Research Methods in Psychology Quiz

What is the scientific method in psychology?

• Using observation, experimentation, and statistical analysis

• Using guesswork and intuition

• Using personal experience and common sense

• Using anecdotal evidence and hearsay

What is the main purpose of naturalistic observation in research?

• To manipulate the environment to observe subjects' behavior

• To observe subjects in their natural environment without their awareness

• To conduct experiments in a controlled laboratory setting

• To rely on self-reports and surveys

What is the main limitation of case studies in psychology research?

• They are very open to bias and difficult to apply data to everyone

• They rely on the observations of a single investigator

• They are unethical and unreliable in studying rare phenomena

• They are virtually useless in providing evidence to test behavioral theories or treatments

What is the goal of minimizing bias in research?

• To manipulate the results to fit a particular point of view

• To increase the probability of obtaining a reliable, meaningful result

• To completely eliminate any possibility of bias

• To rely solely on the observer's opinion

What is the statistical measure of the relationship between two variables called?

• Positive Correlation

• Scatterplot

• Negative Correlation

• Correlation Coefficient

What does a positive correlation between two variables indicate?

• One thing tends to decrease when the other increases

• There is no relationship whatsoever between the two variables

• One variable increases while the other decreases

• Both variables increase or decrease together

What is the main problem with surveys in research?

• They are biased and don't consider question wording

• They are not representative of the population being studied

• They rely on self-reports and questionnaires

• They are inefficient and expensive to conduct

What is the main purpose of a random sample in research?

• To rely solely on the observer's opinion

• To manipulate the results to fit a particular point of view

• To represent a population fairly and avoid bias

• To completely eliminate any possibility of bias

What is the main advantage of longitudinal studies in developmental psychology?

• They provide a rich source of data as time passes

• They are more efficient, cheaper, and easier to conduct

• They simultaneously study a number of subjects from different age groups

• They compare the results of different age groups to determine development

What type of correlation? (a)  

• Positive Correlation
• Negative Correlation
• No Correlation