Question 1

Which statement best describes the 'nature' view in the nature-nurture debate?

Accepted Answer

Human beings enter the world with an inborn store of knowledge and understanding of reality.

Question 2

According to John Locke, what is the state of the human mind at birth?

Accepted Answer

A 'tabula rasa', or blank slate, on which experiences write knowledge.

Question 3

Which research method is best suited for identifying cause-and-effect relationships?

Accepted Answer

Experiment

Question 4

A psychologist wants to study the relationship between stress and academic performance. Which method should they use?

Accepted Answer

Correlation method

Question 5

Which ethical principle requires that participants be told about the study and allowed to withdraw without penalty?

Accepted Answer

Informed consent

Question 6

What is the main advantage of using a case study in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

It provides an in-depth analysis of an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT a requirement for ethical treatment of human participants in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

Participants must be paid for their participation.

Question 8

A researcher observes children with ADHD in their classroom without interfering. What research method is being used?

Accepted Answer

Naturalistic setting

Question 9

Why might a psychologist use deception in an experiment?

Accepted Answer

To control for participants’ expectations and prevent them from learning the experiment’s true purpose.

Question 10

Which of the following is a key feature of scientific research in psychology?

Accepted Answer

It uses unbiased methods and can be reliably repeated by others.

Question 11

What is the primary purpose of debriefing in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

To explain the purpose and method of the experiment and help participants deal with any doubts or guilt.

Question 12

Which method involves asking subjects to read a list of written questions and check off answers?

Accepted Answer

Questionnaire

Question 13

Why is animal research sometimes justified in psychology?

Accepted Answer

Because certain medical and psychological conditions cannot be ethically studied in humans.

Question 14

Which of the following is an example of the nurture view?

Accepted Answer

A child learns social norms by interacting with peers and adults.

Question 15

What is the main difference between a survey and a case study?

Accepted Answer

A survey collects data from many individuals, while a case study provides in-depth analysis of a single individual.

Question 16

Which formula represents the correlation coefficient, often used to measure the strength of association between two variables?

Accepted Answer

$$r = \frac{\sum (x_i - \bar{x})(y_i - \bar{y})}{\sqrt{\sum (x_i - \bar{x})^2$ \sum (y_i - \bar{y})^2$}}$$

Question 17

A psychologist wants to minimize bias in their research. Which principle should they follow?

Accepted Answer

Ensure research methods are unbiased and do not favor one hypothesis over another.

Question 18

Which of the following is a disadvantage of the observation method?

Accepted Answer

It may be subject to observer bias and does not establish causality.

Question 19

Which ethical guideline is specifically emphasized for animal research?

Accepted Answer

Researchers must avoid painful or harmful procedures and minimize suffering.

Question 20

Which of the following best illustrates how nature and nurture combine to shape human psychology?

Accepted Answer

A person’s language skills develop through both genetic predisposition and social interaction.

Nature vs. Nurture Debate and Research Methods in Psychology

Study Guide - Practice Questions