
D) psychological testing.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Naturalistic observation, or observation in a natural setting, would be most useful in
this example.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
61) Professor Gaggos wants to determine whether the needs for personal space are different in
Greece than they are in Canada. His results will be used to train business executives in
maintaining appropriate conversational distances. The research method appropriate to his
purpose would be:
A) naturalistic observation.
B) a case study.
C) an objective inventory.
D) laboratory observation.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Naturalistic observation, or observation in a natural setting, would be most useful in
this example.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
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62) Professor Hardin wants to know if people consume greater quantities of alcohol during "happy
hour" specials. It is most likely that she will use the method to explore this topic.
A) double-blind
B) experimental
C) naturalistic observation
D) case study
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Naturalistic observation, or observation in a natural setting, would be most useful
and accurate in this example.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
63) When researchers visited 32 pubs in one city they ordered beers and recorded observations on
napkins and pieces of newspaper. The reason they kept records in this way was:
A) to be able to determine experimenter effects at a later point in time.
B) to make sure that their intentions were not obvious to those they were observing.
C) to conduct a double-blind study in each of the pubs.
D) to make sure the study had test-retest reliability.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) In observational research, it is important that the subjects not be aware that they are
being observed. Otherwise their behaviour may be altered.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
64) Tess agrees to sleep in a laboratory for three nights so that researchers can obtain information
about her brain and muscle activity during sleep. She is taking part in a study.
A) double-blind
B) single-blind
C) laboratory observation
Answer: C
Explanation: C) In this example, observation is being carried out in a specialized laboratory, not in a
natural setting.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
65) Psychologists sometimes prefer to make observations in a laboratory setting rather than a
naturalistic setting because:
A) subjects take their participation seriously in a professional environment.
B) it is too time-consuming to have to drive from place to place to observe subjects.
C) a lab allows the researchers to have more control over the situation.
D) laboratory observation results generalize to everyday life.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) In some cases, it is important for researchers to have more control over the
environment than they would have in a natural setting.
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Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
66) Professor Steegel wants to know how infants of different ages respond when left with a stranger.
The most efficient approach to explore this topic would be to conduct a:
A) naturalistic observation.
B) series of case studies.
C) laboratory observation.
D) double-blind experiment.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) It would be unlikely that one would encounter this type of situation very often in a
natural setting, but it can be set up in a laboratory.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
67) Professor Kribs wants to know how infants of different ages respond when left with a stranger.
The most efficient approach to explore this topic would be to conduct a:
A) laboratory observation.
B) double-blind experiment.
C) survey.
D) single-blind experiment.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) It would be unlikely that one would encounter this type of situation very often in a
natural setting, but it can be set up in a laboratory.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
68) Professor Turner wants to know if physiological changes occur when people watch violent
movies. The most appropriate method to study this would be:
A) survey.
B) laboratory observation.
C) naturalistic observation.
D) case study.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Laboratory observation would be the most efficient method to use in this situation.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
69) A naturalistic observation would be the most appropriate method to investigate which of these
topics?
A) the math skills of students in Japan as compared to those of Canadian students
B) physiological changes that occur when people watch violent movies
C) the ways in which the games of boys differ from the games of girls
D) the development of a male baby raised as a female after a surgical error destroyed his
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penis
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Naturalistic observation, which observes and describes behaviour in a natural
setting, would be most useful for determining the types of games that boys and girls
engage in.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
70) A laboratory observation would be the most appropriate method to investigate which of these
topics?
A) physiological changes that occur when people watch violent movies
B) the math skills of students in Japan as compared to those of Canadian students
C) the ways in which the games of boys differ from the games of girls
D) the development of a male baby raised as a female after a surgical error destroyed his
penis
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Because of the need for specialized equipment to measure physiological changes,
laboratory observation would be most efficient and therefore most appropriate.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
71) One shortcoming of laboratory observation is that:

A) the presence of researchers and special equipment may cause subjects to act differently
than they would in their natural surroundings.
B) some subjects are given detailed instructions about how to behave, whereas others
receive only vague instructions.
C) the results often are inaccurate because many people have a distorted view of their own
abilities and traits.
D) teachers and parents do not usually question the results from a laboratory observation
since the results are summarized in a single, precise-sounding number.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) When people know they are being observed and when they are not in their normal
environment, their behaviour may differ from what it would be in a more natural
setting without the presence of observers.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
72) Procedures used to measure and evaluate personality traits, emotional states, aptitudes, and
values are called:
A) field research.
B) laboratory observations.
C) control conditions.
D) psychological tests.
Answer: D
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Explanation: D) Tests are used to measure personality traits, emotional states, aptitudes, opinions,
values, and other characteristics.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
73) Assessment instruments that are designed to tap unconscious feelings or motives are called:
A) inventories.
B) objective tests.
C) alternate forms.
D) projective tests.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Projective tests are used to try to determine a person's unconscious feelings and
motives.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
74) Tessa agrees to an evaluation designed to tap her unconscious feelings and motives. Tessa will be
given a/an:
A) projective test.
B) alternate form exam.
C) inventory.
D) objective test.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) This is an example of a situation in which a projective test would be used.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
75) Assessment instruments that are designed to measure beliefs, feelings, or behaviours of which an
individual is aware are called:
A) inferential statistics.
B) projective tests.
C) norms.
D) objective tests.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) This is a description of objective tests, as distinguished from projective tests.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
76) Harvey is being assessed in order to measure his beliefs and feelings regarding the next election.
It is most likely that the assessment instrument will be a/an:
A) projective test.
B) norm.
C) inferential statistic.
D) objective test.
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Answer: D
Explanation: D) An objective test would be most appropriate in this situation because Harvey is
aware of his beliefs and feelings regarding the upcoming election.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
77) A researcher decides that a psychological test is the most efficient means of testing his
hypothesis. A test would NOT be appropriate if the researcher wanted to:
A) make a conclusion regarding cause and effect.
B) promote self-understanding among his participants.
C) draw generalizations about human behaviour.
D) clarify the reactions of the same person at different stages of life.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Tests are descriptive and cannot be used to determine cause and effect.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
78) One test of a good test is whether it is standardized, that is, whether:
A) the test specifies the operations for observing and measuring the process being tested.
B) uniform procedures exist for giving and scoring the test.
C) the test yields consistent scores from one time and place to another time and place.
D) the test specifies relationships between events or variables and yields an empirical
evaluation.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Standardization involves uniformity in giving and scoring tests.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
79) When Haylee takes a personality test, the researcher gives her detailed instructions and plenty of
time to complete it. But Tyler takes the same test and is given only vague instructions and a
limited amount of time. This procedural difference shows a problem in regard to:
A) reliability.
B) validity.
C) standardization.
D) norms.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Standardization means that the test is always given under the same circumstances
and with the same instructions.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
80) Hadley is told that the achievement test that he is taking is a standardized test. This means that:
A) the test will be measuring what is it intended to measure.
B) the score he receives is likely to be similar to the score he would receive at a later test
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session.
C) similar scores occur when the test is given in a standard laboratory setting or in a
naturalistic setting.
D) uniform procedures exist for giving and scoring the test.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Standardization involves uniformity in giving and scoring tests.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
81) When Hoshi asks about the test she is taking, she is told that the achievement test does use
established standards of performance. Hoshi's question was about the test's:
A) content validity.
B) norms.
C) test-retest reliability.
D) criterion validity.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Norms are standards of achievement that have been determined from a
representative sample of people.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
82) Reliability in tests means that the test:

A) is unbiased.
B) is fair.
C) actually measures what it is supposed to measure.
D) produces the same results from one time and place to the next.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Reliable tests are consistent.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
83) An established standard of performance defines:

A) content validity.
B) a standard score.
C) reliability.
D) a norm.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) This is a definition of a norm.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
84) In order to be useful, a test must be reliable, that is, it must:

A) produce the same results from one time to the next.
B) measure what it is designed to measure.
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C) compare results against established standards of performance.
D) predict other criteria of the trait in question.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) To be reliable, a test must produce consistent results.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
85) When Joyce takes a personality test, she is told that the test is reliable, that is, it:
A) predicts other criteria of the personality trait in question.
B) compares its results against established standards of performance.
C) produces the same results from one time to the next.
D) measures what it is designed to measure.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) To be reliable, a test must produce consistent results.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
86) You have developed a personality "inventory" and are ready to administer this new test to a
group of participants. Your test would be considered a/an test.
A) naturalistic
B) projective
C) objective
D) subjective
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Objective tests are also called "inventories," and they measure beliefs, feelings, or
behaviours of which an individual is aware.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
87) The advantage of a psychological test, assuming it is well constructed, rests on the fact that:
A) most people are highly accurate in evaluating themselves.
B) many people do not have an accurate view of themselves.
C) they permit greater control over the situation than do laboratory observations.
D) psychological tests allow researchers to make cause-and-effect statements.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Many people have a distorted view of their own abilities and traits; hence, well-
constructed psychological tests are a great improvement over simple self-evaluation.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
88) When Sandee takes a personality test she is told that the resulting score is compared to norms,
that is, the test:
A) predicts other criteria of the personality trait in question.
B) measures what it is designed to measure.
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C) produces the same results from one time to the next.
D) results are compared to established standards of performance.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Norms are established standards of performance to which an individual's test score
can be compared.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
89) Greg is given a vocational-interest test and then retakes the same test a week later. The
psychologist is measuring the of the test.
A) alternate-forms reliability
B) content validity
C) test-retest reliability
D) criterion validity
Answer: C
Explanation: C) This is a description of how test-retest reliability is established.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
90) Ken is given a vocational-interest test and then takes a similar test a week later. The psychologist
is measuring the of the test.
A) alternate-forms reliability
B) criterion validity
C) content validity
D) test-retest reliability
Answer: A
Explanation: A) This is a description of how alternate-forms reliability is established.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
91) Anastasia is given a vocational-interest test in November and then retakes the test in January. The
psychologist is of the test.
A) standardizing the norms
B) measuring the alternate-forms reliability
C) establishing the criterion validity
D) measuring the test-retest reliability
Answer: D
Explanation: D) This is a description of how test-retest reliability is established.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
92) A team of psychologists is studying changes in attitudes toward nuclear disarmament after a TV
movie about nuclear holocaust. It is most likely that they are conducting a/an:
A) test.
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B) experiment.
C) observational study.
D) case study.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Tests can be used to measure attitudes both before and after viewing the movie.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
93) Professor Tearlach gives her new test of psychological aptitude to her psychology students at the
start of the year. At the end of the year, she finds out that those students who did poorly on her
test averaged an A in her courses. A shortcoming of the test is that it lacks:
A) reliability.
B) a representative sample.
C) criterion validity.
D) double-blind procedures.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) In this example, criterion validity is clearly lacking since the test does not predict
performance.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
94) A test would be the most appropriate method to investigate which of these topics?
A) the development of a male baby raised as a female after a surgical error destroyed his
penis
B) physiological changes that occur when people watch violent movies
C) the math skills of students in Korea as compared to those of Canadian students
D) the ways in which the games of boys differ from the games of girls
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Tests are most appropriate for measuring characteristics of large groups of people.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
95) Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a good test?

A) It is believable.
B) It is standardized.
C) It is valid.
D) It is reliable.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Whether a test is believable has no bearing on whether it is a good test.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
96) With respect to assessment instruments, when test scores are consistent they are referred to as
, whereas the term means that the test scores accurately reflect what is being
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measured.
A) valid; reliable
B) valid; standardized
C) consistent; reliable
D) reliable; valid
Answer: D
Explanation: D) To be reliable, a test must produce consistent results. Validity means that a test
measures what it is designed to measure.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
97) Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Popular polls and surveys often suffer from volunteer bias because people who feel
strongly enough to volunteer their opinions may differ from those who remain silent.
B) Surveys are procedures used to measure and evaluate personality traits, emotional states,
aptitude, interests, abilities, and values.
C) A problem with surveys is that sometimes people lie or misinterpret the question.
D) Most people do not realize that a sample's size is less critical than its representativeness.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Tests, not surveys, are procedures used to measure and evaluate personality traits,
emotional states, aptitude, interests, abilities, and values.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
98) Which of the following is an area of controversy concerning the Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL)?
A) The validity of the TOEFL for students who take their primary courses in languages
other than English.
B) There are large discrepancies when the results of two TOEFL testing sessions are
compared.
C) The ability of the TOEFL to predict university performance is questionable.
D) The extent to which the TOEFL scores are fair in regard to women and minorities has
been questioned.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) There is a marginal relationship between scores on the TOEFL and academic
performance for undergraduate students.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
99) Two types of validity are:

A) standardization and reliability.
B) validity with norms and validity without norms.
C) content validity and standardization.
D) content validity and criterion validity.
Answer: D
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Explanation: D) Content validity and criterion validity are the two major types of validity.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
100) If a test measures what it is supposed to measure, it is:

A) reliable.
B) valid.
C) standardized.
D) criterion referenced.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) This is a definition of validity.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
101) When Dana takes a personality test, she is told that the test has been judged to have criterion
validity, that is:
A) it produces the same results from one time to the next.
B) its results are compared to established standards of performance.
C) it measures what it is designed to measure.
D) it predicts other criteria of the personality trait in question.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Criterion validity exists when a test's results are predictive of other criteria of the trait
being measured.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
102) When Becky takes a personality test, she is told that the test has been judged to have content
validity, that is:
A) it predicts other criteria of the personality trait in question.
B) it produces the same results from one time to the next.
C) it measures what it is designed to measure.
D) its results are compared to established standards of performance.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Content validity exists when a test's items are related to actual standards of
performance.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
103) In order to be useful, a test must be valid, that is, it must:

A) produce the same results from one time to the next.
B) produce comparable results when alternate forms are given.
C) compare results against established standards of performance.
D) measure what it is designed to measure.
Answer: D
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Explanation: D) Validity means that a test measures what it is designed to measure.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
104) Ryan and his middle-school teammates buy a sports magazine and take the test entitled "Do you
have what it takes to make the CFL?" Given our textbook's discussion of test construction, what
advice would be best to give to Ryan?
A) The norms were probably established using college students and so the results wouldn't
apply to you.
B) Keep practicing because unless an injury gets in the way, the test's results are likely to be
reliable and valid.
C) Magazine tests are usually valid instruments, but they are rarely reliable and so the
results only explain current football skills.
D) Don't take the results too seriously because the test is just a list of questions that someone
thought sounded good.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Tests in popular magazines have rarely been determined to be valid or reliable, and
they lack normative data.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
105) Professor Flummox gives her new test of psychological aptitude to her psychology students at
the start of the year. At the end of the year, she finds out that those students who received
excellent scores on her test averaged only a C in her courses. A shortcoming of the test is that it
lacks:
A) reliability.
B) criterion validity.
C) a representative sample.
D) double-blind procedures.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) In this example, criterion validity is clearly lacking since the test does not predict
performance.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
106) The pop-psych tests found in magazines and newspapers usually:

A) have not been evaluated for validity or reliability.
B) have been evaluated for validity and reliability.
C) have not been evaluated for validity but are reliable tests.
D) have not been evaluated for reliability but are valid tests.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Tests in popular magazines have rarely been determined to be valid or reliable, and
they lack normative data.
Type: MC
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Skill: Applied
107) Most personality and intelligence tests on the internet and in magazines are:
A) neither reliable nor valid.
B) both reliable and valid.
C) valid, but not reliable.
D) reliable, but not valid.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Tests in popular magazines and on the internet have rarely been determined to be
valid or reliable, and they lack normative data.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
108) usually generate information about people indirectly; in contrast, gather

information by asking people directly about their experiences.
A) Case studies; laboratory experiments
B) Surveys; case studies
C) Psychological tests; surveys
D) Laboratory experiments; psychological tests
Answer: C
Explanation: C) This is a comparison of tests to surveys.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
109) Which descriptive method would be most appropriate for studying attitudes toward stem-cell
research?
A) survey
B) case study
C) test
D) observation
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Surveys are generally most appropriate for measuring attitudes of large groups of
people.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
110) When a radio talk show host asked listeners to call in their opinions regarding legislation to
decriminalize marijuana, the overwhelming response was support for the change. All of the
following are likely shortcomings of this survey EXCEPT:
A) the lack of a representative sample.
B) the method of subject recruitment.
C) the tendency to lie about touchy subjects.
D) the issue of volunteer bias.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) In this situation, most people probably do not lie.
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Type: MC
Skill: Applied
111) A group of subjects, randomly selected from the population of interest, which matches the
population on important characteristics such as age and sex is called:
A) volunteer bias.
B) a representative sample.
C) the control group.
D) the experimental group.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) This is a definition of a representative sample.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
112) Dr. Wiseman wants to know about the alcohol consumption patterns among college students in
Canada. He should:
A) draw a representative sample among college students.
B) give the survey to every college student in the country.
C) require students' names on each survey to avoid the tendency to lie.
D) remember that sample size is the most critical factor in survey research.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) It is not necessary to survey the entire population of interest as long as the sample
used is representative.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
113) The editors of Scientific American are able to obtain a representative sample of their readers in
order to assess their attitudes toward preservation of the rain forests in Costa Rica. When
interpreting the results of their survey, the editors will be able to apply the results to :
A) North Americans.
B) Costa Rica.
C) scientists.
D) subscribers of Scientific American.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Survey results can be generalized only to people similar to the original respondents.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
114) The magazine Lover's Delight publishes a survey of its female readers called "The Sex Life of the
Canadian Wife." It reports that 87% of all wives like to make love in rubber boots. The critical
flaw in this research would be the fact that:
A) rubber boots are not equally available in all regions of the country.
B) the sample is not representative of Canadian wives.
C) a psychological test, rather than a survey, should have been given.
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D) "making love" has not been operationally defined.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Respondents to such a survey would include only readers of the particular magazine
and would not be representative of all people.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
115) A representative sample is a:

A) large group of participants containing at least 25% of the population of interest.
B) group of participants that contains both volunteers and nonvolunteers.
C) group of participants containing males, females, and representatives of all racial and
ethnic groups.
D) group of participants that accurately represents the larger population of interest.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) A definition of a representative sample is a group of participants that accurately
represents the larger population of interest.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
116) The likelihood of lying about a touchy topic is reduced when respondents:
A) are questioned by a compassionate interviewer.
B) are paid for their participation in the survey.
C) are guaranteed anonymity.
D) receive explanations regarding the importance of the survey.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Anonymity generally results in increased honesty about touchy subjects.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
117) Famed sex researcher Alfred Kinsey found that more truthful responses were elicited when he
phrased a question in which of the following ways?
A) Do your behaviours regarding nonmarital sex match your values?
B) Have you ever had sex outside of marriage?
C) Have you ever engaged in fornication or adultery?
D) How many times have you had nonmarital sex?
Answer: D
Explanation: D) This type of phrasing generally lends itself to more honest answers.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
118) Problems with surveys may include all of the following EXCEPT:
A) lack of representative samples.
B) lack of honesty of participants.
C) choice of media (phone, internet, etc.) to use for the survey.
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D) volunteer bias.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Choice of media is an important consideration, but is not necessarily a problem.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
119) Many tests and surveys on the Web have not been:
A) correlated.
B) replicated.
C) validated.
D) standardized.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Many tests and surveys on the Web have not been validated.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
120) A/an is a measure of how strongly two variables are related to one another.
A) correlation
B) independent variable
C) experimental effect
D) dependent variable
Answer: A
Explanation: A) This is a definition of correlation.
Type: MC
Section: Correlational Studies: Looking for Relations
Skill: Factual
121) A statistical measure of the relationship between two variables is the definition of:
A) correlation.
B) relationship coefficient.
C) an experiment.
D) replication.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) This is a definition of correlation.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
122) A negative correlation means that:

A) high values of one variable are associated with low values of the other.
B) there is no relationship between the two variables.
C) high values of one variable are associated with high values of the other.
D) low values of one variable are associated with low values of the other.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Negative correlations indicate that two related variables move in opposite directions;
that is, the higher one variable the lower the other is and vice versa.
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Type: MC
Skill: Factual
123) Julie has found that the number of hours she sleeps each night is related to the scores she receives
on quizzes the next day. As her sleep approaches eight hours, her quiz scores improve; as her
sleep drops to five hours, her quiz scores show a similar decline. Julie realizes that:
A) she should sleep about 10 hours a night to ensure 100% quiz grades.
B) there is a positive correlation between the number of hours she sleeps and her quiz
grades.
C) her low quiz scores are caused by sleep deprivation the night before a quiz.
D) there is a negative correlation between the number of hours she sleeps and her quiz
grades.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) This is an example of a positive correlation.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
124) Janie has found that the number of hours she sleeps each night is related to the scores she
receives on quizzes the next day. As her sleep approaches eight hours, her quiz scores improve;
as her sleep drops to five hours, her quiz scores show a similar decline. Janie realizes that:
A) her low quiz scores are caused by sleep deprivation the night before a quiz.
B) she should sleep about 10 hours a night to ensure 100% quiz grades.
C) worrying about low quiz scores causes her to have insomnia before a quiz.
D) there is a positive correlation between the number of hours she sleeps and her quiz
grades.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) This is an example of a positive correlation, but does not give any information about
cause and effect.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
125) The word "correlation" is often used incorrectly as a synonym for:

A) relationship.
B) variable.
C) reliability.
D) validity.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Correlation is a measure of relationship.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
126) A correlation is a numerical measure of the:

A) behaviours of subjects followed and periodically assessed over time.
B) strength of the relationship between two variables.
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C) behaviours of subjects of different ages compared at a given time.
D) unintended changes in subjects' behaviour due to cues from the experimenter.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Correlation is a measure of relationship.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
127) All of the following variables EXCEPT show a positive correlation.

A) height and weight
B) school grades and I.Q. scores
C) men's educational level and their income
D) average income and the incidence of dental disease
Answer: D
Explanation: D) There is a negative relationship between average income and the incidence of dental
disease.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
128) All of the following variables EXCEPT show a negative correlation.

A) the price of a car and the age of a car
B) hours spent watching TV and grade point average
C) average income and the incidence of dental disease
D) adult shoe size and IQ scores
Answer: D
Explanation: D) There is no relationship between shoe size and IQ scores.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
129) Two sets of observations assessing height and weight are compared. Which of the following is
the most likely outcome?
A) The two variables will be uncorrelated.
B) The first variable causes the second variable.
C) The two variables will be positively correlated.
D) The two variables will be negatively correlated.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Height and weight are positively correlated; that is, in general the taller a person is
the more he or she weighs.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
130) Two sets of observations assessing men's educational level and their annual income are
compared. Which of the following is the most likely outcome?
B) The first variable caused the second variable.
40
C) The two variables will be positively correlated.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) In general, men with more education also earn more, a positive correlation.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
131) Two sets of observations, assessing annual income and the number of dental problems needing
care, are compared. Which of the following is the most likely outcome?
A) The two variables will be positively correlated.
C) The two variables will be negatively correlated.
D) The two variables will be uncorrelated.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) In general, people with low incomes do not receive preventive dental care and
therefore have more dental problems. Thus this is a negative correlation.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
132) Two sets of observations, assessing annual income and dental health, are compared. Which of the
following is the most likely outcome?
A) The two variables will be positively correlated.
B) The two variables will be uncorrelated.
C) The two variables will be negatively correlated.
D) The first variable causes the second variable.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) In general, people with higher incomes receive more preventive dental care and
therefore have better dental health. Thus this is a positive correlation.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
133) Two sets of observations, assessing hours spent watching television and grade-point averages,
are compared. Which of the following is the most likely outcome?
A) The two variables will be negatively correlated.
C) The two variables will be uncorrelated.
D) The two variables will be positively correlated.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) In general, grade-point average decreases as hours watching television increases, a
negative correlation.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
134) Two sets of observations, assessing age and the number of hairs on a man's head, are compared.
41
Which of the following is the most likely outcome?
A) The first variable causes the second variable.
B) The two variables will be positively correlated.
C) The two variables will be uncorrelated.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Generally, older men have less hair, a negative correlation.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
135) Two sets of observations, assessing shoe size and IQ, are compared. Which of the following is the
most likely outcome?
B) The two variables will be negatively correlated.
C) The first variable causes the second variable.
D) The two variables will be positively correlated.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) It is unlikely that shoe size and IQ are related in any way.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
136) A researcher is interested in whether there is a relationship between musical ability and
mathematical ability. The type of design best suited to this task would be a/an:
A) case study.
B) correlational study.
C) survey.
D) naturalistic observation.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) A correlational study is a descriptive study that looks for a consistent relationship
between two phenomena.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
137) It is quite likely that the more classes students miss, the lower their test grades tend to be. This
relationship illustrates a/an:
A) coefficient of correlation.
B) positive correlation
C) zero correlation.
D) negative correlation
Answer: D
Explanation: D) A negative correlation means that high values of one variable are associated with low
values of another.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
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138) Professor Holden gives a psychology exam on the origins of intelligence. She gives a short
answer question based on the IQ scores of a parent–child pair. In order to answer the question
correctly, her students need to remember that:
A) given these variables, the correlation will be positive.
B) to say that a relationship exists, you need more than one pair of values to compare.
C) given these variables, the correlation will be uncorrelated.
D) given these variables, the correlation will be negative.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) To say that a relationship exists, you need more than one pair of values to compare.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
139) Dr. Myers found that students in her class who scored 80% or better on the mid-term exam were
likely to score 70% or better on the final exam. Students who scored below 60% on the midterm,
however, were likely to end up failing the final exam. These test results suggest:
A) there is a strong negative correlation between the midterm and final exam scores.
B) students who do poorly on the midterm exam give up and fail to study adequately for
the final exam.
C) the midterm and final exam scores are not correlated.
D) there is a strong positive correlation between the midterm and final exam scores.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) A strong positive correlation between two variables indicates a strong direct
relationship.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
140) Imagine that the personality traits of conservatism and aggression have a strong negative
correlation. If Sue has a score on aggression that is very low:
A) it is impossible to predict her score on the conservatism scale without more information.
B) she will likely have an average conservatism score.
C) she will likely have a high score on conservatism.
D) she will likely have a low score on conservatism.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) When two variables are negatively correlated, an increase in one variable is
associated with a decrease in the other.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
141) A researcher computes a coefficient of correlation and determines that it is zero. This finding
indicates that:
A) a perfect correlation between two variables exists.
B) as one variable increases, the other variable decreases.
C) there is no relationship between two variables.
D) as one variable increases, the other variable increases.
Answer: C
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Explanation: C) The closer the correlation coefficient is to 0, the weaker the relationship.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
142) Shannon reads in a news magazine that people who are chronically depressed are more likely
than non-depressed people to develop cancer. From this article, Shannon would be able to
determine that:
A) chronic depression causes cancer.
B) chronic depression and cancer are related to one another.
C) early, undetected cancer causes depression.
D) depressed people tend to smoke, causing cancer.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Correlation tells us about relationships, but not causal relationships.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
143) One of the more common errors with respect to correlational findings is making the assumption
that a correlation between two variables:
A) does not tell the researcher anything useful.
B) means that since one variable predicts a second variable, the first must be causing the
second variable.
C) , whether positive or negative, must be a perfect correlation to be useful to researchers.
D) does not permit a researcher to make predictions about one variable based on
information from another variable.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) A correlation does not show correlation.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
144) The coefficient of correlation conveys:

A) whether or not the principle of falsifiability applies to each variable.
B) the unintended changes in a subject's behaviour due to the experimenter's cues.
C) the size and direction of a relationship between two variables.
D) whether one variable causes the other variable to happen.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Correlations give information about size and direction of relationships, but not cause
and effect.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
145) Which of the following correlations is the strongest?

A) -0.8
B) +0.5
C) -0.1
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D) +0.7
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Correlations further away from 0 (either positive or negative) are stronger.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
146) A correlation coefficient of -1.73 means that:

A) a calculation error has been made.
B) the relationship between the two variables is very strong.
C) as one variable increases, so does the other.
D) the relationship between the two variables is very weak.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Correlations can only range from -1 to +1; therefore a calculation error has been
made.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
147) When two variables are not related, the correlation coefficient will be close to:
A) 0.
B) +1.
C) -10.
D) -1.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The closer the correlation coefficient is to 0, the weaker the relationship. A correlation
coefficient of 0 indicates no relationship.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
148) When two variables have a strong positive correlation, the correlation coefficient will be close to:
A) 0.
B) -1.
C) +10.
D) +1.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Correlation coefficients close to +1 indicate strong positive relationships.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
149) When two variables have a strong negative correlation, the correlation coefficient will be close to:
A) -10.
B) +1.
C) 0.
D) -1.
Answer: D
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Explanation: D) Correlation coefficients close to -1 indicate strong negative relationships.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
150) The strongest relationship, as indicted by these correlation coefficients, is:

A) +3.42.
B) -.74.
C) -.35.
D) 0.0.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The further her a correlation coefficient is from 0, the stronger the relationship. A
correlation coefficient of +3.42 is not possible.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual

A) +.68.
B) -.74.
C) +.71.
D) -.69.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The further a correlation coefficient is from 0, the stronger the relationship.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual

A) -.74.
B) +.73.
C) +.68.
D) -.67.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The further a correlation coefficient is from 0, the stronger the relationship.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
153) The weakest relationship, as indicted by these correlation coefficients, is:

A) +.27.
B) -.74.
C) -.35.
D) +.16.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The closer the correlation coefficient is to 0, the weaker the relationship.
Type: MC
46
Skill: Conceptual
154) A researcher finds that there is no correlation between the colour of the house you grew up in
and your IQ. This relationship, as indicted by these correlation coefficients, is:
A) -.35.
B) 0.0. C)
+.27. D) -
1.00.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The closer the correlation coefficient is to 0, the weaker the relationship. A correlation
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
155) A researcher finds that there is no correlation between the colour of the house you grew up in
and your IQ. This relationship, as indicted by these correlation coefficients, is:
A) +10.00.
B) -10.00.
C) 0.0.
D) -1.00.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The closer the correlation coefficient is to 0, the weaker the relationship. A correlation
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
156) Which of the following statements about correlation is true?

A) Positive correlations are meaningful, but negative ones are not.
B) A strong correlation is indicative of a causal relationship between variables.
C) Correlations close to +1.0 or -1.0 are strong, while correlations close to 0 are weak.
D) Negative correlations are weak, but positive ones are strong.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The closer the correlation coefficient is to 0, the weaker the relationship, and the
closer the correlation coefficient is to +1 or -1, the stronger the relationship.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
157) The number of storks nesting in some European villages is positively correlated with the number
of human births in the villages. This means that:
A) when many storks are nesting in the villages, researchers may predict fewer human
births.
B) the researchers made an error in their calculations since babies don't attract storks!
C) since storks don't bring babies, one may assume that correlation never represents
causation.
D) the number of human births may be predicted by knowing the number of stork nestings.
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Answer: D
Explanation: D) Correlations can be used to make predictions, but do not indicate cause and effect.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
158) The higher a male monkey's level of the hormone testosterone, the more aggressive he is likely to
be. This means that:
A) testosterone causes aggression.
B) testosterone and aggression are negatively correlated.
C) testosterone and aggression are uncorrelated.
D) testosterone and aggression are positively correlated.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Correlations indicate strength and direction of relationships, but do not indicate
cause and effect. This is an example of a positive correlation.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
159) The higher a male monkey's level of the hormone testosterone, the less docile he is likely to be.
This means that:
A) testosterone deficiencies cause docility in monkeys.
B) testosterone and docility are negatively correlated.
C) testosterone and docility are positively correlated.
D) testosterone and docility are uncorrelated.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Correlations indicate strength and direction of relationships, but do not indicate
cause and effect. This is an example of a negative correlation.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
160) The hotter the weather, the more muggings tend to occur. This means that:
A) hot weather and crime are uncorrelated.
B) heat causes violent behaviours.
C) hot weather and crime are positively correlated.
D) hot weather and crime are negatively correlated.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Correlations indicate strength and direction of relationships, but do not indicate
cause and effect. This is an example of a positive correlation.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
161) The colder the weather, the fewer muggings tend to occur. This means that:
A) cold weather causes a reduction in crime.
B) cold weather and crime are positively correlated.
C) cold weather and crime are negatively correlated.
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D) cold weather and crime are uncorrelated.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Correlations indicate strength and direction of relationships, but do not indicate
cause and effect. This is an example of a negative correlation.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
162) The higher a male monkey's level of the hormone testosterone, the more aggressive he is likely to
be. This means that:
A) aggression stimulates the production of testosterone.
B) age may influence aggression and hormone production independently.
C) testosterone causes aggression.
D) any of the above explanations is a possibility.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Any of the explanations is a possibility, but a correlation cannot indicate which one is
true.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
163) The hotter the weather, the more muggings tend to occur. This means that:
A) hot temperatures make people edgy and cause them to commit crimes.
B) criminals may find it more comfortable to commit crimes in warm weather.
C) potential victims are more plentiful when the weather warms up.
D) any of the above explanations is a possibility.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Any of the explanations is a possibility, but a correlation cannot indicate which one is
true.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
164) The principal reason that researchers use the experimental method is to:
A) make claims concerning cause and effect.
B) eliminate the need for operational definitions.
C) have less control over the situation.
D) determine whether two variables are related.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) An experiment allows the researcher to control or manipulate the situation being
studied.
Type: MC
Section: Experiments: Hunting for Causes
Skill: Conceptual
165) Experiments are more valuable than other research methods because:
A) there is a control group to compare with the experimental group.
B) they allow a determination of cause-and-effect relationships.
49
C) they are conducted in labs where the researcher is able to control all the variables.
D) they use both independent and dependent variables.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Experiments are the only method that allows a determination of cause and effect.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
166) A controlled test of a hypothesis, in which the researcher manipulates one variable in order to
discover its effect on another variable, is called a/an:
A) single-blind study.
B) control condition.
C) correlational study.
D) experiment.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) This is a description of an experiment.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
167) A controlled test of a hypothesis, in which the researcher manipulates one variable in order to
discover its effect on another variable, is called:
A) an experiment.
B) a case study.
C) a valid study.
D) a reliable study.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) This is a description of an experiment.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
168) Which variable does the experimenter manipulate?

A) The confounding variable
B) The control variable
C) The dependent variable
D) The independent variable
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The independent variable is manipulated by the experimenter.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
169) A variable that the experimenter manipulates is called a/an:

A) dependent variable.
B) independent variable.
C) coefficient of correlation.
D) control condition.
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Answer: B
Explanation: B) The independent variable is manipulated by the experimenter.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
170) A variable that the experimenter predicts will be affected by her manipulations is called a/an:
A) independent variable.
B) dependent variable.
C) coefficient of correlation.
D) control condition.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) The dependent variable is a measure of the outcome of an experiment.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
171) Ideally, everything in the experimental situation EXCEPT the is held constant.
A) inferential statistic
B) hypothesis
C) independent variable
D) placebo
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The only difference between experimental and control groups should be the
independent variable.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
172) Ideally, everything in the experimental situation EXCEPT the is held constant.
A) reaction of the subjects
B) presumed effect
C) dependent variable
D) independent variable
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The only difference between experimental and control groups should be the
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
173) One of the variables in a research study is chocolate. Chocolate:

A) would be an independent variable.
B) would be a placebo.
C) would be a dependent variable.
D) may be either an independent or dependent variable.
Answer: D
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Explanation: D) Most variables could be either dependent or independent, depending on the
experiment.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
174) A researcher wants to know whether eating chocolate makes people nervous. The amount of
chocolate eaten:
A) would be a placebo.
B) would be a dependent variable.
C) would be an independent variable.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Independent variables are manipulated by the experimenter.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
175) A researcher wants to know whether eating chocolate makes people nervous. The amount of
chocolate eaten would be the:
A) independent variable.
B) operational definition.
C) criterion validity.
D) inferential statistic.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Independent variables are manipulated by the experimenter.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
176) A researcher wants to know whether feeling nervous makes people eat chocolate. The amount of
chocolate eaten:
A) would be an independent variable.
B) would be a placebo.
C) would be a dependent variable.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Dependent variables are outcome measures.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
177) Professor Marshall wants to know if eating sweets for a bedtime snack makes children active. In
his study, sweets before bedtime would be:
A) the independent variable.
B) the placebo.
C) the dependent variable.
D) the control condition.
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Answer: A
Explanation: A) Independent variables are manipulated by the experimenter.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
178) A researcher plans to investigate whether a cup of hot milk at night helps people relax so that
they fall asleep quickly. In this study,
A) the control group consists of the subjects drinking hot milk at bedtime.
B) experimenter effects will occur unless the researcher improves the hypothesis.
C) the independent variable is the consumption of hot milk at bedtime.
D) the independent variable is the amount of time it takes the person to fall asleep.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The independent variable, hot milk, is manipulated by the experimenter.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
179) A research hypothesis proposes that consuming low-carbohydrate diets results in increased
weight loss. One group of people follows a low-carb diet for three weeks, while a second group
follows a high-carb diet containing the same number of calories for three weeks. The average
number of pounds lost per person is compared. What is the dependent variable?
A) number of pounds lost
B) the amount of carbs in each diet
C) the number of calories in each diet
D) length of time on the diet
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The dependent variable is the outcome measure, the number of pounds lost.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
180) A research hypothesis proposes that consuming low-carbohydrate diets results in increased
weight loss. One group of people follows a low-carb diet for three weeks, while a second group
follows a high-carb diet containing the same number of calories for three weeks. The average
number of pounds lost per person is compared. What is the independent variable?
A) the amount of carbs in each diet
B) the number of calories in each diet
C) number of pounds lost
D) length of time on the diet
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The independent variable is manipulated by the experimenter, the amount of carbs in
each diet.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
181) In a laboratory, smokers are asked to "drive" using a computerized driving simulator equipped
53
with a stick shift and a gas pedal. The object is to maximize the distance covered by driving as
fast as possible on a winding road while avoiding rear-end collisions. Some of the subjects smoke
a real cigarette immediately before climbing into the driver's seat. Others smoke a fake cigarette
without nicotine. You are interested in comparing how many collisions the two groups have. In
this study, the independent variable is:
A) the use of a driving simulator.
B) the driving skills of each driver.
C) the use of nicotine.
D) the number of collisions.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The independent variable is manipulated by the experimenter, the use of nicotine.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
this study, the dependent variable is:
A) the number of collisions.
B) the use of nicotine.
C) the driving skills of each driver.
D) the use of a driving simulator.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The dependent variable is the outcome measure, the number of collisions.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
183) Subjects are randomly assigned to the experimental or control condition to:
A) make sure the two groups are equivalent.
B) eliminate the placebo effect.
C) control for experimenter effects.
D) control for possible correlations between the independent and dependent variables.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Random assignment helps to eliminate differences between groups.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
184) In an experiment on the effects of playing video games on school grades, which group is the
control group?
A) a group that is allowed to play video games for as long as they want each day
B) a group that plays video games only on weekends
C) a group that is allowed to play video games for one hour each day
D) a group that doesn't play video games at all
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Answer: D
Explanation: D) The control group is the one that is not exposed to the independent variable. In this
case, the independent variable is playing video games.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
185) All of the following are accurate statements regarding random assignment EXCEPT:
A) it is a procedure in which each subject has the same possibility of being assigned to a
given group.
B) it is a procedure in which subjects are assigned to a positive correlation or a negative
correlation condition.
C) it is a procedure for assigning people to experimental and control groups.
D) it is a procedure that allows individual characteristics to be roughly balanced between
groups.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Random assignment has nothing to do with correlation. It is a procedure for helping
to assure that the experimental and control groups are equivalent.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
186) Professor Wakelin has developed a new form of therapy that he believes cures anxiety. Of the
people who go through his program, 63% improve. A problem with his research study is:
A) he conducted an experiment when he should have done a laboratory observation.
B) over 30% of the people did not improve.
C) it lacks a well-developed hypothesis.
D) it lacks a control condition.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Without a control group for comparison, it is not possible to interpret the meaning of
the experimental results.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
187) The in an experiment is a comparison condition in which subjects are not exposed to the
same treatment as in the experimental condition.
A) double-blind condition
B) criterion validity
C) control condition
D) single-blind condition
Answer: C
Explanation: C) This is a description of a control group.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
188) Dr. Rodgers believes that people under high stress are more likely to develop cardiovascular
55
disease. When he randomly selects 30 participants who have high-stress jobs, he finds that 26 of
the participants develop cardiovascular disease. Based on the results Dr. Rodgers concludes that
stress causes an increase in the incidence of cardiovascular disease. His reasoning is flawed
because in this study:
A) he didn't formulate a hypothesis prior to conducting the study.
B) there was no control group for comparison.
C) there was no independent variable.
D) there was no dependent variable.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Without a control group for comparison, it is not possible to interpret the meaning of
the experimental results.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
this study, the cigarette without nicotine is:
A) a placebo.
B) a double-blind procedure.
C) an hypothesis.
D) a dependent variable.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) A placebo is a "sugar pill" or treatment without the active ingredient. It is used so
that the subjects do not know who is getting nicotine and who isn't.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
190) is an experiment in which subjects do not know if they are in the experimental or the
control group.
A) Field research
B) The double-blind study
C) The single-blind study
D) Correlational research
Answer: C
Explanation: C) This is a description of a single-blind study.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
191) Experimenter effects, such as those found by Rosenthal (1966), are likely to occur as a result of:
A) nonverbal cues.
B) dishonest researchers.
C) intentional biasing of researchers.
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D) dishonest participants.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Even an experimenter's friendly smile can affect people's responses in a study.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
192) A well-known study on experimenter effects using rats labelled as "maze bright" and "maze dull"
was conducted by in 1966.
A) Alex Jacobsen
B) Robert Rosenthal
C) B. F. Skinner
D) Wade Tavris
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Rosenthal conducted the study that is described here.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
193) Unintended changes in subjects' behaviour due to cues inadvertently given by the experimenter
are called:
A) replications.
B) volunteer biases.
C) single-blind studies.
D) experimenter effects.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) This is a definition of experimenter effects.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
194) The purpose of a single-blind or double-blind study is to:

A) eliminate the effects of expectations on the results of an experiment.
B) examine the difference between the experimental and control groups
C) compare people blind in one eye with people blind in both eyes.
D) examine the effects of the independent variable on the experimental group.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Single- and double-blind studies help to limit the effects of bias and expectations.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
195) Many psychologists have called for more field research because experimental studies:
A) cannot identify cause and effect.
B) do not allow firm conclusions to be drawn.
C) may be missing vital information due to participants' inaccurate memories.
D) often involve artificial situations.
Answer: D
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Explanation: D) Artificial situations in some laboratory research cause results to be less generalizable
to real situations.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
196) is an experiment in which neither the subjects nor the individuals running the
experiment know if subjects are in the experimental or the control group until after the results are
tallied.
A) The double-blind study
B) The single-blind study
C) Field research
D) Correlational research
Answer: A
Explanation: A) This is a description of a double-blind study.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
197) Many psychologists have called for more field research because experimental studies:
A) cannot identify cause and effect.
B) do not allow firm conclusions to be drawn.
C) often involve artificial situations.
D) may be missing vital information due to subjects' inaccurate memories.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Laboratory studies often involve somewhat artificial situations and the results cannot
generalize to real situations. Field research overcomes this limitation.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
198) Field research may yield better results than laboratory research because:
A) placebos don't need to be used.
B) subjects don't know they are in an experiment.
C) the situation is less artificial.
D) there is no control group.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Artificial situations in some laboratory research cause results to be less generalizable
to real situations.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
199) Which of the following problems is NOT common to both experiments and surveys?
A) Participants may not be representative of the larger population.
B) Subjects may not behave honestly.
C) Generalization may be limited if subjects are not selected randomly.
D) It is not possible to determine cause and effect.
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Answer: D
Explanation: D) Experiments, but not surveys, can determine cause and effect.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
200) Which of the following is NOT a problem with experiments?

A) Experimenter bias may affect subjects' performance.
B) Generalization may be limited because the situation is artificial.
C) Use of volunteers may bias the results.
D) Cause and effect cannot be determined in an experiment.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Cause and effect can be determined by experiments.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
201) Which of the following is the definition of the "arithmetic mean"?

A) a statistical procedure that allows researchers to draw inferences about how statistically
meaningful a study's results are
B) an average that is calculated by adding up a set of quantities and dividing the sum by the
total number of quantities in the set
C) a commonly used measure of variability that indicates the average difference between
scores in a distribution and their mean
D) a statistical test that assesses how likely it is that a study's results occurred merely by
chance so that the researcher knows that the probability that the difference is "real" is
overwhelming
Answer: B
Explanation: B) An arithmetic mean is an average.
Type: MC
Section: Evaluating the Findings
Skill: Factual
202) Statistics are used for all of the following EXCEPT:

A) determining the significance of the results.
B) describing results.
C) generating results.
D) determining reliability and meaningfulness of results.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Experiments generate results and statistics describe and analyze them.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
203) Descriptive statistics includes all of the following EXCEPT:

A) calculating the standard deviation.
B) tests of significance.
C) use of graphs and charts.
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D) calculating the arithmetic mean.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Tests of significance are inferential statistics, not descriptive statistics.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
204) Which of the following is the definition of "descriptive statistics"?

A) averages that are calculated by adding up a set of quantities and multiplying the sum by
the total number of quantities in the set
B) statistical procedures that organize and summarize research data
C) statistical tests that assess how likely it is that a study's results occurred merely by chance
D) statistical procedures that allow researchers to draw inferences about how statistically
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Descriptive statistics are procedures that organize and summarize research data.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
205) Which of the following is the definition of "standard deviation"?

A) an average that is calculated by adding up a set of quantities and dividing the sum by the
total number of quantities in the set
B) a statistical test that assesses how likely it is that a study's results occurred merely by
chance so that the researcher knows that the probability that the difference is "real" is
overwhelming
C) a commonly used measure of variability that indicates the average difference between
scores in a distribution and their mean
D) a statistical procedure that allows researchers to draw implications about how
statistically meaningful a study's results are
Answer: C
Explanation: C) A standard deviation is defined as a commonly used measure of variability that
indicates the average difference between scores in a distribution and their mean.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
206) If the likelihood that a result occurred by chance is less than 5%:
A) the results are statistically significant.
B) the results fail to support the hypothesis being tested.
C) the results can be used to predict individual behaviour with some accuracy.
D) the results are meaningless.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) This is a definition of statistical significance.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
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207) Psychologists consider a result to be significant if it would be expected to occur by chance
time(s) in 100 repetitions of the study.
A) ten or fewer
B) one
C) five or fewer
D) fifteen or fewer
Answer: C
Explanation: C) The most common criterion for significance is a probability less than 5 times in 100
repetitions.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
208) In a journal article, the authors report that the result is significant at the 0.05 level. This means
that:
A) the probability that the result is due to "real" differences between groups is 5 times in 100
repetitions of the study.
B) the results failed to support the hypothesis of the study, although the researchers may
want to do further studies.
C) the researchers know that the results were not obtained by chance and that the difference
between the experimental and the control group is "real."
D) the probability that the result occurred by chance is extremely low and the probability
that the difference is "real" is overwhelming.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) A 0.05 level of significance means that there is less than 5% probability that the
results were due to chance.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
209) Which of the following is the definition of "inferential statistics"?

A) statistical procedures that allow researchers to draw inferences about how statistically
B) statistical tests that assess how likely it is that a study's results occurred merely by chance
C) averages that are calculated by adding up a set of quantities and multiplying the sum by
D) statistical procedures that organize and summarize research data
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Inferential statistics are procedures that allow researchers to draw inferences about
how statistically meaningful a study's results are.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
210) Which of the following is the definition of "significance tests"?

A) statistical procedures that assess how likely it is that a study's results occurred merely by
chance
B) averages that are calculated by adding up a set of quantities and multiplying the sum by
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C) statistical procedures that allow researchers to draw inferences about how statistically
D) statistical procedures that organize and summarize research data
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Tests of significance are statistical procedures that assess how likely it is that a
study's results occurred merely by chance.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
211) A psychologist is studying gender relationships in childhood and early adolescence. Children in
grade 4 and in grade 6 are observed during lunchtime at school in order to assess seating
preferences of boys and girls. From this information, it is evident that the researcher is:
A) conducting a cross-sectional study.
B) able to draw firm conclusions about cause and effect.
C) conducting a longitudinal study.
D) performing a meta-analysis procedure.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Cross-sectional studies compare subjects of different ages at the same time.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
212) When Patrick and Mary Anne first got married they agreed to participate in a research project
that investigates the happiness of married couples over time. Every five years they complete a
survey that indicates their marital satisfaction. It is evident that Patrick and Mary Anne are:
A) subjects in a cross-sectional study.
B) participants in a longitudinal study.
C) subjects in a control condition.
D) participants in a single-blind study.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Longitudinal studies involve repeated testing of the same subjects over a long period
of time.
Type: MC
Skill: Applied
213) Techniques such as meta-analysis are useful in psychology because:

A) they allow for the careful study of behaviour in schools, workplaces, and other natural
contexts.
B) rarely does one study prove anything, and this technique analyzes data from many
studies.
C) they include subjects who are exposed to experimental conditions that do not include the
D) they help reduce unintended changes in subjects' behaviour due to cues given by the
experimenter.
Answer: B
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Explanation: B) Meta-analysis allows the results of many studies to be combined. Thus the results are
more meaningful than the results of one small study that may or may not prove
anything.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
214) Interpreting the results of an experiment involves all of the following EXCEPT:
A) choosing the best explanation.
B) determining the effect size.
C) summarizing the results with descriptive statistics.
D) judging the results' importance.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Descriptive statistics are used to report the results but not to explain them.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual

A) Effect size can be small even with statistically significant results.
B) Meta-analysis can reveal trends and effect size.
C) Scientific breakthroughs are typically based on a single, well-designed study.
D) Scientific progress typically occurs gradually.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Scientific breakthroughs are rarely based on a single study.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
216) The Tri-Council that governs the code of conduct of all research done in Canada is comprised of
three main federal agencies, namely:
A) CIHR, NSERC, AHFMR.
B) SSHRC, CPA, CIHR.
C) SSHRC, AHFMR, NSERC.
D) NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Statement of fact.
Type: MC
Section: Keeping the Enterprise Ethical
Skill: Factual
217) The Tri-Council policy statement published in 1998 regarding the ethical conduct for research
involving humans contains the following principles EXCEPT:
A) respect for free and informed consent.
B) respect for vulnerable persons.
C) respect for human dignity.
D) limiting the use of deception.
Answer: D
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Explanation: D) Deception is sometimes necessary in experiments, but subjects should be debriefed
after the study.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
218) According to the ethical guidelines of the Tri-Council and the Canadian Psychological
Association, researchers using human subjects must do all of the following EXCEPT:
A) provide adequate financial reimbursement to compensate for the time and effort of their
subjects.
B) warn the subjects in advance if any risk exists for those participating in the study.
C) give subjects the opportunity to withdraw from the study at any time without any
penalty.
D) explain enough about the study so that subjects can decide whether they wish to
participate.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The CPA ethical guidelines are designed to protect the rights of the subject and
prevent harm to the subject, not compensate the subject.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
219) As a result of controversy over the use of deception in research:

A) the CPA now does not allow deception.
B) debriefing is required when deception is used.
C) deception is allowed as long as subjects are volunteers.
D) subjects who are deceived must receive therapy free of charge if they request it.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Deception is sometimes necessary in experiments, but subjects should be debriefed
after the study when deception is involved.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
220) People who participate in research studies must participate voluntarily and must know enough
about the study to make an intelligent decision about participating, a concept known as:
B) informed consent.
C) the basic research ethic.
D) experimental clarification.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) This is a description of informed consent.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
221) Animal research is used for all of the following reasons EXCEPT:
A) to conduct basic research on a particular species.
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B) to improve human welfare.
C) to replace human studies that would require deception.
D) to discover practical applications.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Animal research is used, in some cases, when human studies would be unethical or
impossible.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
222) Psychologists study animals for all of the following reasons EXCEPT:
A) to clarify theoretical questions, such as assessing that a male–female difference in lifestyle
exists in mammals other than humans.
B) to improve human welfare, for example, investigating the mechanisms underlying
memory loss and senility.
C) to discover practical applications of psychological principles without concerns over the
treatment of the subjects.
D) to conduct basic research on a particular species, such as studying cooperation among
apes.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Even in animal research, experimenters are concerned about the treatment of the
subjects.
Type: MC
Skill: Conceptual
223) CPA ethical guidelines for research with human subjects require all of the following EXCEPT:
A) protecting participants from physical and mental harm.
B) warning subjects of potential risks resulting from participation.
C) obtaining informed consent from research subjects.
D) avoiding deception in all research.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) The CPA ethical guidelines are designed to protect the rights of the subject and
prevent harm to the subject. Deception is sometimes necessary in experiments, but
subjects should be debriefed after the study when deception is involved.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
224) The Canadian Council for Animal Care (CCAC) was established in what year?
A) 1956
B) 1963
C) 1936
D) 1923
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Statement of fact.
Type: MC
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Skill: Factual
225) All research involving the use of animals in Canada must adhere to the principles outlined by
the:
A) NSERC.
B) CIHR.
C) CPA.
D) CCAC.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Statement of fact.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
226) An essential part of scientific thinking is not only how to use statistics correctly, but also how to
identify the misuse of statistics. Our authors suggest that students should:
A) trust only those statistics that are presented in reputable newspapers and journals.
B) distrust all statistics because they convey a false impression of certainty and are typically
wildly inaccurate.
C) ask how the statistic was calculated and what data the statistic is based upon.
D) integrate statistics with "real-life" issues, such as day care, in order to interpret them.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) To understand statistics, it is important to know how they are calculated and what
data they are based on.
Type: MC
Section: Taking Psychology with You
Skill: Factual
227) To guard against misuse of statistics a person should do all of the following EXCEPT:
A) avoid use of statistics whenever possible.
B) look for the control group.
C) be cautious about correlations.
D) check to see how terms have been defined.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Statistics should not be avoided, but every attempt should be made to understand
them and the research that was conducted.
Type: MC
Skill: Factual
228) A primary reason for misuse of statistics is:

A) innumeracy.
B) inaccuracy.
C) illegibility.
D) illiteracy.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Many people do not understand numbers and therefore misuse statistics.
Type: MC
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Skill: Factual
229) The scientific enterprise has more to do with attitudes and procedures than with scientific
apparatus.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Statement of fact.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
230) A hypothesis is an organized system of assumptions and principles that purports to explain a
specified set of phenomena and their interrelationships.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: This is a definition of a theory, not a hypothesis.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
231) A theory is an organized system of assumptions and principles that purports to explain a
specified set of phenomena and their interrelationships.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
232) A hypothesis is a statement that attempts to predict or to account for a set of phenomena.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
233) A theory is a statement that attempts to predict or to account for a set of phenomena.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: This is a definition of a hypothesis, not a theory.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
234) Terms used in hypotheses are given operational definitions, which specify how the phenomena
in question are to be observed and measured.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
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235) Violations of the principle of falsifiability are rare in everyday life.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Violations of the principle of falsifiability are common in everyday life.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
236) The principle of falsifiability is the tendency to look for information that confirms one's beliefs,
thereby avoiding information that would prove one's beliefs to be false.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The principle of falsifiability means that theories must be stated in such a way that they
can be refuted or disproved by counterevidence.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
237) Confirmation bias is the tendency to look for information that supports one's beliefs.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
238) According to the principle of falsifiability, a scientific theory must make predictions that are
specific enough to expose the theory to the possibility of disconfirmation.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
239) Replication is an essential part of the scientific process.

Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
240) Replication occurs when scientists repeat a study in order to verify or challenge its findings.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
241) In order to maintain scientific objectivity, psychologists and other scientists cannot work on
research that is sponsored by private, for-profit businesses.
Answer: FALSE
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Explanation: Research is often sponsored by private, for-profit businesses, which makes it difficult to
commit to the scientific requirement of full disclosure.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
242) Scientists are expected to submit their results for peer review before any announcements
regarding the study are made to the public.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
243) Descriptive methods yield characterizations of behaviour but not necessarily causal explanations.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
244) Experiments yield descriptions of behaviour but cannot provide causal explanations.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Experiments are the one method that can provide causal explanations.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
245) Case studies are most commonly used by clinicians.

Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
246) Case studies are usually only sources of hypotheses, not tests of hypotheses.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
247) The case study of Genie disproved the hypothesis that a critical period exists for language
development.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The case study of Genie supported the hypothesis that a critical period exists for
language development.
Type: TF
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Skill: Factual
248) Case studies proved that autism in children was caused by rejecting, cold, "refrigerator" mothers.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Case studies cannot prove anything, but they can suggest hypotheses for further
research.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
249) Observational studies are more useful for describing behaviour than for explaining behaviour.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
250) A laboratory observation would be the most effective research method in order to determine the
"personal space" preferred by individuals from different cultures.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Naturalistic observation would be more effective than laboratory observation in this
example.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
251) Naturalistic observation would be the most effective research method in order to determine the
"personal space" preferred by individuals from different cultures.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
252) One shortcoming of laboratory observation is that the presence of researchers and special
equipment may cause subjects to behave differently than they would in their usual surroundings.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
253) The usual procedure for developing norms is to give the test to a large group of people who
resemble those for whom the test is intended.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
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Skill: Factual
254) When psychologists say that a test has been standardized, they mean that uniform procedures for
giving and scoring a test have been developed.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
255) The ability of a test to measure what it is designed to measure is called reliability.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The ability of a test to measure what it is designed to measure is called validity, not
reliability.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
256) Psychologists measure test-retest reliability by giving different versions of the same test to the
same group on two separate occasions.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Test-retest reliability is determined by giving the same test to the same group on two
separate occasions.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
257) Psychologists measure alternate-forms reliability by giving different versions of the same test to
the same group on two separate occasions.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
258) Psychologists measure test-retest reliability by giving the same test twice to the same group of
people.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
259) Psychologists measure alternate-forms reliability by giving the same test twice to the same group
of people.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Alternate-forms reliability is determined by giving different versions of the same test to
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the same group on two separate occasions.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
260) The ability of a test to measure what it is designed to measure is called standardization.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The ability of a test to measure what it is designed to measure is called validity, not
standardization.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
261) The ability of a test to measure what it is designed to measure is called validity.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
262) Professor King's test of creativity has a problem in regard to validity because what is actually
being tested is verbal sophistication.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
263) A sample's representativeness is less critical than its size.

Answer: FALSE
Explanation: A sample's representativeness is more critical than its size.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
264) A sample's size is less critical than its representativeness.

Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
265) Popular polls often suffer from volunteer bias because those who feel strongly enough about
their opinions may differ from those who remain silent.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
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Skill: Factual
266) Computer technology can help reduce lying on surveys because many people feel more
anonymous when they "talk" to a computer.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
267) When a correlation coefficient indicates a strong relationship between two variables, one variable
is causing the other.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Correlation does not provide information about causal relationships.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
268) An association between increases in one variable and decreases in the other variable is called a
negative correlation.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
269) An association between increases in one variable and decreases in the other variable is called a
positive correlation.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: This is a description of a negative correlation.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
270) An association between increases in one variable and decreases in the other variable indicates
that the two variables are uncorrelated.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: This is a description of a negative correlation.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
271) If variable A predicts variable B, then A is causing B to occur.

Answer: FALSE
Explanation: It is possible that variable A causes variable B, that variable B causes variable A or that
some other variable causes both variables A and B. It is not possible to determine cause and effect
using correlation.
Type: TF
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Skill: Factual
272) When two variables are correlated, one variable may or may not be causing the other.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
273) An experiment is a controlled test of a hypothesis in which the researcher manipulates one
variable to discover its effect on another.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
274) A laboratory observation is a controlled test of a hypothesis in which the researcher manipulates
one variable to discover its effect on another.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: This is a description of an experiment, not a laboratory observation.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
275) The variable that an experimenter manipulates is called the dependent variable.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The variable than an experimenter manipulates is the independent variable, not the
dependent variable.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
276) Ideally, everything in an experiment except the independent variable is held constant.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
277) The dependent variable depends on the independent variable.

Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
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278) The variable that an experimenter manipulates is called the independent variable.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
279) Ideally, everything in an experiment except the dependent variable is held constant.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Ideally, everything in an experiment except the independent variable is held constant.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
280) The independent variable depends on the dependent variable.

Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The dependent variable depends on the independent variable.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
281) If a researcher wants to know whether eating chocolate makes people nervous, then the amount
of chocolate eaten is the independent variable.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
282) In the control condition, subjects are treated exactly as they are in the experimental condition,
except that they are not exposed to the same treatment of the independent variable.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
283) In the experimental condition, subjects are treated exactly as they are in the control condition
except that the experimental subjects are exposed to the placebo.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Experimental subjects are exposed to the independent variable, not a placebo.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
284) If we have enough participants in our study and use a random assignment procedure, then
individual characteristics that could possibly affect the results are likely to be roughly balanced in
the two groups.
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Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
285) Control groups are important in experimental studies and in nonexperimental studies.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
286) In a single-blind experiment, subjects do not know if they are in an experimental group or a
control group.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
287) Rosenthal's research revealed that experimenter effects could influence a person's behaviour but
had no influence on the behaviour of animals.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Rosenthal's research revealed experimenter effects in research with animals as well as
with humans.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
288) Rosenthal's research revealed that experimenter effects could influence a rodent's behaviour.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
289) Field research is descriptive or experimental research that is conduced in a natural setting outside
the laboratory.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
290) Double-blind studies are conducted in order to avoid the powerful influence of experimenter
effects on the results of an experiment.
Answer: TRUE
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Type: TF
Skill: Factual
291) A disadvantage of the naturalistic observation is that it allows the researcher little or no control of
the situation.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
292) A disadvantage of correlational research is that it does not permit identification of cause and
effect.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
293) An advantage of the naturalistic observation is that it allows the use of sophisticated equipment.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: This is an advantage of laboratory observation, not naturalistic observation.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
294) An advantage of the laboratory observation is that it allows the use of sophisticated equipment.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
295) The arithmetic mean is a commonly used measure of variability.

Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The arithmetic mean is a measure of central tendency, not variability.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
296) The arithmetic mean is an average that is calculated by adding up a set of quantities and dividing
the sum by the total number of quantities in the set.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
77
Skill: Factual
297) Descriptive statistics are statistical procedures that organize and summarize research data.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
298) The standard deviation is a commonly used measure of variability that indicates the average
difference between scores in a distribution and their mean.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
299) The standard deviation is an average that is calculated by adding up a set of quantities and
dividing the sum by the total number of quantities in the set.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: This is a definition of a mean, not a standard deviation.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
300) Inferential statistics are statistical procedures that organize and summarize research data.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: This is a definition of descriptive statistics, not inferential statistics.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
301) If the results of research are not significant at the .05 level then the researchers conclude that their
hypothesis was not supported.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
302) Results from cross-sectional studies find that older people perform as well as younger
individuals on tests of mental functioning.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Results from longitudinal, not cross-sectional studies give these results.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
78
303) A study in which subjects of different ages are compared at a given time is called a longitudinal
study.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: This is a definition of cross-sectional research, not longitudinal research.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
304) A study in which subjects of different ages are compared at a given time is called a cross-sectional
study.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
305) Results from longitudinal studies find that as people age, they sometime perform as well as they
ever did on certain mental tests.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
306) Meta-analysis combines and analyzes data from many studies, instead of assessing each study's
results separately.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
307) Naturalistic observation would be an appropriate research method to study aggressive acts early
in childhood.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
308) The case study would be an appropriate research method to study the nature of aggressive acts
early in childhood.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Naturalistic observation would be a more appropriate research method in this case.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
79
309) The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) suggests that all its members develop strong
ethical codes for their research projects.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The CPA requires that all its members follow the CPA code of ethics.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
310) The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) requires that all its members follow the CPA code
of ethics.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
311) The Tri-Council and CPA's ethical guidelines require researchers to show that any deceptive
procedures are justified by a study's potential value.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
312) The Tri-Council and CPA's ethical guidelines require researchers to thoroughly debrief
participants about the true purpose of a study if deception has been involved.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
313)313)Animals have always been used in psychological studies, and in recent years the number has
declined further . Commented [SF1]: declined further compared to when?
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
314) The authors recommend distrusting all statistics because statistics confuse and mislead.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The authors recommend careful consideration of statistics because they can be used to
confuse and mislead.
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
80
315) When statistical findings have important implications for the decisions people make, it is
important to try to examine the data dispassionately.
Answer: TRUE
Type: TF
Skill: Factual
Match these descriptions with the appropriate research terms.

A) theory
B) longitudinal study
C) hypothesis
D) correlation
E) experiment
316) A statement that attempts to predict or to account for a set of phenomena; it specifies
relationships among events or variables.
Answer: C
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
317) A measure of how strongly two variables are related to one another.
Answer: D
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
318) A controlled test in which the researcher manipulates one variable to discover its effect on
another.
Answer: E
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
319) An organized system of assumptions and principles that purports to explain a specified set of
phenomena and their interrelationships.
Answer: A
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
320) A study in which subjects are followed and periodically reassessed over time.
Answer: B
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
81
Match these descriptions with the appropriate research method.
A) survey
B) case study
C) experiment
D) observational Study
E) correlation
321) A detailed description of a particular individual being studied or treated.

Answer: B
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
322) Questionnaires and interviews that ask people directly about their experiences, attitudes, or
opinions.
Answer: A
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
323) A controlled test of a hypothesis in which the researcher manipulates one variable to discover its
effect on another.
Answer: C
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
324) A measure of how strongly two variables are related to one another.
Answer: E
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
325) A study in which the researcher carefully and systematically observes and records behaviour
without interfering with the behaviour.
Answer: D
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
Match these definitions with the terms they define.

A) standardization
B) validity
C) psychological tests
D) reliability
E) norms
326) The ability of a test to measure what it was designed to measure.
82
Answer: B
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
327) Established standards of performance for tests.

Answer: E
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
328) The consistency of scores derived from a test, from one time and place to another.
Answer: D
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
329) The development of uniform procedures for giving and scoring a test.
Answer: A
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
330) Procedures used to measure and evaluate personality traits, emotional states, aptitudes, interests,
abilities, and values.
Answer: C
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
Match these definitions with the terms they define.

A) confirmation bias
B) volunteer bias
C) placebo
D) experimenter effects
E) double-blind study
331) The tendency to look for or pay attention only to information that confirms one's own belief.
Answer: A
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
332) A shortcoming of findings derived from a sample of volunteers instead of a representative

sample.
Answer: B
Type: MA
83
Skill: Factual
333) Unintended changes in subjects' behaviour due to cues inadvertently given by the experimenter.
Answer: D
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
334) An inactive substance or fake treatment used as a control in an experiment or given by a medical
practitioner to a patient.
Answer: C
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
335) An experiment in which neither the subjects nor the researcher know which subjects are in the
control group and which are in the experimental group until after the results are tallied.
Answer: E
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
Match these descriptions with the appropriate term.

A) independent variable
B) dependent variable
C) random assignment
D) single-blind study
E) control condition
336) A variable that an experimenter manipulates.

Answer: A
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
337) In an experiment, a comparison condition in which subjects are not exposed to the same
treatment as in the experimental condition.
Answer: E
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
338) An experiment in which subjects do not know whether they are in an experimental or a control
group.
Answer: D
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
84
339) A variable that an experimenter predicts will be affected by the manipulation of another variable.
Answer: B
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
340) A procedure for putting people in the experimental and control groups in which each individual
has the same probability as any other of being put into a given group.
Answer: C
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
Match these definitions with the appropriate statistical term.

A) inferential statistics
B) effect size
C) significance tests
D) descriptive statistics
E) meta-analysis
341) A procedure for combining and analyzing data from many studies.
Answer: E
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
342) Statistical tests that show how likely it is that a study's results occurred merely by chance.
Answer: C
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
343) The amount of variance among scores in a study accounted for by the independent variable.
Answer: B
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
344) Statistical procedures that allow researchers to draw conclusions about how statistically
meaningful a study's results are.
Answer: A
Type: MA
Skill: Factual
345) Statistical procedures that organize and summarize research data.

Answer: D
Type: MA
85
Skill: Factual
346) List five characteristics of an ideal scientist.

Answer: A good answer will include the following key points.
* precision
* scepticism
* reliance on empirical evidence
* willingness to make "risky predictions"
* openness
Type: SA
Skill: Factual
347) Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." How
would you frame this question in clear and concrete terms? Specify an operational definition for
the major terms.
* To achieve something great, a person must have enthusiasm.
* A possible operational definition for a great achievement might be an achievement that is reported in a
national news magazine.
* A possible operational definition of enthusiasm might be an average rating of 8 or higher on a 10-point
rating scale by a panel of independent judges.
Type: SA
Skill: Applied
348) Explain the purpose and process of peer review.

* The purpose of peer review is to ensure that research lives up to accepted scientific standards.
* When a scientist sends research results to a professional journal for publication, the report is sent to
experts in the field for evaluation and suggestions for revision prior to publication.
Type: SA
Skill: Conceptual
349) Norman Cousins wrote a bestseller explaining how humour and vitamins cured him of a life-
threatening disease. What rule of science did he violate?
* Cousins offered only a personal account, so his theory was not based on empirical data.
* He also did not look for contradictory evidence and so was guilty of confirmation bias.
Type: SA
Skill: Applied
350) Dr. Benjamin Rush treated yellow fever by bloodletting. He attributed each recovery to the
bloodletting and each death to the severity of the yellow fever. What rule of science did he
violate?
86
* Rush violated the principle of falsifiability.
* There was no possible counterevidence that could refute his theory.
Type: SA
Skill: Applied
351) Think of a topic in psychology (from Chapter 1, from your own experience, or from the media)
that interests you. Write a hypothesis regarding this topic and explain what research method you
would use in order to investigate the topic.
* Sample hypothesis: People who are under stress experience more frequent illnesses than others.
* Appropriate methods to study the hypothesis could include surveys, correlation, or experimentation.
* A variety of hypotheses and methods might be given in this answer.
Type: SA
Skill: Applied
352) The first major challenge facing any researcher is to obtain a representative sample for study.
Why is this so important? Give an example.
* A representative sample is a group of participants that accurately represents the larger population in
which the researcher is interested.
* A sample's size is less critical than its representativeness.
* A study that fails to use proper sampling methods may yield questionable results.
* An example may include the use of convenience samples.
Type: SA
Skill: Applied
353) In what circumstances is a psychological case study informative?

* A case study is informative in the early stages of research.
* It is also informative when other ways of gathering information are not possible because of practical or
ethical considerations.
* Case studies can be useful in generating hypotheses for further research and testing.
Type: SA
Skill: Factual
354) In what circumstances is a psychological case study of limited use?

* Case studies have only limited usefulness for deriving general principles of behaviour.
* This is especially true when information is missing or hard to interpret.
* It is also true if the individual being studied is unrepresentative of the group that a researcher is
interested in.
Type: SA
87
Skill: Factual
355) Dr. Slocum is interested in studying brain lateralization, that is, how the two sides of the brain
serve different functions. In order to investigate this topic, she notes whether parents tend to
carry their infants in a "left-sided" hold or in a "right-sided" hold. Explain what research method
Dr. Slocum is using. What are the limitations of this method?
* This research would involve observation methods, either in the laboratory or in natural settings.
* A major drawback is that the presence of an observer may affect the behaviour that is being observed.
* Laboratory observation might occur in artificial situations that might alter the behaviour being
observed.
Type: SA
Skill: Applied
356) Briefly outline how you could conduct a study of "personal space."
* Naturalistic observation would be the best method for studying personal space.
* Personal space would need to be operationally defined. For example, it could be defined as the distance
in centimetres between two people who are carrying on a conversation.
* Careful record keeping is necessary to ensure accuracy.
* Observers should be careful to disguise their intentions so people are not aware that they are being
observed.
* Observations should be made in a variety of locations and of a variety of types of people.
Type: SA
Skill: Applied
357) A psychologist has the option of gathering information through psychological tests or through
self-evaluations by the subjects. Which option would be more effective in clarifying the
differences/similarities between individuals? Why?
* Tests would be more useful.
* Tests are objective measures.
* Results from a good test (one that is reliable, valid, and standardized) can allow direct comparison of
different individuals.
Type: SA
Skill: Applied
358) Increasingly, internet surveys are being utilized as research tools. Describe the advantages and
disadvantages of internet surveys.
Answer: A good answer will include the following points.
* Advantages include less of a tendency to lie, larger and more diverse samples than with traditional
surveys.
* Disadvantages include that it is more difficult to know whether respondents understand the
instructions and questions clearly. As well, many internet surveys have not been validated.
Type: SA
88
Skill: Factual
359) When two variables are correlated, it is easy to assume that if "A" predicts "B," then "A" must be
causing "B." Explain why this is not necessarily so, using this example: The higher a male
monkey's level of the hormone testosterone, the more aggressive he is likely to be.
* Correlation does not indicate causation.
* A positive correlation between testosterone levels and aggression could mean that testosterone causes
aggression.
* It could also mean that aggressive behaviour causes an increase in testosterone levels.
* It could also mean that some other unspecified variable causes both high testosterone levels and high
aggression.
Type: SA
Skill: Applied
360) If TV watching is correlated positively with children's aggressiveness, then in what possible ways
could this relationship be explained?
* Watching TV could cause children to behave aggressively.
* Aggressiveness in children could cause them to watch more TV.
* Another unspecified variable could cause both TV watching and increased aggressiveness.
Type: SA
Skill: Applied
361) The text describes an example of experimental design to test the hypothesis that cellphone use
impairs driving skills. Explain why a control condition would be important to include in testing
this hypothesis. How should subjects be assigned to conditions? How can the researchers design
the experiment so that the only difference between both conditions is the use of a cellphone?

* A control condition is necessary for comparison purposes.
* Subjects should be randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups.
* Both groups should be treated identically except for exposure of the control group to the use of a
cellphone.
* Both groups could be given cellphones, but the cellphone given to the control group would not be
activated (a placebo).
Type: SA
Skill: Applied
362) Experiments have long been the method of choice in psychology. However, the experiment does
have its limitations. Describe these limitations and explain why many psychologists have called
for more field research.
* One limitation of experiments is experimenter effects. That is, if subjects know whether they are in the
89
experimental or control group their expectations may affect the results.
* A researcher's expectations can also influence the results of an experiment.
* If participants are not representative of the larger population of interest, the results cannot be
generalized.
* Controlled experiments may result in artificial situations in which behaviour is not normal and cannot
be generalized to the real world.
* Field research can at least partially overcome this last objection.
Type: SA
Skill: Factual
363) Compare the advantages and the disadvantages of conducting a laboratory observation. What
are the advantages and disadvantages of conducting an experiment? Describe a topic that you
believe would be most effectively studied by laboratory observation rather than by an
experiment.
* An advantage of laboratory observation is an increase in control and uniformity from one subject to
another.
* A disadvantage is that behaviour observed in an artificial situation may not be totally normal.
* The primary advantage of an experiment is the ability to determine cause and effect.
* Disadvantages include experimenter effects, nonrepresentative samples, and artificial situations.
* Study of the characteristics of sleep could better be studied by laboratory observation than an
experiment.
* Many other examples are also possible.
Type: SA
Skill: Conceptual
364) If you have just completed a research study, your work has just begun! What three things must
you do once you have your results in hand?
* You must describe your results.
* You must assess how reliable and meaningful your results are.
* You must figure out how to explain your results.
Type: SA
Skill: Factual
365) In the "Miss Peach" cartoon in the textbook, Ira said that he averaged two baths a day. Explain
why averages, such as this one, are sometimes misleading.
* Without knowing something about variability, an average does not explain much.
* The average (e.g., two baths a day) may never actually occur.
Type: SA
Skill: Conceptual
366) A psycholinguist wants to know whether children who speak their first words at an earlier age
90
than average also learn to read earlier than other children. Should she conduct a cross-sectional
study or a longitudinal study? Explain your answer.
* A longitudinal study would probably be more useful because the researcher is interested in the time of
occurrence of two different events in the same person.
* Cross-sectional studies are more useful for assessing generational differences.
Type: SA
Skill: Applied
367) Doing good research is demanding; however, the challenges are multiplied when psychologists
venture into societies other than their own.
Describe and give examples of three major concerns that arise in multicultural research.
* Methods and sampling. Scientists must ensure that samples are similar in all important ways except for
nationality and ethnicity (i.e., education, crowding).
* Stereotyping. Researchers must avoid oversimplifying average differences across societies. Individual
differences must be acknowledged.
* Reification. Culture refers to a collection of ideas and traditions and is an intangible construct.
Researchers must be careful to avoid circular reasoning.
Type: SA
Section: Culture and Research
Skill: Applied
368) What makes psychological research scientific? Chapter 2 points out the importance of precision in
the pursuit of knowledge. How does this principle of good science correspond to the critical
thinking guideline "Define Your Terms," discussed in Chapter 1?
* The requirement for precision in science includes both stating specific hypotheses and providing
operational definitions of all variables.
* This directly corresponds with the guideline requiring that critical thinkers define the terms that they
use.
Type: ES
Section: Chapter 2
Skill: Factual
369) How wise is popular wisdom? In Chapter 1 we pondered how many old sayings have other old
sayings that contradict them. For example, a common saying is "You can't teach an old dog new
tricks." But we also hear, "You are never too old to learn." Now that you have read Chapter 2,
design a research study in order to test these sayings. Provide your reasoning in selecting a
particular research method and subjects, and other key details.
* One method that could be used is laboratory observation.
* A representative group of older people should be selected as subjects.
* An attempt should be made to teach the subjects a new task, such as searching the internet for
information.
* Subjects should then be tested to see whether or not they were able to learn the task.
Type: ES
91
Section: Chapter 2
Skill: Factual
370) In Chapter 2 you read about the controversy surrounding the reliability and validity of some
widely used psychological tests. How does the example of using the TOEFL (Test of English as a
Foreign Language) to determine admission to university for non-native English speakers
illustrate the importance of the critical thinking guideline "Don't Oversimplify," discussed in
Chapter 1?
* There is a marginal relation between scores on the TOEFL and academic performance for
undergraduates.
* There are many influences on school and job success, such as motivation, study habits, self-discipline,
and practical smarts.
* The CPA suggests that the TOEFL should only be used for its intended purpose, that is, as a test of
English proficiency.
* Avoid oversimplified conclusions and always stop to question the validity and reliability of a
psychological test.
Type: ES
Section: Chapter 2
Skill: Applied
371) Unlike plays and poems, scientific theories are not judged by how pleasing they are. Instead, a
theory must be backed by empirical evidence if it is to be taken seriously. Integrate this
information from Chapter 2 with the critical thinking guideline "Avoid Emotional Reasoning,"
which you studied in Chapter 1.
* Theories must be based on empirical evidence.
* They should not be based on emotion, intuition, or appeal to authority.
* This directly corresponds with the guideline that critical thinkers should avoid emotional reasoning.
Type: ES
Section: Chapter 2
Skill: Factual
372) Which research method did Curtiss (1977, 1982) rely upon when describing the development of
Genie? Analyze what you know about the theory of critical periods of language development
methods. What are the strengths and limitations of his approach?
* Curtis’s theory was based on case studies.
* Case studies are useful for studying unusual or rare cases and for generating hypotheses for further
research.
* One drawback to case studies is that information is often missing or hard to interpret.
* Observers may have biases that influence which facts get noticed and which are ignored.
* The memory of observers may be selective or inaccurate, making conclusions unreliable.
* Most important, the person studied may be unrepresentative of the group that a researcher is interested
in.
* The case study method has only limited usefulness for deriving general principles of behaviour.
Type: ES
Section: Chapter 2
92
Skill: Conceptual
373) When the authors refer to psychologists as scientists, they do not mean that psychologists work
with complicated gadgets and machines or wear white lab coats (although some do). The
scientific enterprise has more to do with attitudes and procedures than it does with apparatus
and apparel. Describe, in detail, the five key characteristics of the ideal scientist.
* Scientists must be precise. In other words, they must develop specific hypotheses and operationally
define all important terms.
* Scientists must be skeptical. They should not accept ideas on faith or authority, but should treat all
conclusions with caution.
* Scientists must rely on empirical evidence, not on anecdotes, intuition, or an appeal to authority.
* Scientists must be willing to make "risky predictions." They must state ideas in such a way that they can
be refuted or disproved by counterevidence (principle of falsifiability), and they must be careful
to avoid confirmation bias. Commented [SF2]: OK?
* Scientists must be open to new ideas and must be willing to commit to full disclosure of their research
methods and results.
Type: ES
Skill: Factual
374) Is there a critical period for language? When the sad story of Genie was broadcast on television,
many people wondered what the future would hold for a 13-year-old girl who had survived on
minimal physical care. What did psychologists learn about language acquisition through their
efforts to teach language to Genie? In what ways does Genie's story illustrate some drawbacks to
the case study method?
* The study of Genie supported the idea that there is an early critical period for learning language.
* The likelihood of fully mastering a first language declines steadily after early childhood and falls off
drastically at puberty.
* A drawback to case studies is that information is often missing or heard to interpret.
* Observers may have biases that influence which facts get noticed and which are ignored.
* The memory of observers may be selective or inaccurate, making conclusions unreliable.
* Most important, the person studied may be unrepresentative of the group that a researcher is interested
in.
* The case study method has only limited usefulness for deriving general principles of behaviour.
Type: ES
Skill: Applied
375) The president of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is concerned after reading that during
puberty children have increased needs for sleep. She wants to find out if other parents of middle-
school children would support a later starting time for school. At one of the Tuesday night
meetings, she conducts a survey of the PTA members in order to address this question. When she
asks those parents in support of the change to raise their hands, she discovers that 85% of the
parents support a later starting time. What information has she gained by conducting this
survey? What shortcomings exist in her survey?
93
* She has learned that a majority of other PTA members who attend meetings support a later starting
time.
* A major shortcoming is that the PTA members at the meeting may not be representative of all parents of
students at the school in question.
Type: ES
Skill: Applied
376) A researcher hypothesizes that adults will respond differently to the same baby depending on
how the child is dressed. Her colleague, on the other hand, hypothesizes that boys and girls are
treated equally and that only temperamental differences lead to differences in their handling.
Design a research study to test their hypotheses. Provided a detailed explanation of how this
study would be conducted.
* Two babies with similar temperament should be selected, one a male and one a female.
* Subjects in the experimental group will be exposed to a baby dressed in clothing appropriate to the
opposite sex.
* Subjects in the control group will be exposed to an infant dressed in sex-appropriate clothing.
* All subjects will be observed for ten minutes while interacting with the baby and their behaviours will
be carefully noted.
* Behaviours of subjects in the experimental and control groups will be compared.
Type: ES
Skill: Applied
377) For many years, it was thought that a child's fascination with the genitals of an anatomically
realistic doll indicated sexual abuse of the child. Using this example, explain why experiments
usually require an experimental and a control condition. If you were designing an experiment to
test this topic, what would be the independent variable? What would be the dependent variable?
* A control group is necessary as a comparison group.
* An experiment to test this hypothesis would use dolls with anatomically realistic genitals (for the
experimental group) and without anatomically realistic genitals (for the control group) as the
* The dependent variable would be a measurement of fascination with or interest in the genitals on the
part of the child.
Type: ES
Skill: Applied
378) Experiments have long been the method of choice in psychology, but they do have their
limitations. Describe the strengths and the weaknesses of experiments.
* The primary advantage of an experiment is the ability to determine cause and effect.
* Disadvantages include experimenter effects, nonrepresentative samples, and artificial situations.
Type: ES
Skill: Factual
94
379) Why is it important to go beyond averages when summarizing data? What other descriptive
statistics are used to help interpret data?
* An average may not actually occur in any individual case.
* It is important to also have some indication of the variability of results, such as the range or standard
deviation.
* A measure of variability helps one to know how representative an average is.
Type: ES
Skill: Factual
380) Rarely does a psychological study have completely straightforward results. Usually there is some
possibility that the difference between two groups could be due to chance. Explain how inferential
statistics help us determine how statistically meaningful a study's results are.
* One type of inferential statistics, tests of significance, assess the likelihood that a given set of results
could occur by chance.
* Results are statistically significant only if they would occur by chance less than 5 times in 100.
Type: ES
Skill: Factual
381) When mental abilities are studied through cross-sectional methods, the results conflict with the
findings from longitudinal studies. Explain the basic procedures in each type of study and then
provide an example of why each method yields different results.
* Longitudinal studies examine the same people over a period of time, reassessing them periodically.
* Cross-sectional studies examine groups of people of different ages at the same time.
* Longitudinal studies are especially useful to study changes in individuals over time.
* Cross-sectional studies are more useful when studying generational differences.
* When comparing the mental test scores of younger and older people, cross-sectional studies usually
indicate that younger people achieve higher scores.
* Longitudinal studies, in contrast, do not indicate any decline until people are in their 70s or 80s.
Type: ES
Skill: Conceptual
382) Psychologists follow a code of ethics that has been developed by the Tri-Council. Explain the Tri-
Council code in regard to research with human subjects. What happens when participants must
be misled about the true purpose of the study in order to make sure that their responses are
natural?
* The Tri-Council code of ethics expects scientists to respect the dignity and welfare of human subjects
and specifies a number of guidelines to guarantee this.
* People must participate in research voluntarily.
* Informed consent must be obtained.
* Participants must be protected from physical and mental harm.
* If risks exist, subjects must be informed in advance.
95
* Subjects must be given the right to withdraw from the research at any time without penalty.
* If deception was involved, subjects must be debriefed.
Type: ES
Skill: Factual
383) Psychologists follow a code of ethics that has been developed by the Tri-Council. Describe five
reasons why psychologists study animals. Explain the Tri-Council code in regard to research with
animal subjects. Why has animal research provoked angry disputes?
* Psychologists study animals to conduct basic research on a particular species.
* Psychologists study animals to discover practical applications.
* Psychologists study animals to study issues that cannot be studied experimentally with human beings
because of practical or ethical considerations.
* Psychologists study animals to clarify theoretical questions.
* Psychologists study animals to improve human welfare.
* The Tri-Council code requires the humane treatment of animals and is more comprehensive than
federal law.
* Animal research provokes angry disputes because animal rights activists want to eliminate all research
using animals.
Type: ES
Skill: Factual
384) Statistics can be manipulated, exaggerated, and misrepresented to promote a particular political
or social agenda. Give two examples of how statistics can be misused and outline 4 helpful
guidelines to ensure critical thinking when examining statistics.
Answer: A good answer will include the following points:
* One misuse of statistics is the tendency to convey a false impression of certainty even when the state of
affairs is unclear.
* Another misuse of statistics involves misinterpreting the numbers and techniques used in the research.
* In order to critically evaluate statistics, the following guidelines are helpful:
- ask how the statistic was computed
- check to see how terms are defined
- look for a control group
- be cautious about correlations
- separate statistics from politics
Type: ES
Skill: Applied
96

Psychology Fourth Canadian Canadian 4th Edition Wade Tavris Saucier Elias Test Bank

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Psychology Fourth Canadian Canadian 4th Edition Wade Tavris Saucier Elias Test Bank

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Quick Quiz (1)

1) A/An is an organized system of assumptions and principles that purports to explain a

2) An ideal scientist should:

3) An advantage of correlation is that:

6) The purpose of a double-blind study is:

7) An advantage of naturalistic observation is that:

9) Meta-analysis is used to:

10) CPA ethical standards require researchers to:

Quick Quiz (2)

1) A/An is a statement that attempts to predict or to account for a set of phenomena.

2) An ideal scientist should:

3) An advantage of case studies is that:

4) An advantage of a survey is that:

5) An advantage of an experiment is that:

7) Statistical significance means that:

8) Cross-sectional studies allow one to determine the:

10) Which of the following is NOT a reason psychologists study animals?

7) Theory is defined as:

8) A scientific theory could be thought of as:

9) Which of the following statements is true?

11) Which of the following statements is NOT true?

12) A hypothesis is defined as:

13) Which of the following is NOT a key characteristic of scientists?

15) An operational definition is:

16) An operational definition tells:

17) Which of the following is an operational definition of depression?

18) Which of the following is NOT a possible operational definition of intelligence?

19) The principle of falsifiability is defined as:

23) Which of the following is most characteristic of scientists?

24) The principle of falsifiability means that:

25) Which of the following statements is NOT true?

26) In order to be taken seriously, a hypothesis must be:

27) Confirmation bias is a:

29) According to the principle of falsifiability:

32) Which of the following statements is true?

34) One purpose of peer review is to:

36) Replication relies upon a scientist’s:

37) Science is meant to be a/an activity.

38) Descriptive methods allow a researcher to do all of the following EXCEPT:

40) A detailed description of a particular individual being studied or treated is called a:

41) Which of the following is an advantage of case studies?

42) The case of Genie illustrated that:

45) are usually sources of hypotheses, rather than tests of hypotheses.

50) Which of the following is NOT a descriptive method?

56) An advantage of observational studies is that:

71) One shortcoming of laboratory observation is that:

82) Reliability in tests means that the test:

83) An established standard of performance defines:

84) In order to be useful, a test must be reliable, that is, it must:

95) Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a good test?

97) Which of the following statements is FALSE?

99) Two types of validity are:

100) If a test measures what it is supposed to measure, it is:

103) In order to be useful, a test must be valid, that is, it must:

106) The pop-psych tests found in magazines and newspapers usually: