Research Designs (Quiz2)

A psychologist conducts a study on stress management techniques with a group of college students. The findings suggest significant stress reduction, but the study only includes psychology majors. What is a potential problem with this study?

• The study has low internal statistical significance.

• The study lacks external validity.

• The study’s reliability is low.

• The study overestimates effect size.

A researcher wants to test the effectiveness of a new study technique on exam scores. They divide students randomly into two groups: one group uses the new technique, and the other sticks to their usual methods. What is the primary goal of using this experimental research design?

• To explore how study habits develop over time.

• To establish a causal relationship between the technique and exam performance.

• To observe naturally occurring study behaviors in students.

• To describe common study techniques among students.

A researcher examines the relationship between hours of sleep and stress levels among college students and calculates a correlation coefficient (r) of -0.65. What does this correlation coefficient indicate?

• As sleep increases, stress levels tend to increase as well.

• There is no relationship between sleep and stress.

• As sleep increases, stress levels tend to decrease.

• Stress levels are directly caused by a lack of sleep.

Two independent raters score a set of essays based on creativity, but their scores show little agreement with each other. What does this indicate about the scoring method?

• It has no level of measurement.

• The scoring lacks inter-rater reliability.

• The scoring lacks content validity.

• The scoring method is objective.

A researcher assigns participants to two different groups (control and treatment) to test the effect of a new medication on anxiety levels. What is the main purpose of this experiment?

• Measuring changes in anxiety without manipulating any variable

• Administering new medication to treatment group and observing if anxiety levels differ from the control group

• Observing participants without influencing their anxiety levels

• Administering new medication to control group and observing if anxiety levels differ from the treatment group

A researcher is studying the effect of study time on test scores and identifies factors that could interfere with results.

Which of the following is NOT an extraneous variable?

• Weather conditions on test day

• Students’ intelligence levels

• The test score

• Students’ sleep before the test

A researcher finds a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.72 between time spent out in nature and creativity levels.

What does this correlation indicate?

• As time in nature increases, creativity scores tend to decrease.

• creativity scores are unaffected by time in nature.

• As time spent in nature increases, creativity scores tend to increase.

• Creativity scores cause an increase in time spent in nature.

In a study comparing five (5) tasks, participants complete each task in a different order.

What is the purpose of participants completing tasks in a different order?

• To increase participant motivation

• To control for order effects

• To decrease overall testing time

• To enhance external validity

A researcher designs a survey to measure "job satisfaction" among employees but includes questions only about their salary and benefits. Which of the following best describes the issue with this survey?

• The survey has low reliability.

• The survey has low validity.

• The survey is too long, affecting response rates.

• The survey includes confounding variables.

A researcher sets up an experiment where reading fiction books may or may not affect empathy scores.

What should the null hypothesis (H₀) state in this experiment?

• Reading fiction books has a positive effect on empathy scores.

• Reading fiction books has a negative effect on empathy scores.

• Level of empathy varies independently of reading fiction books.

• Reading fiction books has no effect on empathy.