Key Science Skills Quiz

Which of the following statements about the independent variable is true?

• It is the outcome that is measured in the experiment.
• It is the factor that is manipulated to observe its effect.
• It is the variable that remains constant.
• It is the variable that could introduce unwanted variation.

What is the presumed cause in an experiment?

• Extraneous variable
• Independent variable
• Controlled variable
• Dependent variable

Which of the following best describes the dependent variable?

• The outcome that is measured in an experiment.
• The factor that is manipulated by the researcher.
• The variables that are kept constant.
• The variables that could introduce unwanted variation.

In the sleep and memory study, what could be a controlled variable?

• The time of day participants sleep.
• The participants' performance on the memory test.
• The difficulty of the memory test.
• The amount of sleep participants get.

How can extraneous variables affect an experiment?

• They can introduce unwanted variation.
• They can clarify the results.
• They are always controlled.
• They have no impact on results.

What might happen if extraneous variables are not controlled?

• Results will be more reliable
• Results will be easier to interpret
• Results will be unaffected
• Results may be influenced by unwanted factors

What distinguishes a confounding variable from an extraneous variable?

• A confounding variable is always measured, while an extraneous variable is not.
• A confounding variable does not affect the dependent variable.
• A confounding variable is controlled, while an extraneous variable is not.
• A confounding variable systematically varies with the independent variable.

Which of the following is an example of a confounding variable in the sleep study?

• The time of day the test is conducted
• The participants' memory performance
• The amount of sleep
• Caffeine intake

Why is it important to control variables in psychological research?

• To ensure that the independent variable is not manipulated.
• To improve the validity of the experiment and draw clearer conclusions.
• To make the experiment more complex.
• To increase the number of variables in the experiment.

What could be a consequence of not controlling extraneous variables?

• The validity of the experiment may be compromised.
• The experiment may yield clearer conclusions.
• The results may be more reliable.
• The independent variable will have a stronger effect.