Research methodology - basics

Which statement best describes the purpose of an aim in research?

• It provides a specific, testable prediction of the study’s outcome.

• It explains how variables will be operationalized.

• It broadly outlines what the researcher intends to investigate.

• It ensures that extraneous variables are controlled.

A researcher predicts that students who sleep for fewer than five hours before an exam will score lower than those who sleep more than seven hours. What type of hypothesis is this?

• Null hypothesis

• Directional hypothesis

• Non-directional hypothesis

• Alternative hypothesis

Which of the following is an example of a properly operationalized hypothesis?

• Lack of sleep negatively affects cognitive performance.

• Students who sleep fewer than 5 hours will score at least 10% lower on a memory recall test than those who sleep more than 7 hours.

• There is a relationship between sleep and cognitive performance.

• Sleep deprivation will likely impact memory.

What is the main limitation of using a non-directional hypothesis?

• It cannot be statistically tested.

• It lacks precision in predicting the nature of the relationship.

• It is only used in qualitative research.

• It assumes a cause-and-effect relationship.

Which of the following would be considered an extraneous variable in an experiment investigating the effects of background noise on reading comprehension?

• The difficulty level of the reading material

• The presence or absence of background noise

• The number of correct answers on the comprehension test

• The hypothesis being tested

Why is randomization important in psychological experiments?

• It ensures every participant is tested in the same environment.

• It eliminates all extraneous variables.

• It minimizes bias by ensuring participants are assigned to conditions randomly.

• It guarantees that the study will produce statistically significant results.

Which of the following statements about demand characteristics is true?

• They only occur in laboratory experiments.

• They can lead to participants changing their behavior based on perceived expectations.

• They are always beneficial for research validity.

• They occur when the researcher manipulates the dependent variable.

A researcher unknowingly smiles more at participants in the experimental group than in the control group. This is an example of:

• Demand characteristics

• Experimenter bias

• Standardization

• Randomization

A double-blind study is designed to eliminate:

• The need for ethical approval

• The influence of extraneous variables

• Both participant and experimenter bias

• The effects of a non-directional hypothesis

Which research design is least likely to be affected by participant variables?

• Independent measures

• Repeated measures

• Matched pairs

• Stratified sampling