Topic 1 Quantitative methods in research psychology
1.1 Quantitative research in psychology
1.2 Constructs as the building blocks of theories
1.3 How constructs are made visible through measurement
1.4 Collecting information by sampling data
1.5 The research hypothesis
Questions:
1. Inferential statistics is a branch of statistics concerned with ...
1. inferring numerical properties of sample data.
2. inferring properties of samples from assumptions.
3. estimating properties of populations from data.
2. Research in psychology is primarily about ...
1. gathering facts.
2. testing theories of human behaviour.
3. making assumptions.
3. The main purpose of psychological research is to ...
1. test theories empirically.
2. select random samples.
3. apply inferential statistics.
4. A theory is a network of ...
1. relations among facts that were proven to be true.
2. explanations for observed phenomena in terms of constructs.
3. hypotheses that were observed.
5. Constructs are ...
1. theoretical in nature.
2. empirical in nature.
3. identical to variables.
6. An item in a psychological test may be considered to be a ...
1. manifest variable.
2. test construct.
3. both of the above.
7. Constructs such as anxiety can be ...
1. observed directly.
2. empirical in nature.
3. defined in terms of behaviour.
8. Operational definitions of psychological constructs should define constructs ...
1. in terms of observable behaviour.
2. in terms of other constructs.
3. through measurement.
9. Operational definitions enable us to ...
1. bridge the gap between theory and observations.
2. observe constructs.
3. do both of the above.
1
, 10. The nature of an hypothesis refers to a rule that tells us ...
1. which variables cause, or are associated with, which variable.
2. which value of an independent variable is associated with which value
of a dependent variable.
3. the nature of the variables as constructs.
11. Suppose an hypothesis states that X causes Y. We cannot predict Y exactly
because ...
1. of unknown population or sample values.
2. of other variables that also influence Y.
3. we might not know the values of X.
Consider the following hypothesis and then answer items 12 and 13:
Hypothesis: The viewing of violent video material is related to
aggressive behaviour.
12. The independent variable in the hypothesis above is ...
1. viewing of violent video material.
2. aggressive behaviour.
3. There is no independent variable.
13. The hypothesis above ...
1. associates values of the independent variable with values of the
dependent variable.
2. implies which levels of `aggressive behaviour' are caused by viewing
violent video material.
3. is a theory about how violence on videos and aggressive behaviour are
connected.
14. The observation that `a child hits another child' can be considered to be ...
1. an observation of a manifest variable.
2. a behavioural consequence of `aggressive behaviour'
3. both of the above.
15. An hypothesis is general or universal in nature in the sense that ...
1. the postulated relation is linear.
2. the relation is proposed for a population.
3. the postulated relation will hold in a specific sample.
16. A sample is ...
1. a segment of a population
2. a representation of the population
3. random
17. An inference is ...
1. another term for hypothesis
2. an inspired guess
3. a generalisation based on existing information
18. `Operationalisation' refers to ...
1. the process of forming an hypothesis
2. the process of finding a practical way of measuring a construct
3. finding a practical operation or procedure to do the research
2
1.1 Quantitative research in psychology
1.2 Constructs as the building blocks of theories
1.3 How constructs are made visible through measurement
1.4 Collecting information by sampling data
1.5 The research hypothesis
Questions:
1. Inferential statistics is a branch of statistics concerned with ...
1. inferring numerical properties of sample data.
2. inferring properties of samples from assumptions.
3. estimating properties of populations from data.
2. Research in psychology is primarily about ...
1. gathering facts.
2. testing theories of human behaviour.
3. making assumptions.
3. The main purpose of psychological research is to ...
1. test theories empirically.
2. select random samples.
3. apply inferential statistics.
4. A theory is a network of ...
1. relations among facts that were proven to be true.
2. explanations for observed phenomena in terms of constructs.
3. hypotheses that were observed.
5. Constructs are ...
1. theoretical in nature.
2. empirical in nature.
3. identical to variables.
6. An item in a psychological test may be considered to be a ...
1. manifest variable.
2. test construct.
3. both of the above.
7. Constructs such as anxiety can be ...
1. observed directly.
2. empirical in nature.
3. defined in terms of behaviour.
8. Operational definitions of psychological constructs should define constructs ...
1. in terms of observable behaviour.
2. in terms of other constructs.
3. through measurement.
9. Operational definitions enable us to ...
1. bridge the gap between theory and observations.
2. observe constructs.
3. do both of the above.
1
, 10. The nature of an hypothesis refers to a rule that tells us ...
1. which variables cause, or are associated with, which variable.
2. which value of an independent variable is associated with which value
of a dependent variable.
3. the nature of the variables as constructs.
11. Suppose an hypothesis states that X causes Y. We cannot predict Y exactly
because ...
1. of unknown population or sample values.
2. of other variables that also influence Y.
3. we might not know the values of X.
Consider the following hypothesis and then answer items 12 and 13:
Hypothesis: The viewing of violent video material is related to
aggressive behaviour.
12. The independent variable in the hypothesis above is ...
1. viewing of violent video material.
2. aggressive behaviour.
3. There is no independent variable.
13. The hypothesis above ...
1. associates values of the independent variable with values of the
dependent variable.
2. implies which levels of `aggressive behaviour' are caused by viewing
violent video material.
3. is a theory about how violence on videos and aggressive behaviour are
connected.
14. The observation that `a child hits another child' can be considered to be ...
1. an observation of a manifest variable.
2. a behavioural consequence of `aggressive behaviour'
3. both of the above.
15. An hypothesis is general or universal in nature in the sense that ...
1. the postulated relation is linear.
2. the relation is proposed for a population.
3. the postulated relation will hold in a specific sample.
16. A sample is ...
1. a segment of a population
2. a representation of the population
3. random
17. An inference is ...
1. another term for hypothesis
2. an inspired guess
3. a generalisation based on existing information
18. `Operationalisation' refers to ...
1. the process of forming an hypothesis
2. the process of finding a practical way of measuring a construct
3. finding a practical operation or procedure to do the research
2
