PSY 510 CASE STUDY PRACTICE QUESTIONS
AND APPLICATIONS 2026
◉ Dr. Wilson is interested in learning more about veterans with
PTSD. What is her idea source? (4.1) Answer: Special Populations
◉ How can a new study extend internal validity? (4.2) Answer:
Applying a previous finding to a new population
◉ A researcher is intrigued by a rare case of Cotard's Sydrome
(where a person believes he/she is dead). The researcher writes an
article about this case. This situation is an example of... (4.3)
Answer: Case Study
◉ What is a similarity between exceptions, subtypes, and extending
internal validity? (4.4) Answer: They all apply to special populations
◉ In the study exploring handedness and schizophrenia, 40% of
schizophrenics are left-handed. This relationship shows... (4.5)
Answer: Correlation
◉ How do risk and protective factors affect a relationship? (4.6)
Answer: They increase and decrease the likelihood of a variable
effect
,◉ What must be shown in order to infer causation? (4.7) Answer: A
timeline
◉ The fact that not all people who smoke cigarettes develop cancer
is supporting evidence for... (4.8) Answer: The existence of variable
moderators
◉ An experiment designed to test proof of concept is an example of
... (4.9) Answer: basic research
◉ What is the best definition of theory? (4.10) Answer: a
conceptualization of the phenomenon of interest
◉ After conducting a qualitative, participant observation research
on gang members, Dr. Chambers creates a theory suggesting
mechanisms that may lead to gang membership. This situation is an
example of... (4.11) Answer: grounded theory
◉ What is the hallmark of a scientific hypothesis? (4.12) Answer: it
is testable
◉ What is true about theories? (4.13) Answer: they cannot be
proven
, ◉ Dr. Apshot measures depression on a specific scale with clearly
written criteria. This situation is an example of a ... (4.14) Answer:
operational definiton
◉ Generality of experimental results is most dependent upon which
factor? (5.1) Answer: Representativeness of the participants
◉ Which is the best example of random assignment of participants
in an experiment? (5.2) Answer: using a method that allows for
equal and unbiased assignment of participants to groups
◉ What is a typical strategy used to ensure equivalence of
experimental groups? (5.3) Answer: randomly assigning cases to
conditions
◉ How do randomized controlled trials (RCTs) differ from other
pretest-postest designs? (5.4) Answer: the focus is on intervention
◉ How can posttreatment differenes occur between groups even
when the treatment has no effect? (5.5) Answer: there are initial
group differences
AND APPLICATIONS 2026
◉ Dr. Wilson is interested in learning more about veterans with
PTSD. What is her idea source? (4.1) Answer: Special Populations
◉ How can a new study extend internal validity? (4.2) Answer:
Applying a previous finding to a new population
◉ A researcher is intrigued by a rare case of Cotard's Sydrome
(where a person believes he/she is dead). The researcher writes an
article about this case. This situation is an example of... (4.3)
Answer: Case Study
◉ What is a similarity between exceptions, subtypes, and extending
internal validity? (4.4) Answer: They all apply to special populations
◉ In the study exploring handedness and schizophrenia, 40% of
schizophrenics are left-handed. This relationship shows... (4.5)
Answer: Correlation
◉ How do risk and protective factors affect a relationship? (4.6)
Answer: They increase and decrease the likelihood of a variable
effect
,◉ What must be shown in order to infer causation? (4.7) Answer: A
timeline
◉ The fact that not all people who smoke cigarettes develop cancer
is supporting evidence for... (4.8) Answer: The existence of variable
moderators
◉ An experiment designed to test proof of concept is an example of
... (4.9) Answer: basic research
◉ What is the best definition of theory? (4.10) Answer: a
conceptualization of the phenomenon of interest
◉ After conducting a qualitative, participant observation research
on gang members, Dr. Chambers creates a theory suggesting
mechanisms that may lead to gang membership. This situation is an
example of... (4.11) Answer: grounded theory
◉ What is the hallmark of a scientific hypothesis? (4.12) Answer: it
is testable
◉ What is true about theories? (4.13) Answer: they cannot be
proven
, ◉ Dr. Apshot measures depression on a specific scale with clearly
written criteria. This situation is an example of a ... (4.14) Answer:
operational definiton
◉ Generality of experimental results is most dependent upon which
factor? (5.1) Answer: Representativeness of the participants
◉ Which is the best example of random assignment of participants
in an experiment? (5.2) Answer: using a method that allows for
equal and unbiased assignment of participants to groups
◉ What is a typical strategy used to ensure equivalence of
experimental groups? (5.3) Answer: randomly assigning cases to
conditions
◉ How do randomized controlled trials (RCTs) differ from other
pretest-postest designs? (5.4) Answer: the focus is on intervention
◉ How can posttreatment differenes occur between groups even
when the treatment has no effect? (5.5) Answer: there are initial
group differences
