PSY 657; Midterm #1 questions with
complete solutions already passed
ABAB design - ANS ✔✔An experimental design, often involving a single subject, wherein a
baseline period (A) is followed by a treatment (B). To confirm that the treatment resulted in a
change in behavior, the treatment is then withdrawn (A) and reinstated (B).
abnormal psychology - ANS ✔✔Field of psychology concerned with the study, assessment,
treatment, and prevention of abnormal behavior.
acute - ANS ✔✔Term used to describe a disorder of sudden onset, usually with intense
symptoms.
analogue studies - ANS ✔✔Studies in which a researcher attempts to emulate the conditions
hypothesized as leading to abnormality.
bias - ANS ✔✔This occurs when the research has preconceived ideas and expectations that
influence the observations he or she makes in the research study.
case study - ANS ✔✔An in-depth investigation of an individual or family that draws from a
number of data sources, including interviews and psychological testing.
chronic - ANS ✔✔Term used to describe a long-standing or frequently recurring disorder, often
with progressing seriousness.
comorbidity - ANS ✔✔Occurrence of two or more identified disorders in the same
psychologically disordered individual.
,comparison (control) group - ANS ✔✔Group of subjects who do not exhibit the disorder being
studied but who are comparable in all other respects to the criterion group.
Also, this group of subjects who do not receive a condition or treatment the effects of which are
being studied.
correlation - ANS ✔✔The tendency of two variables to change together.
correlation coefficient - ANS ✔✔A statistic that ranges from +1.0 to -1.0 and reflects the degree
of association between two variables.
correlational research - ANS ✔✔A research strategy that examines whether and how variables
go together (co-vary) without manipulating (changing) any variables.
criterion group - ANS ✔✔Group of subjects who exhibit the disorder under study.
dependent variable - ANS ✔✔In an experiment, the factor that is observed to change with
changes in the manipulated variables.
direct observation - ANS ✔✔Method of collecting research data the involves directly observing
behavior in a given situation.
double-blind study - ANS ✔✔Often used in studies examining drug treatment effects, a
condition where neither the subject not that experimenter has knowledge about what specific
experimental condition the subject is receiving.
effect size - ANS ✔✔A statistical term referring to the strength of the relationship between two
variables in a statistical population.
, epidemiology - ANS ✔✔Study of the distribution of diseases, disorders, or health-related
behaviors in a given population.
etiology - ANS ✔✔Factors that are related to the development (or cause) of a particular
disorder.
experimental research - ANS ✔✔Research that involves the manipulation of a given factor or
variable with everything else held constant.
external validity - ANS ✔✔The extent to which the findings from a single study are relevant to
other populations, contexts, or times.
family aggregation - ANS ✔✔The clustering of certain traits, behaviors, or disorders within a
given family.
This may arise because of genetic or environmental similarities.
generalizability - ANS ✔✔The extent to which the findings from a single study can be used to
draw conclusions about other samples.
hypothesis - ANS ✔✔Statement or proposition, usually based on observation, that is tested in
an experiment; may be refuted or supported by experimental results but can never be
conclusively proved.
incidence - ANS ✔✔Occurrence (onset) rate of a given disorder in a given population.
independent variable - ANS ✔✔Factor whose effects are being examined and which is
manipulated in some way, while other variables are held constant.
complete solutions already passed
ABAB design - ANS ✔✔An experimental design, often involving a single subject, wherein a
baseline period (A) is followed by a treatment (B). To confirm that the treatment resulted in a
change in behavior, the treatment is then withdrawn (A) and reinstated (B).
abnormal psychology - ANS ✔✔Field of psychology concerned with the study, assessment,
treatment, and prevention of abnormal behavior.
acute - ANS ✔✔Term used to describe a disorder of sudden onset, usually with intense
symptoms.
analogue studies - ANS ✔✔Studies in which a researcher attempts to emulate the conditions
hypothesized as leading to abnormality.
bias - ANS ✔✔This occurs when the research has preconceived ideas and expectations that
influence the observations he or she makes in the research study.
case study - ANS ✔✔An in-depth investigation of an individual or family that draws from a
number of data sources, including interviews and psychological testing.
chronic - ANS ✔✔Term used to describe a long-standing or frequently recurring disorder, often
with progressing seriousness.
comorbidity - ANS ✔✔Occurrence of two or more identified disorders in the same
psychologically disordered individual.
,comparison (control) group - ANS ✔✔Group of subjects who do not exhibit the disorder being
studied but who are comparable in all other respects to the criterion group.
Also, this group of subjects who do not receive a condition or treatment the effects of which are
being studied.
correlation - ANS ✔✔The tendency of two variables to change together.
correlation coefficient - ANS ✔✔A statistic that ranges from +1.0 to -1.0 and reflects the degree
of association between two variables.
correlational research - ANS ✔✔A research strategy that examines whether and how variables
go together (co-vary) without manipulating (changing) any variables.
criterion group - ANS ✔✔Group of subjects who exhibit the disorder under study.
dependent variable - ANS ✔✔In an experiment, the factor that is observed to change with
changes in the manipulated variables.
direct observation - ANS ✔✔Method of collecting research data the involves directly observing
behavior in a given situation.
double-blind study - ANS ✔✔Often used in studies examining drug treatment effects, a
condition where neither the subject not that experimenter has knowledge about what specific
experimental condition the subject is receiving.
effect size - ANS ✔✔A statistical term referring to the strength of the relationship between two
variables in a statistical population.
, epidemiology - ANS ✔✔Study of the distribution of diseases, disorders, or health-related
behaviors in a given population.
etiology - ANS ✔✔Factors that are related to the development (or cause) of a particular
disorder.
experimental research - ANS ✔✔Research that involves the manipulation of a given factor or
variable with everything else held constant.
external validity - ANS ✔✔The extent to which the findings from a single study are relevant to
other populations, contexts, or times.
family aggregation - ANS ✔✔The clustering of certain traits, behaviors, or disorders within a
given family.
This may arise because of genetic or environmental similarities.
generalizability - ANS ✔✔The extent to which the findings from a single study can be used to
draw conclusions about other samples.
hypothesis - ANS ✔✔Statement or proposition, usually based on observation, that is tested in
an experiment; may be refuted or supported by experimental results but can never be
conclusively proved.
incidence - ANS ✔✔Occurrence (onset) rate of a given disorder in a given population.
independent variable - ANS ✔✔Factor whose effects are being examined and which is
manipulated in some way, while other variables are held constant.
