The time of day participants eat, if not controlled across groups.

Question 1

Which of the following best describes a hypothesis in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

An explicit, testable prediction about the conditions under which an event will occur.

Question 2

A researcher wants to test whether the size of a pasta bowl affects how much people eat. What is the independent variable (IV) in this experiment?

Accepted Answer

The size of the pasta bowl (large vs. regular).

Question 3

Which of the following is an operational definition?

Accepted Answer

Measuring intelligence by the number of correct answers on a standardized IQ test.

Question 4

Why is it important to control extraneous variables in an experiment?

Accepted Answer

To ensure that any observed effect on the dependent variable is due to the manipulation of the independent variable.

Question 5

Which of the following statements about correlational research is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

Correlational research examines the relationship between two variables without manipulation.

Question 6

A study finds a correlation coefficient of $r = -0.75$ between hours spent watching TV and exam scores. What does this indicate?

Accepted Answer

There is a strong negative relationship between TV watching and exam scores.

Question 7

Which of the following is a major disadvantage of self-report measures in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

They can be influenced by participants' desire to present themselves in a favorable light.

Question 8

In an experiment, what is the primary purpose of a control group?

Accepted Answer

To serve as a baseline for comparison with the experimental group.

Question 9

A researcher observes children playing in a park to study their social interactions. Which research method is being used?

Accepted Answer

Observational research.

Question 10

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of statistical significance?

Accepted Answer

A result that has a probability of less than 5% ($p < 0.05$) of occurring by chance.

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of a confounding variable in an experiment testing the effect of bowl size on amount of pasta eaten?

Accepted Answer

The time of day participants eat, if not controlled across groups.

Question 12

What is the main advantage of conducting laboratory experiments in social psychology?

Accepted Answer

Researchers have greater control over the setting and variables.

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the relationship between a theory and a hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction derived from a theory.

Question 14

A researcher uses deception in a social psychology experiment. What is a potential ethical concern with this approach?

Accepted Answer

Deception can lead to participants being harmed or misled about the true nature of the study.

Question 15

Which of the following is a key reason why correlation does NOT imply causation?

Accepted Answer

There may be a third variable influencing both variables being studied.

Question 16

In the context of research design, what is the main purpose of random assignment?

Accepted Answer

To ensure that each participant has an equal chance of being in any group, reducing bias.

Question 17

A confederate in a psychological experiment is:

Accepted Answer

A person who acts like a participant but is actually working for the experimenter.

Question 18

Which of the following is a benefit of field research compared to laboratory research?

Accepted Answer

Participants are more likely to behave naturally.

Question 19

If a result is found to be statistically significant at $p < 0.05$, what does this mean?

Accepted Answer

There is less than a 5% probability that the result occurred by chance.

Question 20

Which of the following is an example of an extraneous variable in a study on the effect of music on studying?

Accepted Answer

The noise level in the environment, if not controlled.

Chapter 2: Doing Social Psychology Research – Study Notes

Study Guide - Practice Questions