Question
2.1
The belief that accurate knowledge can be acquired through observation is
- parsimony.
- dogmatism.
- empiricism.
- scientific research.
c
Question
2.2
Which of the following is the best definition of a hypothesis?
- empirical evidence
- a scientific investigation
- a falsifiable prediction
- a theoretical idea
c
Question
2.3
The methods of psychological investigation take _____ into account because when people know they are being studied, they don’t always behave as they otherwise would.
- reactivity
- complexity
- variability
- sophistication
a
Question
2.4
When a measure produces the same measurement whenever it is used to measure the same thing, it is said to have
- validity.
- reliability.
- power.
- concreteness.
b
Question
2.5
Aspects of an observational setting that cause people to behave as they think they should are called
- observer biases.
- reactive conditions.
- natural habitats.
- demand characteristics.
d
Question
2.6
In a double-blind observation
- the participants know what is being measured.
- people are observed in their natural environments.
- the purpose is hidden from both the observer and the person being observed.
- only objective, statistical measures are recorded.
c
Question
2.7
Which of the following describes the average value of all the measurements in a particular distribution?
- mean
- median
- mode
- range
a
Question
2.8
What does a correlation coefficient show?
- the value of one specific variable
- the direction and strength of a correlation
- the efficiency of the relevant research method
- the degree of natural correlation
b
Question
2.9
When two variables are correlated, what keeps us from concluding that one is the cause and the other is the effect?
- the possibility of third-variable correlation
- random assignment of control groups
- the existence of false-positive correlation
- correlation strength is impossible to measure accurately
a
Question
2.10
A researcher administers a questionnaire concerning attitudes toward global warming to people of both genders and of all ages who live all across the country. The dependent variable in the study is the _____ of the participants.
- age
- gender
- attitudes toward global warming
- geographic location
c
Question
2.11
The characteristic of an experiment that allows conclusions about causal relationships to be drawn is called
- external validity.
- internal validity.
- random assignment.
- self-selection.
b
Question
2.12
An experiment that operationally defines variables in a realistic way is said to be
- externally valid.
- controlled.
- operationally defined.
- statistically significant.
a
Question
2.13
Research suggests that people are usually
- open to seeing both sides of an issue.
- able to reason without emotion.
- able to arrive at conclusions based solely on facts.
- none of the above.
d
Question
2.14
When people find evidence that confirms their beliefs, they often
- tend to stop looking.
- seek evidence that disconfirms their conclusions.
- seek evidence that presents both sides.
- talk to their colleagues.
a
Question
2.15
What are psychologists ethically required to do when reporting research results?
- to report findings truthfully
- to share credit for research
- to make data available for further research
- All of the above.
d