Question 1

Which of the following best describes 'test-retest reliability' in psychological measurement?

Accepted Answer

The consistency of scores when the same people take the same test at several time points.

Question 2

A researcher wants to measure 'extroversion' using a survey. To ensure the survey is valid, which type of validity should they prioritize?

Accepted Answer

Construct validity

Question 3

Which scenario best illustrates poor reliability and poor validity?

Accepted Answer

A scale that gives different weights each time and does not measure weight accurately.

Question 4

In a study, two judges rate the same set of behaviors and their scores are highly similar. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Inter-rater reliability

Question 5

Which formula would you use to calculate the correlation coefficient between two variables, X and Y?

Accepted Answer

$r = \frac{\sum (X_i - \overline{X})(Y_i - \overline{Y})}{\sqrt{\sum (X_i - \overline{X})^2 \sum (Y_i - \overline{Y})^2}}$

Question 6

A researcher finds that their measure of conscientiousness is highly correlated with other established measures of conscientiousness, but not with measures of unrelated traits. This demonstrates:

Accepted Answer

Both convergent and discriminant validity

Question 7

Which of the following is a disadvantage of naturalistic observation?

Accepted Answer

It is difficult to infer cause-and-effect relationships.

Question 8

A psychology professor wants to study the effect of playground design on children's social interactions. Which research method is most appropriate for observing real-world behavior?

Accepted Answer

Naturalistic observation

Question 9

Which of the following best describes the 'halo effect' in ratings?

Accepted Answer

The tendency for ratings of one positive characteristic to influence ratings of other characteristics.

Question 10

A researcher administers a personality survey twice to the same group of participants, two weeks apart. The scores are nearly identical. What does this indicate?

Accepted Answer

High test-retest reliability

Question 11

Which of the following is a potential problem with self-report measures in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

Participants may respond in socially desirable ways.

Question 12

A study finds that children who spend more hours playing on inclusive playgrounds have more social interactions. What type of research design is this?

Accepted Answer

Correlational design

Question 13

Which of the following is true about case studies?

Accepted Answer

They are useful for studying rare or unusual phenomena.

Question 14

If a measure is consistent but does not measure what it is supposed to, it has:

Accepted Answer

High reliability and low validity

Question 15

Which of the following best describes discriminant validity?

Accepted Answer

The extent to which a measure is unrelated to measures of different constructs.

Question 16

A researcher finds a strong positive correlation between hours of sleep and test scores. Which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

More sleep is associated with higher test scores.

Question 17

Which of the following is a key advantage of self-report surveys in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

They work reasonably well for personality traits.

Question 18

A researcher wants to avoid the 'jangle fallacy' when developing a new measure. What should they do?

Accepted Answer

Demonstrate that their measure assesses a distinct construct, not just a renamed version of an existing one.

Question 19

Which of the following best describes external validity?

Accepted Answer

The ability to generalize findings to real-world settings.

Question 20

A researcher is concerned that participants may not be honest in their survey responses. Which of the following is most likely to threaten?

Accepted Answer

Validity of the measure

Research Methods in Psychology: Reliability and Validity

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