Question 1

Which of the following best describes the main purpose of descriptive research in psychology?

Accepted Answer

To answer 'what' a phenomenon is and describe its characteristics.

Question 2

A researcher wants to study the prevalence of anxiety among university students by distributing a survey with rating scales. Which research method is being used?

Accepted Answer

Quantitative research

Question 3

Which of the following is a key limitation of case studies?

Accepted Answer

Their findings may not generalize to larger populations.

Question 4

In correlational research, which of the following statements is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

A third variable may explain the observed relationship between two variables.

Question 5

A psychologist wants to test whether exposure to nature images reduces stress. She randomly assigns participants to view either nature or neutral images and measures their stress levels. What is the independent variable (IV) in this experiment?

Accepted Answer

Type of images viewed (nature vs. neutral)

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of a non-falsifiable hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

There is intelligent life on other planets.

Question 7

A researcher uses both naturalistic observation and experimental methods to study aggression. This approach is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Converging operations

Question 8

Which of the following best illustrates an illusory correlation?

Accepted Answer

Believing that a full moon causes an increase in crime rates.

Question 9

In experimental research, what is the main advantage of using random assignment?

Accepted Answer

It controls for confounding variables between groups.

Question 10

Which of the following is a characteristic of poor research?

Accepted Answer

Appealing to tradition or novelty instead of empirical testing.

Question 11

A survey asks participants about their attitudes toward climate change. To ensure validity, the researcher compares responses with large samples and clinical diagnosis norms. This process is intended to:

Accepted Answer

Increase the reliability and usefulness of self-report measures.

Question 12

Which of the following best describes a quasi-experimental design?

Accepted Answer

It compares pre-existing groups without random assignment.

Question 13

A researcher finds a correlation coefficient $r = 0.85$ between hours of sleep and memory performance. What does this indicate?

Accepted Answer

There is a strong positive relationship between sleep and memory.

Question 14

Which of the following is a strength of using surveys and questionnaires in research?

Accepted Answer

They allow participants to self-report attitudes, opinions, and abilities.

Question 15

In a mindfulness study, the independent variable (IV) is meditation and the dependent variable (DV) is negative mood. If time is a confound, what does this mean?

Accepted Answer

Time may influence the DV, making it difficult to isolate the effect of meditation.

Question 16

Which of the following is a key difference between between-subjects and within-subjects experimental designs?

Accepted Answer

Within-subjects designs expose the same participants to all conditions.

Question 17

A researcher cherry-picks studies that support her view on climate change while ignoring studies that contradict it. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Data selection bias

Question 18

Which of the following is a benefit of using converging operations in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

It increases confidence in findings by using multiple methods.

Question 19

A study finds that both income and education level increase together. What type of correlation is this?

Accepted Answer

Positive correlation

Question 20

Which of the following is a reason why anecdotal evidence is considered a characteristic of poor research?

Accepted Answer

It relies on personal stories without scientific validation.

Research Methods in Psychology: Study Guide

Study Guide - Practice Questions

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