Professor Melara
PSY 10200 SEK2
Homework#1
9 September 2021
1. a) What does it mean to manipulate a variable? b) What does it mean to control a
variable? c) What is the difference between a controlled variable and a control group?
A) It means to manipulate a variable is that it is a variable that can be changed as we
want. It is known as an independent variable. In an experiment, this variable can be
modified such as time, age, population, etc.
B) It means to control a variable is that it always remains constant and does not
change such as temperature, amount of light, water, etc.
C) The difference between a controlled variable and a control group is that a
controlled variable always remains the same and does not change in an experiment
and a control group is a group that does not come to any contact of any kind of
treatment in an experiment. Later, its results get compared with an experimental
group.
2. What contribution did the research of psychologists Mamie Phipps Clark and
Kenneth Clark from City College make to the American culture?
The contribution the research of psychologists Mamie Phipps Clark and Kenneth
Clark from City College made to the American culture was that they performed a doll
test experiment between some African-American kids to observe their physiological
behaviors where they noticed that majority of the African-American kids chose the
white doll which showed they learned to go against African-American people.
3. Answer parts a and b: a) A survey of over 12,000 adolescents found that the more
teens feel loved by their parents, the less likely they are to behave in unhealthy ways -
having early sex, smoking, abusing alcohol and drugs, and exhibiting violence. What
are three possible ways we could interpret that finding? b) What are the characteristics
of experimentation that make it possible to isolate cause and effect?
A) Three possible ways we could interpret that finding is that the love of parents
produces more healthy teens, the disciplined well-behaved teens may feel more love
toward their parents, surrounding environment and area that they live may affect both
parents and teens.