Applications: Topic 2: The Scientific Method Unit 2: Research Methods
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Wanda makes an educated, precisely worded guess about the behavior of her friends in a specific situation. In other words, she is ____. a. creating a theory c. identifying a moral principle b. making a hypothesis d. manipulating variables ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Apply OBJ: LO1: Outline the steps in the scientific method and articulate the importance of each with respect to psychological research. TOP: Methods for All Sciences
2. Social-cognitive theorists propose that teens will be more likely to try marijuana if they believe smoking marijuana will make them more popular among their peers. This proposition is called a(n) ____. a. hypothesis c. theory b. inference d. control ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Apply OBJ: LO1: Outline the steps in the scientific method and articulate the importance of each with respect to psychological research. TOP: Methods for All Sciences
3. After reading about a study that concluded that having a dog is beneficial for an elderly person's health, Dr. Wolpe was skeptical. Therefore, he decided to do a similar study to see whether he would achieve the same results. Dr. Wolpe's study would be termed a ____. a. double-blind study c. replication b. duplication d. retest ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Apply OBJ: LO1: Outline the steps in the scientific method and articulate the importance of each with respect to psychological research. TOP: Methods for All Sciences
4. Ajit is a graduate student in psychology who is conducting research on the effectiveness of two types of therapy in the treatment of phobias. Ajit is at the stage where he is performing statistical analysis on experimental data to determine if his initial hypothesis is supported by the research. At which stage of the scientific method is Ajit working? a. Drawing conclusions c. Gathering evidence b. Developing a research question d. Replicating results ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Apply OBJ: LO1: Outline the steps in the scientific method and articulate the importance of each with respect to psychological research. TOP: Methods for All Sciences
5. Dr. Kavanaugh noticed that many of her students have difficulties understanding the basic parts of a nerve cell (neuron). However, they do not have the same problems understanding the regions of the brain. She wonders if her lectures have some bearing on this situation and has posed the following question, which she intends to pursue in her research: Do the ways in which information is presented to students affect engagement and later recall of the material? If she is interested in pursuing this research question further, her next step in the scientific method would be to ____. a. develop a research question b. form a hypothesis c. gather evidence d. manipulate her lecturing style ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Apply OBJ: LO1: Outline the steps in the scientific method and articulate the importance of each with respect to psychological research. TOP: Methods for All Sciences
6. Soma and Biresh are debating about the best places to live after college. Soma states that the Northeast offers a healthier lifestyle than the Southwest and insists that she is basing her conclusions on facts, without any influence of personal emotion or bias. In other words, Soma believes that she is showing ____. a. subjectivity c. objectivity b. neutrality d. perspective ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Apply OBJ: LO1: Outline the steps in the scientific method and articulate the importance of each with respect to psychological research. TOP: Methods for All Sciences
7. Which question best demonstrates critical thinking? a. What is your immediate reaction to this information? b. What political party is expressing this point of view? c. What evidence supports this position? d. What did the professor give as the answer? ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Understand OBJ: LO1: Outline the steps in the scientific method and articulate the importance of each with respect to psychological research. TOP: Methods for All Sciences
8. You and your roommate are supporting different presidential candidates. You frequently debate the claims that each candidate makes against the other on various issues. Which of the following would be a sign that you are not thinking critically? a. You question what you are being asked to believe by either candidate. b. You think of alternative ways to interpret the claims of either candidate. c. You consider the need for additional evidence or information to assess the claims of either candidate. d. You are loyal to your candidate and defend the claims with evidence provided by the campaign. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Apply OBJ: LO1: Outline the steps in the scientific method and articulate the importance of each with respect to psychological research. TOP: Methods for All Sciences
9. Which of the following statements would be most difficult to falsify? a. All swans are white. c. All men are mortal. b. All women are immortal. d. All birds fly. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Apply OBJ: LO1: Outline the steps in the scientific method and articulate the importance of each with respect to psychological research. TOP: Methods for All Sciences
10. Jeanine, a research psychologist, has developed a falsifiable and testable hypothesis. Her next step is to ____. a. interpret the data necessary to evaluate it b. conduct the statistical analysis c. undergo peer review of her hypothesis d. collect the data necessary to evaluate it ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Apply OBJ: LO1: Outline the steps in the scientific method and articulate the importance of each with respect to psychological research. TOP: Methods for All Sciences
11. Dr. Snape was skeptical after reading a study concluding that chocolate truffles reduced the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Therefore, he initiated a similar study to determine whether he would achieve the same results. Dr. Snape's study would be termed a ____. a. statistical sampling c. regressive analysis b. validity test d. replication ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Apply OBJ: LO1: Outline the steps in the scientific method and articulate the importance of each with respect to psychological research. TOP: Methods for All Sciences