PSYC 290 (GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY) QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS |VERIFIED
/.Which correlation is appropriate for measuring the relationship between gender
(male/female) and performance on a task (success/failure)? - Answer-The phi-
coefficient
/.A college professor reports that students who finish exams early tend to get better
grades than students who hold on to exams until the last possible moment. The
correlation between exam score and amount of time spent on the exam is an example
of a ____. - Answer-negative correlation
/.A statistically significant correlation means that the correlation is large and strong. -
Answer-false
/.A researcher conducts a survey to determine the average number of minutes that
college students spend on their smartphones in a typical day. Which research strategy
is being used? - Answer-a)
Descriptive
b)
Correlational
d)
Nonexperimental
/.How does the descriptive research strategy differ from the experimental or
nonexperimental research strategies? - Answer-a)
It involves comparing groups of scores.
b)
It does not concern relationships between variables.
d)
It does not involve the measurement of variables.
,/.The goal of the descriptive research strategy is to describe the relationships that exist
between variables. - Answer-false
/.Counting how many times a child exhibits disruptive behavior during a 30-minute
observation period is an example of measuring behavior using the duration method. -
Answer-false
/.How do studies using the experimental research strategy differ from other types of
research? - Answer-Only experiments can demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship
between variables.
/.Research indicates the people who suffer from depression also tend to experience
insomnia. However, it is unclear whether the depression causes insomnia or the lack of
sleep causes depression. What problem is demonstrated by this example - Answer-
directionality problem
/.manipulation - Answer-consists of identifying the specific values of the independent
variable to be examined and then creating a set of treatment conditions corresponding
to the set of identified values.
/.In an experiment, what is the purpose for manipulating the independent variable? -
Answer-It helps establish the direction of the relationship and it helps eliminate the third-
variable problem.
/.In order to establish an unambiguous relationship between two variables, it is
necessary to eliminate the possible influence of which of the following variables? -
Answer-confounding variables
/.Which of the following characteristics are necessary for an extraneous variable to
become a confounding variable? - Answer-It must change systematically when the
independent variable is changed.
/. - Answer-Randomization is the use of a random process to help avoid a systematic
relationship between two variables.
/. - Answer-Random assignment is the use of a random process to assign participants
to treatment conditions
/.In an experiment comparing two treatments, the researcher assigns participants to
treatment conditions so that each condition has fifteen 7-year-old children and ten 8-
year-old children. For this study, what method is being used to control participant age? -
Answer-matching
/.Holding a variable constant is a technique for removing one threat to ________, but it
can limit the ________ of an experiment. - Answer-internal validity, external validity
, /.Which of the following is the primary goal for randomly assigning participants to
treatment conditions in an experiment? - Answer-Minimize the likelihood that a
participant variable (such as age or gender) becomes a confounding variable
/.manipulation check - Answer-In an experiment, an additional measure used to assess
how the participants perceived and interpreted the manipulation and/or to assess the
direct effect of the manipulation.
/.What is the purpose for using a control condition in an experiment? - Answer-It
provides a baseline that can be used to evaluate the size of the treatment effect.
/.An experiment includes a treatment condition, a no-treatment control, and a placebo
control. Which two conditions should be compared to determine the size of the effect
that is actually caused by the treatment? - Answer-placebo vs treatment
/.A researcher exposes people to a stressful situation (such as public speaking) to
examine the effect of stress on depressed mood. Why would the researcher also
include a measure of stress? - Answer-it is a manipulation check
/.simulation - Answer-In an experiment, the creation of conditions that simulate or
closely duplicate the natural environment in which the behaviors being examined would
normally occur.
/.mundane realism - Answer-In simulation research, the extent to which the superficial,
usually physical, characteristics of the research environment duplicate the real-world
environment that is being simulated.
/.experimental realism - Answer-In simulation research, the extent to which the
psychological aspects of the research environment duplicate the real-world environment
that is being simulated.
/.A researcher moves an experiment out of the laboratory and into the real world. This
type of research is called - Answer-a field study
/.Researchers often use simulation experiments in an attempt to obtain the _________
of an experiment and still keep much of the _________ of research conducted in the
real world. - Answer-internal validity, external validity
/.Although field studies tend to have higher external validity than traditional laboratory
studies, what risk do they tend to have? - Answer-lower internal validity
/.within-subjects design - Answer-Different sets of scores are obtained from the same
group of participants
/.between-subjects design - Answer-Each set of scores is obtained from different groups
of participants
ANSWERS |VERIFIED
/.Which correlation is appropriate for measuring the relationship between gender
(male/female) and performance on a task (success/failure)? - Answer-The phi-
coefficient
/.A college professor reports that students who finish exams early tend to get better
grades than students who hold on to exams until the last possible moment. The
correlation between exam score and amount of time spent on the exam is an example
of a ____. - Answer-negative correlation
/.A statistically significant correlation means that the correlation is large and strong. -
Answer-false
/.A researcher conducts a survey to determine the average number of minutes that
college students spend on their smartphones in a typical day. Which research strategy
is being used? - Answer-a)
Descriptive
b)
Correlational
d)
Nonexperimental
/.How does the descriptive research strategy differ from the experimental or
nonexperimental research strategies? - Answer-a)
It involves comparing groups of scores.
b)
It does not concern relationships between variables.
d)
It does not involve the measurement of variables.
,/.The goal of the descriptive research strategy is to describe the relationships that exist
between variables. - Answer-false
/.Counting how many times a child exhibits disruptive behavior during a 30-minute
observation period is an example of measuring behavior using the duration method. -
Answer-false
/.How do studies using the experimental research strategy differ from other types of
research? - Answer-Only experiments can demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship
between variables.
/.Research indicates the people who suffer from depression also tend to experience
insomnia. However, it is unclear whether the depression causes insomnia or the lack of
sleep causes depression. What problem is demonstrated by this example - Answer-
directionality problem
/.manipulation - Answer-consists of identifying the specific values of the independent
variable to be examined and then creating a set of treatment conditions corresponding
to the set of identified values.
/.In an experiment, what is the purpose for manipulating the independent variable? -
Answer-It helps establish the direction of the relationship and it helps eliminate the third-
variable problem.
/.In order to establish an unambiguous relationship between two variables, it is
necessary to eliminate the possible influence of which of the following variables? -
Answer-confounding variables
/.Which of the following characteristics are necessary for an extraneous variable to
become a confounding variable? - Answer-It must change systematically when the
independent variable is changed.
/. - Answer-Randomization is the use of a random process to help avoid a systematic
relationship between two variables.
/. - Answer-Random assignment is the use of a random process to assign participants
to treatment conditions
/.In an experiment comparing two treatments, the researcher assigns participants to
treatment conditions so that each condition has fifteen 7-year-old children and ten 8-
year-old children. For this study, what method is being used to control participant age? -
Answer-matching
/.Holding a variable constant is a technique for removing one threat to ________, but it
can limit the ________ of an experiment. - Answer-internal validity, external validity
, /.Which of the following is the primary goal for randomly assigning participants to
treatment conditions in an experiment? - Answer-Minimize the likelihood that a
participant variable (such as age or gender) becomes a confounding variable
/.manipulation check - Answer-In an experiment, an additional measure used to assess
how the participants perceived and interpreted the manipulation and/or to assess the
direct effect of the manipulation.
/.What is the purpose for using a control condition in an experiment? - Answer-It
provides a baseline that can be used to evaluate the size of the treatment effect.
/.An experiment includes a treatment condition, a no-treatment control, and a placebo
control. Which two conditions should be compared to determine the size of the effect
that is actually caused by the treatment? - Answer-placebo vs treatment
/.A researcher exposes people to a stressful situation (such as public speaking) to
examine the effect of stress on depressed mood. Why would the researcher also
include a measure of stress? - Answer-it is a manipulation check
/.simulation - Answer-In an experiment, the creation of conditions that simulate or
closely duplicate the natural environment in which the behaviors being examined would
normally occur.
/.mundane realism - Answer-In simulation research, the extent to which the superficial,
usually physical, characteristics of the research environment duplicate the real-world
environment that is being simulated.
/.experimental realism - Answer-In simulation research, the extent to which the
psychological aspects of the research environment duplicate the real-world environment
that is being simulated.
/.A researcher moves an experiment out of the laboratory and into the real world. This
type of research is called - Answer-a field study
/.Researchers often use simulation experiments in an attempt to obtain the _________
of an experiment and still keep much of the _________ of research conducted in the
real world. - Answer-internal validity, external validity
/.Although field studies tend to have higher external validity than traditional laboratory
studies, what risk do they tend to have? - Answer-lower internal validity
/.within-subjects design - Answer-Different sets of scores are obtained from the same
group of participants
/.between-subjects design - Answer-Each set of scores is obtained from different groups
of participants
