PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH METHODS: SURVEYS,
SAMPLING, AND EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN | TOP SCORES
MADE SIMPLE | TRUSTED TEST SOLUTIONS!
Forced choice questions Answer: Respondents give their opinion by picking two or
more options.
Likert scale Answer: Uses a rating scale containing multiple response options anchored
by specific terms (strongly agree, agree, neither, disagree, strongly disagree).
Semantic Differential Answer: Uses a response scale whose numbers are anchored
with contrasting adjectives.
Open-ended questions Answer: Allows respondents to ************************.
Leading question Answer: Problematic because its wording encourages one response
more than others, weakening construct validity.
Double-barreled question Answer: Problematic because it asks two questions in one,
weakening construct validity.
Negatively worded question Answer: Contains negatively phrased statements, making
its wording complicated or confusing, weakening construct validity.
Fence sitting Answer: Answering in the middle of the scale for every question.
Socially desirable responding (faking good) Answer: Giving answers that will make one
look better than one really is; the opposite is faking bad.
Acquiescence Answer: Answering yes or strongly agree to every item.
Population Answer: A larger group from which a sample is drawn.
Sample Answer: The group of people used in a study.
Census Answer: A set of observations that contains all members of the population of
interest.
Convenience sampling Answer: Choosing a sample based on those who are easiest to
access and readily available.
Self-selection Answer: Occurs when a sample contains only people who volunteer to
participate.
1
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, Purposive sampling Answer: Only certain kinds of people are included in a sample.
Snowball sampling Answer: Participants are asked to recommend acquaintances for
the study.
Simple random sampling Answer: A sample is chosen completely at random from the
population of interest.
Systematic sampling Answer: The researcher uses a random number (N), and counts
off every Nth member of a population to achieve a sample.
Cluster sampling Answer: Clusters of participants within the population of interest are
selected at random, followed by data from all.
Multistage sampling Answer: Two stages, a random sample of clusters followed by a
random sample of people within those clusters.
Oversampling Answer: Researchers intentionally overrepresent one or more groups.
Control group Answer: Intended to represent no treatment; placebo group.
Treatment group Answer: Intended to represent treatment.
Confounds Answer: A potential alternative explanation for a finding.
Design confound Answer: A second variable happens to vary systematically along with
the independent variable.
Systematic variability Answer: When the levels of a variable coincide with the
experimental group in a predictable way.
Unsystematic variability Answer: When the levels of a variable fluctuate independently.
Selection effect Answer: When the kinds of participants at one level are systematically
different from those at another level.
Independent-groups design Answer: Participants are randomly assigned to different
groups.
Post-test only Answer: Randomly group participants, measure the dependent variable
after treatment.
Pre-test/post-test Answer: Randomly assign and score the independent variable before
and after treatment.
Within-groups design Answer: One group is exposed to all levels of the independent
variable.
2
APPHIA - Crafted with Care and Precision for Academic Excellence.
SAMPLING, AND EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN | TOP SCORES
MADE SIMPLE | TRUSTED TEST SOLUTIONS!
Forced choice questions Answer: Respondents give their opinion by picking two or
more options.
Likert scale Answer: Uses a rating scale containing multiple response options anchored
by specific terms (strongly agree, agree, neither, disagree, strongly disagree).
Semantic Differential Answer: Uses a response scale whose numbers are anchored
with contrasting adjectives.
Open-ended questions Answer: Allows respondents to ************************.
Leading question Answer: Problematic because its wording encourages one response
more than others, weakening construct validity.
Double-barreled question Answer: Problematic because it asks two questions in one,
weakening construct validity.
Negatively worded question Answer: Contains negatively phrased statements, making
its wording complicated or confusing, weakening construct validity.
Fence sitting Answer: Answering in the middle of the scale for every question.
Socially desirable responding (faking good) Answer: Giving answers that will make one
look better than one really is; the opposite is faking bad.
Acquiescence Answer: Answering yes or strongly agree to every item.
Population Answer: A larger group from which a sample is drawn.
Sample Answer: The group of people used in a study.
Census Answer: A set of observations that contains all members of the population of
interest.
Convenience sampling Answer: Choosing a sample based on those who are easiest to
access and readily available.
Self-selection Answer: Occurs when a sample contains only people who volunteer to
participate.
1
APPHIA - Crafted with Care and Precision for Academic Excellence.
, Purposive sampling Answer: Only certain kinds of people are included in a sample.
Snowball sampling Answer: Participants are asked to recommend acquaintances for
the study.
Simple random sampling Answer: A sample is chosen completely at random from the
population of interest.
Systematic sampling Answer: The researcher uses a random number (N), and counts
off every Nth member of a population to achieve a sample.
Cluster sampling Answer: Clusters of participants within the population of interest are
selected at random, followed by data from all.
Multistage sampling Answer: Two stages, a random sample of clusters followed by a
random sample of people within those clusters.
Oversampling Answer: Researchers intentionally overrepresent one or more groups.
Control group Answer: Intended to represent no treatment; placebo group.
Treatment group Answer: Intended to represent treatment.
Confounds Answer: A potential alternative explanation for a finding.
Design confound Answer: A second variable happens to vary systematically along with
the independent variable.
Systematic variability Answer: When the levels of a variable coincide with the
experimental group in a predictable way.
Unsystematic variability Answer: When the levels of a variable fluctuate independently.
Selection effect Answer: When the kinds of participants at one level are systematically
different from those at another level.
Independent-groups design Answer: Participants are randomly assigned to different
groups.
Post-test only Answer: Randomly group participants, measure the dependent variable
after treatment.
Pre-test/post-test Answer: Randomly assign and score the independent variable before
and after treatment.
Within-groups design Answer: One group is exposed to all levels of the independent
variable.
2
APPHIA - Crafted with Care and Precision for Academic Excellence.
