Exploring Psychology Research Methods

What is the primary purpose of conducting a case study in psychological research?

• To generalize findings to a larger population

• To obtain detailed information about a unique case

• To collect data quickly and inexpensively

• To observe natural behaviors in public settings

Which of the following is a limitation of naturalistic observation?

• Participants may alter their behavior if they know they are being observed

• It allows for control over environmental variables

• It is expensive and time-consuming

• It provides detailed information about individual cases

How does the presence of an observer potentially affect the results of naturalistic observation?

• It allows for better control of environmental variables

• It ensures more accurate data

• It may cause people to behave more naturally

• It can lead to altered behavior from the subjects

What is a significant advantage of using surveys in psychological research?

• They control all variables in the environment

• They allow for direct observation of behavior

• They provide definitive evidence of cause and effect

• They can be distributed widely and inexpensively

In what way is survey data potentially compromised?

• It cannot be used to collect personal data

• It is too costly to implement on a large scale

• It requires too much time to analyze

• Participants may not remember information accurately

What is a major drawback of archival research?

• It can only be used in laboratory settings

• It is typically very expensive

• Researchers have no control over the quality of existing data

• It requires a lot of time to collect new data

What is a common use of archival research outside of academic settings?

• Observing wildlife in natural habitats

• Conducting personal interviews

• Analyzing consumer behavior through loyalty cards

• Studying historical events

Why are experiments considered the best method for determining cause and effect relationships?

• They allow researchers to manipulate variables

• They can be conducted quickly

• They are less expensive than other methods

• They do not require ethical considerations

What ethical concerns might arise in experimental psychology?

• Using archival data without permission

• Asking personal questions in surveys

• Manipulating variables that affect people's lives

• Observing people without their knowledge

Which of the following is a challenge specific to the experimental method in psychology?

• It cannot be used to study behavior

• It always requires a large number of participants

• It is less accurate than surveys

• It may create artificial situations that do not reflect real life