Question 1

Which of the following best describes the first step in the scientific method as applied in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

Observing some phenomenon and asking questions about it.

Question 2

A psychologist wants to study the relationship between sleep and academic performance. She collects data on students' sleep hours and their exam scores. Which type of research design is she using?

Accepted Answer

Correlational research

Question 3

Which of the following is a key limitation of descriptive research?

Accepted Answer

It cannot determine causation.

Question 4

In an experiment, the variable that is manipulated by the researcher is called the:

Accepted Answer

Independent variable

Question 5

A researcher finds a positive correlation between exercise and happiness. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

Exercise and happiness increase together, but causation cannot be determined.

Question 6

Which formula represents the calculation of the mean for a set of scores $x_1, x_2, ..., x_n$?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of a quasi-experimental design?

Accepted Answer

Studying the effects of a new teaching method in two existing classrooms.

Question 8

A psychologist conducts a case study on a patient with a rare psychological disorder. What is a major advantage of this method?

Accepted Answer

It provides in-depth information about a single individual.

Question 9

Which ethical principle requires that participants be informed about the nature of the research and any potential risks before participating?

Accepted Answer

Informed consent

Question 10

A researcher wants to know if a new drug improves memory. She randomly assigns participants to receive either the drug or a placebo. What is the purpose of the placebo group?

Accepted Answer

To control for the effects of expectations and other confounding variables.

Question 11

Which measure of dispersion is calculated as the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a data set?

Accepted Answer

Range

Question 12

What is the main purpose of inferential statistics in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

To draw conclusions about a population based on sample data.

Question 13

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of experimenter bias?

Accepted Answer

A researcher unintentionally influences participants' responses.

Question 14

A psychologist uses a longitudinal design to study cognitive development. What is a key feature of this design?

Accepted Answer

Collecting data from the same participants over an extended period.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a method commonly used in descriptive research?

Accepted Answer

Random assignment

Question 16

A researcher finds that the correlation coefficient between stress and sleep quality is $r = -0.65$. What does this indicate?

Accepted Answer

There is a strong negative relationship between stress and sleep quality.

Question 17

Which of the following is a reason why random sampling is important in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

It increases the likelihood that the sample represents the population.

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the double-blind procedure?

Accepted Answer

Neither the participants nor the experimenters know who is in the experimental or control group.

Question 19

Which of the following is a critical thinking strategy when evaluating psychological research findings?

Accepted Answer

Looking for answers beyond a single study.

Question 20

A researcher wants to test the hypothesis that caffeine improves memory. She randomly assigns participants to receive either caffeine or a placebo and measures their recall ability. What is the dependent variable in this experiment?

Accepted Answer

The participants' recall ability.

Psychological Research Methods: Scientific Approach, Types, and Ethics

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