Research Methods in Psychology

A descriptive research method in which researchers observe and record behavior in its natural setting, without attempting to influence or control it.

• Naturalistic observation

• Survey

• Case Study

• Experiment

The variable manipulated by a researcher in an experiment is the

• Dependent Variable

• Independent Variable

• Confounding Variable

• Correlational variable

In an experiment, the variable that changes in response to independent variable is known as

• Independent variable

• Dependent variable

• Changing variable

• Control variable

A tentative prediction about the relationship between two variables is a

• Theory

• Hypothesis

• Confounding variable

• Operational definition

This is an example of what?

• Negative Correlation

• Positive Correlation

• Negative skew

• Positive skew

Researchers must describe the actions that will be taken to measure or control each variable in their studies. In other words, they must:

• Decide if their studies will be experimental or correlational

• Provide operational definitions of their variables

• Use statistics to summarize their findings.

• Decide how many subjects should participate in their studies

The group in an experiment that does not have the independent variable is known as what?

• Double blind group

• Outlier

• Experimental group

• Control group

This research method is a measure of the extent to which two variables are linked, and thus of how well either variable predicts the other.

• Correlational study

• Case Study
• Experiment

• Naturalistic observation

There is a strong positive correlation between ice cream sales and instances of snakebites. Which of the following is the most likely explanation for this correlation?

• Ice cream sales cause humans to become more attractive to snakes

• Snake bites cause humans to crave ice cream

• Hot weather is related to both ice cream sales and snake activity

• Increased traffic due to ice cream trucks disturbs the snakes, causing them to attack

A researcher found that clients who were randomly assigned to same-sex groups participated more in group therapy sessions than clients who were randomly assigned to coed groups. In this experiment, the independent variable was

• The amount of participation in the group therapy sessions

• Whether or not the group was coed

• The clients’ attitudes toward group therapy

• How much the clients’ mental health improved