CMIT 321 FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE AND FULL
ANSWER EXPLANATIONS 2026
◉ 4) Members of a risk management team at a substance abuse
clinic were interested in finding out whether there were differences
in the likelihood that a "near miss" (an error that could have led to a
serious problem, but did not) would be reported by individuals who
had witnessed the near miss error versus those who had committed
the error. Answer: ➢ Solution
❖ The independent variable is a categorical variable describing
employee status (witness or perpetrator of the error).
❖ The dependent variable is whether the error was reported
(yes/no).
❖ Both the independent and dependent variables are categorical
(nominal).
❖ The most appropriate type of test is a chi square test.
❖ H0: There will be no differences in likelihood of reporting a near
miss (i.e., those who commit the error are as likely to report it as
those who witnessed it).
❖ H1: Witnesses will be more likely to report a near miss than
employees who commit errors.
❖ Type I Error: Concluding that witnesses (or those who commit the
errors) are more likely to report a near miss when in fact, there is an
equal likelihood of reporting the problem.
,❖ Type II Error: Concluding that witnesses and those who commit
an error are equally likely to report it when in reality, one group
(probably the witness group) is more likely to report the error.
◉ 5) Susan Sound predicts that students will learn most effectively
with a constant background sound, as opposed to an unpredictable
sound or no sound at all. She randomly assigns each of the 30
student participants into one of three groups. All students study a
passage of text for 30 minutes. Those in Group 1 study with
background sound at a constant volume in the background. Those in
Group 2 study with noise that changes volume periodically. Those in
Group 3 study with no sound at all. After studying, all students take a
10 point multiple choice test over the material. Answer: ➢ Solution
❖ IV: background sound (3 levels: constant volume, variable volume,
no sound)
❖ DV: scores on the multiple choice test
❖ The scale of measurement for the independent variable is
nominal.
❖ The scale of the dependent variable is interval/ratio.
❖ The most appropriate type of test is a one-way ANOVA.
❖ H0: There will be no differences in test scores based on sound
level.
❖ H1: Sound level during study time will influence test scores.
o Presumably,theresearcherispredictingthatthelowestscoreswill
occur in the variable sound condition and the highest scores in the
,silence condition with the constant volume condition scores falling
between.
❖ Type I Error: Concluding that sound level individuals are exposed
to during study time influences test scores when in fact, it does not.
❖ Type II Error: Concluding that sound level during study time does
not affect performance (ability to learn the material) when in reality,
it does.
◉ 6) Final year psychology students were asked about their career
plans. The researchers want to investigate if there is any relationship
between gender and career preference. They found that 12 females
and 26 males wanted to work in the field of clinical psychology,
while 24 females and 8 males said they preferred the area of
organizational psychology. Answer: ➢ Solution
❖ The independent variable is gender (male, female).
❖ The dependent variable is the career preference (clinical,
organizational).
❖ Both the independent and dependent variables are categorical
(nominal).
❖ The most appropriate type of test is a chi square test.
❖ H0: There will be no differences in proportions of males and
females preferring each specialty area.
❖ H1: There will be differences in proportions of males and females
reporting a preference for one or more specialty areas.
, ❖ Type I Error: Concluding that there are gender differences in
choices of specialty areas when in fact, gender does not influence
preferences.
❖ Type II Error: Concluding that there are no gender based
differences in preferences for clinical vs. organizational psychology
when the truth is that there are.
◉ 7) Darley and Latane (1969) were interested in whether the
presence of other people influences whether a person will help
someone in distress and how long it will take. The experimenter (a
female graduate student) had the participant wait in a room with 0,
2, or 4 confederates. The experimenter announces that the study will
begin shortly and walks into an adjacent room. A few moments later
the person(s) in the waiting room hear her fall and complain of
ankle pain. The dependent measure is the number of seconds it
takes the participant to help the experimenter. Answer: ➢ Solution:
❖ IV: number of other people present (3 levels: 0, 2, or 4)
❖ The scale of measurement for the independent variable is ordinal
(equivalent
to nominal for our purposes here).
❖ DV: number of seconds until the participant moves to help.
❖ The scale of the dependent variable is interval/ratio.
❖ The most appropriate type of test is a one-way ANOVA.
❖ H0: Average number of seconds it takes to respond will be the
same regardless of the number of people in the waiting area.
ANSWER EXPLANATIONS 2026
◉ 4) Members of a risk management team at a substance abuse
clinic were interested in finding out whether there were differences
in the likelihood that a "near miss" (an error that could have led to a
serious problem, but did not) would be reported by individuals who
had witnessed the near miss error versus those who had committed
the error. Answer: ➢ Solution
❖ The independent variable is a categorical variable describing
employee status (witness or perpetrator of the error).
❖ The dependent variable is whether the error was reported
(yes/no).
❖ Both the independent and dependent variables are categorical
(nominal).
❖ The most appropriate type of test is a chi square test.
❖ H0: There will be no differences in likelihood of reporting a near
miss (i.e., those who commit the error are as likely to report it as
those who witnessed it).
❖ H1: Witnesses will be more likely to report a near miss than
employees who commit errors.
❖ Type I Error: Concluding that witnesses (or those who commit the
errors) are more likely to report a near miss when in fact, there is an
equal likelihood of reporting the problem.
,❖ Type II Error: Concluding that witnesses and those who commit
an error are equally likely to report it when in reality, one group
(probably the witness group) is more likely to report the error.
◉ 5) Susan Sound predicts that students will learn most effectively
with a constant background sound, as opposed to an unpredictable
sound or no sound at all. She randomly assigns each of the 30
student participants into one of three groups. All students study a
passage of text for 30 minutes. Those in Group 1 study with
background sound at a constant volume in the background. Those in
Group 2 study with noise that changes volume periodically. Those in
Group 3 study with no sound at all. After studying, all students take a
10 point multiple choice test over the material. Answer: ➢ Solution
❖ IV: background sound (3 levels: constant volume, variable volume,
no sound)
❖ DV: scores on the multiple choice test
❖ The scale of measurement for the independent variable is
nominal.
❖ The scale of the dependent variable is interval/ratio.
❖ The most appropriate type of test is a one-way ANOVA.
❖ H0: There will be no differences in test scores based on sound
level.
❖ H1: Sound level during study time will influence test scores.
o Presumably,theresearcherispredictingthatthelowestscoreswill
occur in the variable sound condition and the highest scores in the
,silence condition with the constant volume condition scores falling
between.
❖ Type I Error: Concluding that sound level individuals are exposed
to during study time influences test scores when in fact, it does not.
❖ Type II Error: Concluding that sound level during study time does
not affect performance (ability to learn the material) when in reality,
it does.
◉ 6) Final year psychology students were asked about their career
plans. The researchers want to investigate if there is any relationship
between gender and career preference. They found that 12 females
and 26 males wanted to work in the field of clinical psychology,
while 24 females and 8 males said they preferred the area of
organizational psychology. Answer: ➢ Solution
❖ The independent variable is gender (male, female).
❖ The dependent variable is the career preference (clinical,
organizational).
❖ Both the independent and dependent variables are categorical
(nominal).
❖ The most appropriate type of test is a chi square test.
❖ H0: There will be no differences in proportions of males and
females preferring each specialty area.
❖ H1: There will be differences in proportions of males and females
reporting a preference for one or more specialty areas.
, ❖ Type I Error: Concluding that there are gender differences in
choices of specialty areas when in fact, gender does not influence
preferences.
❖ Type II Error: Concluding that there are no gender based
differences in preferences for clinical vs. organizational psychology
when the truth is that there are.
◉ 7) Darley and Latane (1969) were interested in whether the
presence of other people influences whether a person will help
someone in distress and how long it will take. The experimenter (a
female graduate student) had the participant wait in a room with 0,
2, or 4 confederates. The experimenter announces that the study will
begin shortly and walks into an adjacent room. A few moments later
the person(s) in the waiting room hear her fall and complain of
ankle pain. The dependent measure is the number of seconds it
takes the participant to help the experimenter. Answer: ➢ Solution:
❖ IV: number of other people present (3 levels: 0, 2, or 4)
❖ The scale of measurement for the independent variable is ordinal
(equivalent
to nominal for our purposes here).
❖ DV: number of seconds until the participant moves to help.
❖ The scale of the dependent variable is interval/ratio.
❖ The most appropriate type of test is a one-way ANOVA.
❖ H0: Average number of seconds it takes to respond will be the
same regardless of the number of people in the waiting area.
