1
The approach used by psychologists to systematically acquire knowledge and understanding about behavior and other phenomena of interest is called
A) the trial and error method.
B) the informed speculation method.
C) the scientific method.
D) the educated guessing method.
C) the scientific method.
________are broad explanations and predictions concerning phenomena of interest.
A) Theories
B) Hypotheses
C) Operational definitions
D) Suppositions
A) Theories
Which of the following statements best expresses the relationship between a theory and a hypothesis?
A) A theory is more focused than a hypothesis.
B) A theory is broader than a hypothesis.
C) A theory is the same as a hypothesis.
D) A theory is unrelated to a hypothesis.
B) A theory is broader than a hypothesis.
Which of the following types of research offers insights into relationships between variables but cannot determine causality?
A) descriptive and correlational research
B) correlational and experimental research
C) experimental and descriptive research
D) folk and experiential research
A) descriptive and correlational research
Naturalistic observation entails
A) the introduction of small changes to a habitat.
B) the examination of existing records, such as official documents.
C) questioning individuals directly to find out what they think, feel, and do.
D) the researcher documenting what occurs.
D) the researcher documenting what occurs.
Which of the following is the first step in the scientific method?
A) formulating an explanation
B) identifying questions of interest
C) communicating the findings
D) carrying out research designed to support or refute the explanation
B) identifying questions of interest
A hypothesis is best defined as a
A) prediction stated in a way that allows it to be tested.
B) specification of a variable in terms of the procedures that will be used to measure it.
C) broad, general explanation of the phenomenon of interest.
D) behavior, event, or other characteristic that can assume different values.
A) prediction stated in a way that allows it to be tested.
According to Bibb Latané and John Darley's theory of________, the greater the number of bystanders in an emergency situation, the less likely that any single person will come forward to help.
A) diffusion of responsibility
B) collective morality
C) social disengagement
D) collective responsibility
A) diffusion of responsibility
In an experiment studying the effects of alcohol on social anxiety, social anxiety is the________ variable.
A) confounding
B) dependent
C) independent
D) random
B) dependent
Which of the following statements best expresses the relationship between a sample and a population?
A) A sample includes a population.
B) A population includes a sample.
C) A population is similar to a sample.
D) A sample is completely separate from a population.
B) A population includes a sample.
Frederico is presenting the outcomes of an experiment at a regional psychology conference. Frederico is engaged in the________ step of the scientific method, namely________.
A) first; communicating results
B) first; formulating an explanation
C) last; communicating findings
D) last; formulating an explanation
C) last; communicating findings
Identify an operational definition of happiness.
A) an individual's feeling of joy
B) an individual's sense of achievement and contentment
C) an individual's self-rating on a 10-point happiness scale
D) an individual's feeling of acceptance in a society
C) an individual's self-rating on a 10-point happiness scale
Which of the following statements is accurate about operational definitions?
A) They are usually untestable.
B) They are independent of the creativity of the researcher.
C) Many operational definitions are usually possible for a given hypothesis.
D) They translate actual procedures into abstract concepts.
D) They translate actual procedures into abstract concepts.
Which of the following terms is defined as behaviors, events, or other characteristics that can change, or vary, in some way?
A) variables
B) constants
C) coefficients
D) control groups
A) variables
Dr. Gigliotti is conducting an in-depth, intensive investigation of a patient with dissociative identity disorder. He uses psychological tests and interviews to better understand the patient. Dr. Gigliotti is undertaking a(n)
A) survey research.
B) archival research.
C) case study.
D) naturalistic observation.
C) case study.
Collection and analysis of data is done in which of the following steps of the scientific method?
A) formulating an explanation
B) identifying questions of interest
C) communicating the findings
D) carrying out research designed to support or refute the explanation
D) carrying out research designed to support or refute the explanation
Identify the correct sequence.
A) operational definition → hypothesis → theory
B) operational definition → theory → hypothesis
C) hypothesis → theory → operational definition
D) theory → hypothesis → operational definition
D) theory → hypothesis → operational definition
Olivia is a psychologist. She wants to use the scientific method to systematically acquire knowledge and understanding about behavior. With which of the following steps should she start?
A) formulating an explanation
B) identifying questions of interest for research based on prior research findings
C) communicating her findings
D) carrying out research designed to support or refute the explanation
B) identifying questions of interest for research based on prior research findings
Martina is conducting a research study with two groups, namely group A and group B. Group A receives a treatment for severe depression, while group B does not receive any treatment. In this scenario, group B of Martina's study is the________.
A) primary group
B) experimental group
C) control group
D) secondary group
C) control group
Wallace is engaged in archival research. In which of the following projects is Wallace most likely engaged?
A) comparing the effects of cell phone distractions to those of text message distractions on participants' performance in a driving simulator
B) asking a large sample of community dwellers a set of questions about their perceptions of healthcare reform
C) recording language comprehension deficits in a woman with left hemisphere brain damage
D) examining the registrar's records at a state university to explore the relationship between SAT scores and freshman GPA
D) examining the registrar's records at a state university to explore the relationship between SAT scores and freshman GPA
When compared with the theories about human behavior that people generally develop in their daily lives, those formulated by psychologists are
A) more frequently applied in daily life.
B) harder to test.
C) less comprehensive.
D) more formal.
D) more formal.
Identify a true statement about theories.
A) They vary in their breadth and level of detail.
B) They are translations of hypotheses into specific procedures.
C) They always agree with the intuitive explanations that people develop in their daily lives.
D) They are predictions stated in a way that allows them to be tested.
A) They vary in their breadth and level of detail.
When asked to define "popularity," Brianna offers, "It's when everyone likes you." Omar suggests, "It's basically the number of friends you have."
How do their definitions differ?
A) Omar's is an operational definition; Brianna's is not.
B) Brianna's is a procedural definition; Omar's is not.
C) Omar's is a procedural definition; Brianna's is not.
D) Brianna's is an operational definition; Omar's is not.
A) Omar's is an operational definition; Brianna's is not.
An experimenter flips a coin for each participant and assigns the participant to group A when "heads" came up and to group B when "tails" came up. This process is referred to as
A) operational sampling.
B) random assignment to condition.
C) purposive sampling.
D) random correlation.
B) random assignment to condition.
For a master’s thesis, Amy is conducting a survey of dating attitudes and behaviors among young adults. Amy distributes questionnaires to 200 randomly selected students enrolled in an introductory psychology course at a university. The 200 students constitute Amy's________. The people whom Amy assumes the results will generalize are termed the________.
A) control group; population
B) experimental group; population
C) population; sample
D) sample; population
D) sample; population