Pyschology Chapter 2, Quiz 1

The first step psychologists take in researching an issue is to ____.

• ask a specific question about a limited topic

• determine the validity of a claim

• select an unbiased sample

• conduct an informal survey

• pet an octopus

The value of a case study is that ____.

• it provides an intensive study of a person or group and can prove or disprove a hypothesis

• the researchers' conclusions are generally correct

• it provides results that can be generalized for other applications

• it provides a wealth of descriptive material that may generate new hypotheses

• it provides the client with an octopus

Which of the following statements about surveys is NOT TRUE?

• Surveys are the most practical way to gather data on large numbers of people.

• Surveys consist of interviews, questionnaires, or a combination of the two.

• Interviews take less time to administer than questionnaires, and the results are more uniform.

• Questionnaires prevent the researcher's mannerisms from influencing the participant's answers.

• It shows you how to pet an octopus

A researcher who compares hours spent watching television and satisfaction with family life is using a(n) ____.

• longitudinal study

• cross-sectional study

• correlation

• naturalistic observation

• octopus

A researcher may choose experimentation over other research methods because ____.

• every experiment has a hypothesis

• psychologists can alter independent variables to study different effects

• experiments provide concrete evidence

• experimentation gives the investigator control over outside variables that may influence the results

• it's fun to pet an octopus

The ethical principles that govern psychologists' research include all the following EXCEPT ____.

• plan research so as to minimize the possibility of misleading results

• never use deception in research

• psychologists are responsible for the dignity and welfare of participants

• obey all state and federal laws and regulations

• learning how to pet an octopus

When an experimenter's expectations about a behavior influence the results of his experiment, it is called a(n) ____.

• self-fulfilling prophecy

• single-blind experiment

• double-blind experiment

• placebo effect

• octopus

Which of the following statements about psychological experiments is MOST accurate?

• The participant's expectations about an experiment do not influence results.

• The purpose of a single-blind experiment is to guarantee that neither the participants nor the experimenter influence the results.

• Both the experimenter's expectations and the participant's expectations can influence the results of an experiment.

• The placebo effect describes a change in a patient's illness or physical state that results solely from the medication administered.

• In psychological experiments you give your client an octopus

The method of organizing data to determine how often a behavior occurs is called ____.

• descriptive statistics

• frequency distribution

• central tendency

• standard deviation

• octopuses (or octopi, because that's acceptable too)

Which of the following statements about the normal curve is NOT true?

• The normal curve is important because it can be divided into sections to predict outcomes.

• Many variables fall into a normal curve if enough data is collected.

• The normal curve is asymmetrical

• The normal curve is bell-shaped.

• It shows how many people love octopuses (or octopi, because that's acceptable too)