Q: Which of the following is a strategy to reduce demand characteristics in an experiment?

Using deception so participants cannot guess the hypothesis.

Q: Which of the following best defines a dependent variable (DV) in an experiment?

The outcome that is measured by the experimenter.

Q: What is the main function of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) in psychological research?

To ensure the ethical treatment and protection of research participants.

Question 1

Which of the following best illustrates the concept that 'correlation does not imply causation'?

Accepted Answer

A study finds that people who drink more milk are more likely to win Nobel Prizes, but this does not mean drinking milk causes Nobel Prizes.

Question 2

In an experimental design, what is the primary purpose of random assignment?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 3

A researcher wants to test whether a new teaching method improves student performance. She randomly assigns students to either the new method or the traditional method and measures their test scores. What is the dependent variable in this study?

Accepted Answer

The students' test scores

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of a confound in an experiment?

Accepted Answer

The experimental group is tested in the morning, while the control group is tested in the afternoon.

Question 5

What is the placebo effect?

Accepted Answer

Improvement in symptoms due to the expectation of improvement, not the treatment itself.

Question 6

Which ethical principle requires that participants be informed about the nature, duration, and risks of a study before agreeing to participate?

Accepted Answer

Informed consent

Question 7

The Tuskegee Syphilis Study is an example of unethical research because:

Accepted Answer

Participants were not informed they had syphilis and were denied treatment.

Question 8

Which of the following best describes the difference between reproducibility and replicability in research?

Accepted Answer

Reproducibility means reanalyzing the same data and getting the same results; replicability means duplicating findings with new participants.

Question 9

A study finds a statistically significant difference between two groups. What does 'statistically significant' mean in this context?

Accepted Answer

The observed difference is unlikely to have occurred by chance, according to a predetermined threshold (e.g., $p < 0.05$).

Question 10

Which of the following is a strategy to reduce demand characteristics in an experiment?

Accepted Answer

Using deception so participants cannot guess the hypothesis.

Question 11

A researcher finds a positive correlation between stress and illness. Which of the following is NOT a valid interpretation of this finding?

Accepted Answer

Stress causes illness.

Question 12

Which of the following best defines a dependent variable (DV) in an experiment?

Accepted Answer

The outcome that is measured by the experimenter.

Question 13

What is the main function of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

To ensure the ethical treatment and protection of research participants.

Question 14

Which of the following is an example of belief perseverance?

Accepted Answer

Continuing to believe a false claim even after being presented with strong evidence against it.

Question 15

A researcher wants to generalize findings from a sample to a population. Which type of statistics should they use?

Accepted Answer

Inferential statistics

Question 16

Which of the following is a measure of central tendency?

Accepted Answer

Mean

Question 17

If a study's results can be duplicated with new participants and procedures, the study is said to have:

Accepted Answer

Replicability

Question 18

Which of the following best describes a logical fallacy?

Accepted Answer

An error in reasoning that undermines the logic of an argument.

Question 19

A study finds that people who recycle more are also more likely to support environmental policies. Which of the following is a possible third variable that could explain this correlation?

Accepted Answer

Level of environmental concern

Question 20

Which of the following formulas correctly represents the calculation of the mean ($\mu$) for a set of $n$ scores $x_1, x_2, ..., x_n$?

Accepted Answer

$\mu = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^{n} x_i$

Chapter 2: Research Methods in Psychology (Part 2)

Study Guide - Practice Questions

Study Guide - Flashcards