Exam 1 Flashcards
The variable that a researcher manipulates in an experiment is called the
independent variable
The most frequently occurring score in a data set is known as the
mode
If you list a set of scores from the lowest value to the highest, then take the middle value to indicate what a
typical score is, you are using the
median
In which of the following types of descriptive studies does a researcher remain separated from the situation
and make no attempt to change it?
A. naturalistic observation
B. participant observation
C. longitudinal study
D. cross-sectional study
naturalistic observation
The precise way a researcher measures and defines a variable is known as the:
A. operational definition.
B. response accuracy.
C. stimulus judgment.
D. central tendency.
operational definition
Bai is conducting a study on learning. When she manipulates an independent variable, it is possible that some
other factor, such as noise in the hall, can affect learning in one of the groups but not in the other. This
possibility reflects the presence of:
A. a confound.
B. a dependent variable.
C. selection bias.
D. random assignment.
a confound
Which early school of psychology used introspection to study subjective mental experiences?
A. functionalism
B. behavioral
C. cognitive
D. structuralism
structuralism
A research team told one group of people it would hear a set of jokes that were funny and a second group that
it would hear jokes that were not funny. A third group was not told anything about the jokes. The jokes in all
conditions were the same. Research with this design is:
A. observational.
B. correlational.
C. experimental.
D. psychophysiological.
experimental
Information processing views the brain as ________ and the mind as ________.
A. a program; a data port
B. structure; function
C. hardware; software
D. a program; input
hardware; software
Leyna conducts research with puppies to determine if punishing them for inappropriate behavior will be more
effective than rewarding them for appropriate behavior. In this example, Leyna is using a(n) ________
approach in her research.
A. functionalist
B. structuralist
C. behaviorist
D. psychoanalytic
behaviorist
If a researcher’s data are reliable:
A. they still might involve a high level of systematic error.
B. they are definitely also valid.
C. there will be little chance of participant reactivity.
D. measurements were definitely culturally sensitive.
they still might involve a high level of systematic error
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is similar to an institutional review board
because both organizations:
A. enforce ethical mandates about different types of research.
B. oversee research using animals to ensure safety.
C. have the same types of members.
D. conduct research on animals and humans.
enforce ethical mandates about different types of research
Marty is an artist. He does not like when people talk about the separate parts of his pictures because he
believes that looking at the complete picture is most important. Marty’s opinion is similar to the ________
approach.
A. structuralist
B. behaviorist
C. Gestalt
D. psychoanalytic
Gestalt
Consider three general developments in biology that have helped fuel the development of psychological
science. Which of the following is NOT among these developments?
A. developments in the understanding of brain chemistry
B. mapping the human genome
C. evolutionary evidence that proves that the mind developed from the brain
D. brain scan methods that allow scientists to watch a working brain
evolutionary evidence that proves that the mind developed from the brain
Which of the following is NOT one of the questions behaviorism has attempted to answer?
A. Which is more important, nature or nurture?
B. Does environment influence behavior?
C. How can rewards and punishments influence behavior?
D. How can the unconscious be described by neuroscience?
How can the unconscious be described by neuroscience?
Paloma randomly assigns participants to two groups. She wants to compare a group that receives a treatment
with a group that receives no treatment. The group that gets no treatment is the ________ group.
A. variable
B. confounded
C. experimental
D. control
control
Which of the following activities would NOT be considered a descriptive study?
A. taking notes on the behavior of members in a cult
B. measuring the selection of food items in a cafeteria
C. examining the effects of a new medication in alleviating depression
D. counting the number of mating behaviors in baboons in the natural habitat
examining the effects of a new medication in alleviating depression
When two variables are correlated, it is not clear which one is a causal variable and which is an effect. This
ambiguity reflects:
A. the third variable problem.
B. random error.
C. selection bias.
D. the directionality problem
the directionality problem
When researchers collect data in a study, if they unconsciously code a person’s behavior to match their
expectations, we say there is:
A. a directionality problem.
B. an observer bias.
C. a sampling error.
D. reactivity.
an observer bias
If a seriously brain-damaged patient cannot give informed consent to participate in medical research, then
researchers can:
A. include the person in research only if they provide a complete debriefing at the conclusion
of the study.
B. relax the requirements regarding the relative risk of participation in the study.
C. apply to the American Medical Association to waive the requirement for informed
consent.
D. obtain consent for the patient to take part in the research by getting permission from a
legal guardian.
obtain consent for the patient to take part in the research by getting permission from a
legal guardian.
The school of Gestalt:
A. is based on the idea that the whole is different than the sum of its parts.
B. includes the role of environment on behavior.
C. examines how social situations influence behavior.
D. is based on scientifically researched forms of therapy.
is based on the idea that the whole is different than the sum of its parts
The mean, median, and mode are all examples of:
A. inferential statistics.
B. measures of central tendency.
C. types of variability.
D. correlational measures.
measures of central tendency
Ashley is an undergraduate research assistant in a lab investigating preschool children’s science knowledge.
She is examining the items on the science knowledge assessments to ensure that they actually measure
science, and not some other concept. What type of validity is she addressing?
A. external
B. internal
C. construct
D. reliable
construct
Which area of psychology studies how the mind processes, stores, and retrieves information?
A. cognitive
B. structuralism
C. behaviorism
D. functionalism
cognitive
Gwen is studying the effects of comedic film on depressed participants. She is concerned that the data
collectors will produce biased observations if they know the purpose of the study. She addresses this problem
by using a(n) ________ study.
A. blind
B. correlational
C. experimental
D. descriptive
blind
Which of the following types of evidence provided the foundation for Freudian theory?
A. survey responses of large samples of adults
B. observations of adults in everyday contexts
C. case studies of patients in therapy
D. laboratory studies of animal behavior
case studies of patients in therapy
Dr. Smith reads about a research study investigating whether a reading intervention has a positive effect on
children’s performances in school. She decides to repeat the same study to see if she obtains similar results.
She is engaging in:
A. meta-analysis.
B. experience sampling.
C. replication.
D. correlational research.
replication
Which of the following lists the steps of the scientific method in the correct order?
A. conduct literature review, design study, conduct study, analyze data, form hypothesis,
report results
B. form hypothesis, conduct literature review, design study, conduct study, analyze data,
report results
C. design study, conduct study, conduct literature review, form hypothesis, report results,
analyze data
D. conduct study, analyze data, form hypothesis, report results, design study, conduct
literature review
form hypothesis, conduct literature review, design study, conduct study, analyze data,
report results
If a researcher publicly discussed a participant’s responses and named the participant, that researcher would
be guilty of violating what specific ethical principle?
A. confidentiality
B. anonymity
C. privacy
D. deception
confidentiality
Which of the following sampling techniques gives each member of the population an equal and independent
chance of being selected to participate?
A. random sampling
B. convenience sampling
C. random assignment
D. selection bias
random sampling
Dr. Alvarez studies how the degeneration of certain components of nerve cells in the brain might contribute to
the development of multiple sclerosis. Dr. Alvarez’s work best exemplifies the ________ subfield of
psychology.
A. cognitive
B. social
C. developmental
D. biological
biological
Duane studies the relationship between hormone levels and people’s abilities to cope with stress. In which
subfield of psychology does Duane conduct research?
A. evolutionary
B. social
C. biological
D. developmental
biological
