Research Methods Jeopardy

Vocabulary 1

100

A graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables. The slope of the points suggests the direction of the relationship between the two variables.

Scatter plot

200

A statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variables.

Operational Definition

300

An experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug-evaluation studies.

Double Blind Experiment

400

The post-experimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants.

Debreifing

500

A computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score.

Standard Deviation

Methodology

100

• A principal difference between a cross-sectional and a longitudinal study is the
• Number of participants involved.
• Developmental stage of the participants.
• Time span of the study.
• Statistical methods employed to evaluate the data.
• Sampling method used to choose participants.

Time span

200

An ethical principle that research participants be told enough to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate.

Informed Consent

300

• In an experiment designed to examine whether crowding affects level of hostility, hostility is
• An extraneous variable.
• A confound.
• The result of the null hypothesis.
• The dependent variable.
• The independent variable.

the DV

400

• test that fails to predict what it is designed to predict lacks
• Standardization.
• Norms.
• Fairness.
• Validity.
• Reliability.

Validity

500

• After collecting and analyzing the responses of 2,000 randomly selected study participants, Mindee finds that college juniors who work at paying jobs 15 hours a week get higher grades than juniors who don’t have paying jobs or who work full time.  She was using what method?
• Experimental
• Naturalistic observation
• Case study
• Survey
• Correlation

Survey

Mr. Mackert

100

• Mr. Mackert notes the behavior of people as they wait in line for tickets to rock concerts.  Which of the following research methods is he using?
• Naturalistic observation
• Survey
• Controlled experiment
• Case study
• Correlation

Naturalistic Observation

200

• Mr. Mackert gives a test to his class of 25 students.  All but three students score between 82 and 94.  The other three students score 47, 55, and 62.  These scores are potential:

• Modes.
• Skewers.
• Outliers.
• Variances.
• Standard deviations.

Outliers

300

• Professor Mack wants to design a project studying emotional response to dating.  He advertises for participants in the school newspaper, informs them about the nature of the study, gets their consent, conducts an interview, and debriefs them about the results when the experiment is over.  If you were on the Institutional Review Board (IRB), which ethical consideration would you most likely have the most concern about in Professor Mack’s study?
• Coercion
• Deception
• Confounding variables
• Confidentiality
• Clear scientific purpose

Confidentiality

400

• Mr. Mackert pilots his newly created perfectionism scale on a high school psychology class.  He returns one month later to administer the same test to the same students, and then he correlates the two sets of results.  What is Mr. Mackert probably doing?
• Checking for outliers
• Standardizing the test
• Looking to see if the mean level of perfectionism has changed
• Assessing the test’s validity
• Measuring the test’s reliability

• Measuring the test’s reliability

500

1. Professor Mackert contends that parents and children have similar levels of intelligence largely because they share common genes.  His idea is best described as a(n)
   1. Idea.
   2. Replication.
   3. Naturalistic observation.
   4. Hindsight bias.
   5. Theory.

Theory

I'm gonna fail

100

1. Replication involves
   1. the selection of random samples.
   2. perceiving order in random events.
   3. repeating an earlier research study.
   4. rejecting ideas that cannot be scientifically tested.
   5. Asking people to participate.

C

200

• A normal distribution is in the shape of a:
• Bell curve.
• Chi square.
• Scatterplot.
• Skewed distribution.
• Circle.

A. bell curve

300

• A test is administered to 1,000 fourth graders across the country, and then it is re-administered to the same children 90 days later.  The test-retest results will yield an evaluation of the test’s
• Validity.
• Reliability.
• Cross-cultural fairness.
• Factor analysis.
• Goodness of fit.

Reliability

400

• Correlational research is most useful for purposes of
• Explanation.
• Observation.
• Prediction.
• Control.
• Replication.

Predicition

500

• Brandy collects survey data that indicate that students who spend more time preparing for the AP test tend to score better than other students.  Brandy can now conclude that
• Studying improves exam grades.
• A relationship exists between studying and exam grades.
• No significant correlation exists between studying and exam grades.
• Anyone who does not study will do poorly on the exam.
• Better students tend to study more.

• A relationship exists between studying and exam grades.

This is easy

100

"I knew it all along"

Hindsight bias

200

Experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent.

Placebo Effect

300

An observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles.

Case Study

400

Observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

Naturalistic Observation

500

A factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect in an experiment.

Confounding Variable