Question 1

A researcher wants to know if there is a relationship between the number of hours students spend watching TV and their exam scores. Which research method should they use?

Accepted Answer

Correlational study

Question 2

Which of the following best describes the focus of the school of Behaviorism?

Accepted Answer

Observable behavior only; effects of rewards and punishments

Question 3

A therapist helps a patient uncover repressed childhood memories that may be influencing their anxiety today. Which school of psychology does this approach best represent?

Accepted Answer

Psychodynamic

Question 4

Which of the following pairs of variables would most likely show a curvilinear relationship?

Accepted Answer

Number of tennis balls & dog happiness

Question 5

A group of researchers observes children at recess without interfering to study their social interactions. What research method are they using?

Accepted Answer

Naturalistic observation

Question 6

Which of the following is a key requirement for a study to be considered an experiment?

Accepted Answer

It must manipulate an independent variable and measure its effect on a dependent variable.

Question 7

A psychologist is interested in whether fear of food is related to adaptive function for survival. Which school of psychology does this research question best align with?

Accepted Answer

Functionalism

Question 8

Which scenario best illustrates the use of a case study?

Accepted Answer

Tracking one brain-injury patient over time

Question 9

A researcher wants to test if seeing a partner versus not seeing a partner affects relationship closeness in a reality TV show. What is the independent variable (IV) in this experiment?

Accepted Answer

Visual access (see partner vs not see partner)

Question 10

Which of the following statements about correlation is correct?

Accepted Answer

A zero correlation means the variables are unrelated.

Question 11

A researcher randomly assigns students to attend or not attend lectures and then measures their exam performance. What type of research design is this?

Accepted Answer

Experimental design

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of a survey/self-report method?

Accepted Answer

Online questionnaire on climate change beliefs

Question 13

Which school of psychology is most concerned with mental processes like thinking, memory, and decision-making?

Accepted Answer

Cognitivism

Question 14

A student claims that their friendship is based on perfect communication, even after evidence shows otherwise. This is an example of which psychological concept?

Accepted Answer

Confirmation bias

Question 15

Which of the following best describes the difference between an independent variable (IV) and a dependent variable (DV) in an experiment?

Accepted Answer

IV is manipulated by the researcher; DV is the outcome measured.

Question 16

A psychologist wants to study how children’s problem-solving strategies change as they get older, arguing that the mind actively processes information like a computer. Which school of psychology does this represent?

Accepted Answer

Cognitivism

Question 17

Which of the following equations correctly represents a curvilinear correlation?

Accepted Answer

$y = ax^2 + bx + c$

Question 18

A researcher wants to measure the effect of caffeine consumption on memory recall. What is the dependent variable (DV) in this study?

Accepted Answer

Memory recall score

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of naturalistic observation?

Accepted Answer

Manipulation of variables

Question 20

A psychologist describes sounds by their quality, loudness, and feelings using introspection. Which school of psychology does this method best represent?

Accepted Answer

Structuralism

Psychological Science & Research Methods: Study Guide

Study Guide - Practice Questions

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