Mastering Research Design in AP Psychology

What psychological concept involves using superficial cues to influence behavior or attitudes?

• Cognitive dissonance

• Behavioral conditioning

• Peripheral route to persuasion

• Central route to persuasion

According to the mere exposure effect, what is expected when advertisements are frequently seen?

• Decreased interest in the ads

• Increased dislike for the ads

• Increased liking of the ads

• No change in perception

What does the false consensus effect describe?

• Accurate estimation of consensus

• Overestimating the extent to which others agree with you

• Underestimating the extent to which others agree with you

• Ignoring others' opinions

How does the mere exposure effect impact consumer behavior towards advertisements?

• It has no impact on their perception

• It makes them more skeptical of the ads

• It increases their liking of the ads

• It decreases their interest in the product

What does the false consensus effect potentially cause a person to believe?

• That their opinion is unique

• That everyone shares their opinion

• That their opinion is irrelevant

• That their opinion is unpopular

What is the purpose of random assignment in research studies?

• To eliminate the need for a control group

• To minimize the impact of confounding variables

• To ensure all participants are treated equally

• To increase the variability of the data

What is an operational definition in research?

• A random guess about the outcome of an experiment

• A hypothesis that researchers aim to prove

• A definition based on the operations used to measure a variable

• A theoretical concept that cannot be measured

Why is it important to understand the standard deviation in a study?

• To assess the spread of responses around the mean

• To determine the average outcome

• To calculate the total number of participants

• To decide the duration of the experiment

What does a P value less than 0.05 typically indicate in research findings?

• Need for more participants

• No statistical significance

• Statistical significance

• Insufficient data for conclusion

What conclusion can be drawn from a P value of less than 0.001?

• The data collection method was flawed

• The results are likely due to chance

• The sample size was too small

• The results are unlikely due to chance