Research Methods
a. Science depends on data.
b. Science sets out to prove theories or hypotheses.
c. Science must be communicable, open, and public.
d. Scientists should be objective and not influenced by biases or prejudices.
b. Science sets out to prove theories or hypotheses.
All of the following are characteristics that can be used to describe a score distribution except:
a. Mean
b. Significance
c. Skew
d. Median
b. Significance
All of the following are fundamental assumptions that I-O psychologists make when they apply the individual differences model except:
a. The attribute levels of various people in a group can be brought to the same level through training.
b. Different jobs require different attributes.
c. Adults have a variety of attributes, the levels of which remain relatively stable over time.
d. The attributes can be measured accurately.
a. The attribute levels of various people in a group can be brought to the same level through training.
A test battery is a _______.
a. method of combining incongruent test results.
b. special tool used to administer a test.
c. test taken over a very long period of time (e.g., 2 years).
d. collection of tests rather than a single test.
d. collection of tests rather than a single test.
Which of the following is false concerning tests of psychomotor abilities?
a. They may involve complex tasks or simple actions.
b. They usually involve a task that requires dexterity.
c. They involve the coordinated movement of the limbs.
d. Ideally, they should be administered for all jobs.
d. Ideally, they should be administered for all jobs.
Dr. Graveheart is not able to include any treatments or conditions in an investigation of a new pay plan. Instead, he is gathering information about the effects of a new pay plan and making systematic observations about changes in performance based on this new pay plan. This type of research would best be classified as a(n):
a. Quasi-experimental design
b. Experimental design
c. Non-experimental design
d. Survey design
c. Non-experimental design
Inferential statistics are used to:
a. extrapolate data into the future.
b. compare the results of different analyses.
c. reveal patterns in a set of data.
d. draw a conclusion based on results from sample data.
d. Draw a conclusion based on results from sample data.
Fleishman’s taxonomy of 52 abilities can be divided into the categories of cognitive abilities, perceptual-motor abilities, and ______:
a. Problem solving abilities.
b. Emotional abilities.
c. Performance abilities.
d. Physical abilities.
d. Physical abilities.
All of the following are criticisms of individual assessment except:
a. It is not validated as rigorously as other traditional forms of assessment.
b. Too little emphasis is placed on personality attributes.
c. Assessment summaries may only be influenced by one or two parts of the process.
d. Many individual assessments invade the privacy of the candidate.
b. Too little emphasis is placed on personality attributes.
_____________ identify signs of psychopathology, while _____________ identify variations of normal personality.
a. Screen out tests; Screen in tests
b. Screen in tests; Screen out tests
c. Psychometric tests; Norm tests
d. Norm tests; Psychometric tests
a. Screen out tests; Screen in tests
Dr. Apples is conducting a scientific experiment and has randomly assigned the participants into two training groups, which receive training programs.
What type of research design is Dr. Apples using?
a. Quasi-experimental design
b. Experimental design
c. Non-experimental design
d. Survey design
b. Experimental design
A correlation of r = –.79 indicates that there is a:
a. high negative association between two variables.
b. high positive association between two variables.
c. low negative association between two variables.
d. low positive association between two variables.
a. High negative association between the two or more variables.
Measures of “g” assess all of the following except:
a. Knowledge acquisition.
b. Perceptual ability.
c. Reasoning ability.
d. Problem-solving ability.
b. Perceptual ability.
Leroy, in an interview for a Disc Jockey position, was asked to describe how he would respond to a dissatisfied client. He most likely experienced what type of interview?
a. Behavioral interview
b. Hypothetically-based interview
c. Situational interview
d. Unstructured interview
c. Situational interview
In a work sample test, the task assigned and the equipment used to complete the task:
a. Are very general so the test can be used for any position.
b. Will often lead to non-valid results.
c. Should only be somewhat relevant to the actual job.
d. Are designed to be realistic simulations of the actual job.
d. Are designed to be realistic simulations of the actual job.
In I-O psychology, field studies are often non-experimental in design. All of the following help explain the popularity of non-experimental field studies except:
a. The extent to which a laboratory experiment can reasonably simulate "work" is limited.
b. Laboratory experiments are more likely to use samples that are not representative of the population to which I/O psychologists would like to generalize.
c. Non-experimental designs in the field are most effective in leading to causal explanations.
d. In the field, workers can seldom be randomly assigned to conditions or treatments.
c. Non-experimental designs in the field are most effective in leading to causal explanations.
Assume you are an I-O psychologist who works for a large manufacturing firm. You are asked to analyze data from intelligence test scores for a group of applicants who are being screened for a variety of positions in the organization. Calculate the mean for the following intelligence test scores.
122 118 102 107
85 87 119 101
93 184 114 117
97 86 126 101
88 137 136 132
Mean: 112.6
As the complexity of a job ___________, the predictive value of general intelligence tests ___________.
a. increases; stays the same.
b. increases; decreases.
c. increases; increases.
d. decreases; stays the same.
c. Increases; increases.
Shannon has interviewed and given a paper and pencil test to a number of people applying for a job at his company. She notices that the validity of the paper and pencil test of general mental ability is moderate, and that the validity of the test combined with the interview is significantly higher. She might conclude that the value of the interview is:
a. negligible validity.
b. incremental validity.
c. observable validity.
d. nonexistent validity.
b. Incremental validity.
The outcomes most commonly predicted by drug tests are:
a. Poor performance and apathy.
b. Voluntary terminations and aggression.
c. Absenteeism and involuntary terminations.
d. Absenteeism and poor performance.
c. Absenteeism and involuntary terminations.
Each of the following is directly related to increasing the extent the results of a study can be generalized to a larger population except:
a. Collecting data at several different points in time.
b. Using a representative sample of the population being studied.
c. Making the sample size larger.
d. Collecting data from many different organizations.
c. Making the sample size larger.
Does correlation conclude causation?
No.
Which of the following is false concerning the Five Factor Model(Big Five)?
a. It gives a representation of how a person typically responds to people and events.
b. It describes the potential importance of personality variables in understanding job performance.
c. It is the result of both statistical analyses and a conceptual analysis.
d. It can be used to identify evidence of psychopathology.
d. It can be used to identify evidence of psychopathology.
Where are simulation tests most commonly found?
a. Clerical positions
b. Mechanics
c. Plumbers
d. Assessment Centers
d. Assessment Centers
When interviewing for a job, which type of interview is typically the most effective?
a. Situational interview
b. Structured interview
c. Unstructured interview
d. Behavioral interview
b. Structured interview