Question 1

Which of the following best describes the difference between a population and a sample in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

A population is the entire group of people of interest, while a sample is a smaller group drawn from the population who participate in the study.

Question 2

Why is random selection important in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

It helps to ensure that every person in the population has an equal chance of being selected, increasing generalizability.

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of an operational definition for 'aggression in children'?

Accepted Answer

Aggression is measured by the number of times a child hits, yells, or pushes another child during a 30-minute observation period.

Question 4

Which research method is best suited for studying rare or unusual phenomena, such as a unique brain injury?

Accepted Answer

Case study

Question 5

A researcher wants to know if listening to music improves test performance. What is the independent variable (IV) in this experiment?

Accepted Answer

Listening to music

Question 6

Which of the following statements about reliability and validity is correct?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 7

What is the main disadvantage of naturalistic observation?

Accepted Answer

It lacks control, making it difficult to draw cause and effect conclusions.

Question 8

A researcher finds a correlation coefficient of $r = -0.85$ between hours spent playing video games and hours spent studying. What does this indicate?

Accepted Answer

There is a strong negative relationship between the two variables.

Question 9

Which of the following best illustrates the third-variable problem in correlational research?

Accepted Answer

An outside factor influences both variables, creating a misleading association.

Question 10

Which method is most appropriate for determining causation between variables?

Accepted Answer

Experimental design

Question 11

In an experiment, what is the purpose of a control condition?

Accepted Answer

To provide a basis for comparison by lacking the manipulation

Question 12

Which of the following is a potential confound in an experiment studying the effect of mood on generosity?

Accepted Answer

Participants' prior experiences with tipping

Question 13

What is the expectancy effect in experimental research?

Accepted Answer

Changes in participants' behavior caused by the expectations of the researcher or observer

Question 14

Why are double-blind designs used in experiments?

Accepted Answer

To prevent expectancy effects and observer bias

Question 15

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 16

In the context of psychological research, what does test-retest reliability measure?

Accepted Answer

The consistency of a measure across time points

Question 17

A researcher uses a scale to measure how much a person likes cats, including items like 'I watch videos of cats often' and 'I prefer cats to dogs.' What aspect of measurement is being evaluated if the researcher asks, 'Does this scale actually measure cat preference?'

Accepted Answer

Validity

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT a disadvantage of self-report/survey methods?

Accepted Answer

High external validity

Question 19

What was a major ethical violation in the Tuskegee Syphilis Study?

Accepted Answer

Participants who tested positive for syphilis were not informed and were denied treatment even after a cure was found.

Question 20

Which formula represents the range of possible values for a correlation coefficient?

Accepted Answer

$-1.0 \leq r \leq +1.0$

Research Methods in Psychology: Foundations, Designs, and Ethics

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