Question 1

Which of the following best describes the difference between basic and applied research in psychology?

Accepted Answer

Basic research investigates general ideas or concepts without trying to solve a specific problem, while applied research uses principles and discoveries to address practical issues.

Question 2

A psychologist wants to measure 'anxiety' in participants. Which of the following best illustrates the concept of an operational definition?

Accepted Answer

Measuring anxiety by the number of times a participant reports feeling nervous during a standardized survey.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of quality scientific research?

Accepted Answer

Use of techniques that increase bias.

Question 4

A researcher finds that debt stress is associated with health problems. Which question best demonstrates critical thinking about causation?

Accepted Answer

Could health problems lead to debt stress instead?

Question 5

Which of the following best describes the Hawthorne Effect in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

Participants change their behavior because they know they are being observed.

Question 6

A test consistently produces similar scores over time. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Reliability

Question 7

Which of the following is TRUE regarding the relationship between reliability and validity?

Accepted Answer

A test must be reliable to be valid, but a reliable test can still be invalid.

Question 8

A researcher uses a double-blind study to reduce bias. What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

Neither the participant nor the experimenter knows which treatment the participant is receiving.

Question 9

Which of the following is an example of social desirability bias?

Accepted Answer

A participant answers questions in a way that will be viewed favorably by the experimenter.

Question 10

Which ethical principle requires that participants are given information about the study and voluntarily agree to participate?

Accepted Answer

Respect for free and informed consent

Question 11

A researcher claims that their hypothesis is supported because an expert agrees with it, despite a lack of scientific evidence. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Appeal to authority

Question 12

Which of the following is a quantitative research design?

Accepted Answer

Statistics-oriented approach

Question 13

A researcher wants to study the effect of a new drug on anxiety. To minimize subject bias, which technique should they use?

Accepted Answer

Provide anonymity and confidentiality to volunteers.

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a requirement for a hypothesis to be considered scientific?

Accepted Answer

It must be supported by anecdotal evidence.

Question 15

Which of the following best describes the concept of generalizability in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

The ability to apply research findings from a sample to the larger population.

Question 16

A researcher uses only data that supports their hypothesis and ignores data that contradicts it. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Biased selection of data

Question 17

Which of the following is a key difference between objectivity and subjectivity in scientific research?

Accepted Answer

Objectivity relies on measurements that are consistent across observers, while subjectivity is influenced by personal beliefs and experiences.

Question 18

Which of the following formulas represents the calculation of the mean in a set of scores?

Accepted Answer

$$	ext{Mean} = \frac{\sum x}{n}$$

Question 19

A researcher wants to ensure that their sample best reflects the population. Which sampling method should they use?

Accepted Answer

Random sampling

Question 20

Which formula is used to calculate the standard deviation of a set of scores?

Accepted Answer

$$	ext{SD} = \sqrt{\frac{\sum (x - \bar{x})^2$}{n}}$$

Principles and Methods of Scientific Research in Psychology

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