PSY 699 FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE

PSY 699 FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE CH 9 1. According to the text, when researchers conduct longitudinal research, the type of correlation they are most interested in is which of the following? Answers: 1. Cross-lag correlation 2. Cross-sectional correlation 3. Autocorrelation 4. Multivariate correlation Dr. Farah is an educational psychologist who is interested in studying the potential causal relationship between doing homework and academic achievement. In January, Dr. Farah has her students report their fall GPA (a measure of academic achievement) and estimate how many hours they spent doing homework during a typical week in the fall semester. In May, Dr. Farah measures the same variables again (the estimated number of hours spent doing homework during a typical week in the spring semester and their spring GPA). She finds the following correlations. Variable A Variable B Correlation Coefficient Correlation 1 Fall number of hours of homework Fall semester GPA .83* Correlation 2 Fall number of hours of homework Spring number of hours of homework .36* Correlation 3 Fall number of hours of homework Spring semester GPA .69* Correlation 4 Fall semester GPA Spring number of hours of homework .18 Correlation 5 Fall semester GPA Spring semester GPA .45* Correlation 6 Spring number of hours of homework Spring semester GPA .80* * Indicates a statistically significant relationship. 2. In considering the three causal rules, which of the following rules/questions will Dr. Farah’s study NOT be able to address? Answers: 1. Rule of parsimony 2. Rule of covariance: Is there covariance? 3. Are there third variables that could explain the relationship? 4. Rule of temporal precedence: Is there temporal precedence?