RM F24

Professor Quirinus Quirrell, a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, claims that students who wear garlic necklaces are less likely to encounter trolls. He bases this on his personal experience of never being bothered by trolls while sporting his pungent accessory. What's the main issue with his claim?

• Garlic necklaces might just be really fashionable, attracting friendly trolls.

• He lacks a comparison group of students who don't wear garlic necklaces.

• Trolls might be allergic to garlic, leading to avoidance.

• He should focus on teaching spells instead of fashion advice.

You're convinced that your roommate's messy desk is directly causing your own procrastination. Every time you see their clutter, you lose focus! What's the problem with this assumption?

• Correlation doesn't equal causation; there might be other factors at play.

• Messy desks are scientifically proven to enhance creativity, not hinder it.

• You might just be looking for an excuse to procrastinate.

• You should embrace the chaos and create a messy desk of your own.

Your friend swears that listening to Mozart makes them smarter. They even claim their IQ went up 10 points after a week of classical music marathons. Which validity should you question first?

• Construct validity - How did they measure 'smarter'?

• Internal validity - Did they rule out other factors affecting their IQ?

• External validity - Does this apply to everyone, or just Mozart fans?

• Musical taste validity - Is Mozart truly superior to all other genres?

A study claims that people who own dogs are more likely to be extroverted. Before you adopt a pack of puppies, what's a crucial question to consider?

• Did they randomly assign people to own dogs?

• Could extroverted people simply be more likely to choose dog ownership?

• Are there specific dog breeds that make people more extroverted?

• Will owning a dog make me the life of the party?

You're reading a headline: "Breaking News: Eating Pizza Prevents Hair Loss!" Which validity should raise your eyebrows the most?

• Construct validity - How did they measure "hair loss"?

• Internal validity - Did they control for other factors affecting hair growth?

• External validity - Does this apply to all pizza, or just pepperoni?

• Pizza preference validity - Is pizza truly the key to luscious locks?

Match the following variables with their corresponding descriptions in the caffeine study. A researcher wants to study the effects of caffeine on sleep patterns. They plan to give one group coffee and another group decaf

• Independent variable

• The participants' love for coffee

• Extraneous variable

• The type of coffee (caffeinated or decaf)

• Dependent variable

• The participants' sleep patterns

• Control variable

• The time of day the coffee is consumed

You stumble upon an online article titled "Scientists Prove Time Travel Is Possible!" Before you start building a DeLorean, what's your first step?

• Check if the article is from a reputable source and cites credible research.

• Start packing your bags for a trip to the Jurassic period.

• Practice your "Great Scott!" impression in the mirror.

• Write a strongly worded email to your physics professor demanding answers.

A study suggests that people who meditate regularly have lower stress levels. What type of claim is this?

• Frequency claim

• Association claim

• Causal claim

• Zen claim

You're designing a study to see if watching cat videos improves mood. You plan to show one group funny cat videos and another group boring documentaries. What's the independent variable?

• The type of video (cat videos or documentaries)

• The participants' mood

• The length of the videos

• The participants' love for cats

Dr. Snugglesworth, a renowned expert on pet psychology, claims that cats purr to manipulate their owners into giving them treats. However, he hasn't conducted any research to support this claim. What should you be cautious about?

• Accepting Dr. Snugglesworth's claim because he's an expert.

• Questioning Dr. Snugglesworth's expertise because he studies cats.

• Assuming all cats purr for the same reason.

• Buying more treats for your cat, just in case.