Research Methods in Psychology Evaluating a World of Information 3rd Edition by Beth Morling

Research Methods in Psychology Evaluating a World of Information 3rd Edition by Beth Morling CHAPTER 1: Psychology Is a Way of Thinking LEARNING OBJECTIVES Learning Objective 1.1: Articulate how the roles of consumers and producers of psychological research are similar and how they differ. Learning Objective 1.2: Explain how theories and data interact to form empirical inquiry. Learning Objective 1.3: Identify examples of basic and applied research and describe the interactions between the two kinds of research. Learning Objective 1.4: Describe the role of the peer-review process in science. Learning Objective 1.5: Give examples of ways that researchers dig deeper by doing more than just one study on a research question. Learning Objective 1.6: Describe the differences between empirical journals and popular journalism; describe the goals of each format and give examples of ways that journalists can write better stories about scientific news. MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Which of the following is an example of being a producer of research? a. Administering an anxiety questionnaire b. Applying a new therapy technique c. Writing an opinion article about a psychological study d. Undergoing a brain scan ANS: A DIF: Medium REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers: Why the Producer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Understanding 2. Which of the following is an example of being a consumer of research? a. Administering a questionnaire of PTSD symptoms b. Consenting to participate in a research study c. Attending a psychological conference d. Measuring dopamine levels in patients with schizophrenia ANS: C DIF: Medium REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers: Why the Consumer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Applying 3. Students who are interested in being consumers of, but not producers of, research might choose which of the following professions? a. A clinical psychologist b. An intervention program evaluator c. A political pollster d. An advertising executive ANS: D DIF: Medium REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers: Why the Consumer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Analyzing 4. Dr. Smitherman insists that all his research assistants know how to be producers of research. All of the following relate to this requirement EXCEPT: a. He wants to make sure they understand how to write in APA style. b. He wants to make sure they understand why anonymity is important. c. He wants to make sure they understand how to interpret study results and graphs. d. He wants to make sure they have previously been participants in research studies. ANS: D DIF: Medium REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers: Why the Consumer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Understanding 5. Elliott is double majoring in English and psychology. He plans on being a high school English teacher and is only majoring in psychology because he finds the classes interesting. Which of the following is an important reason for him to be a good consumer of research? a. His psychology advisor may ask for his help in copy-editing a research article. b. He will likely need to be a participant in research studies as part of his psychology major. c. He will probably want to read research related to enhancing his teaching. d. He will have to produce research before he can consume it. ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers: Why the Consumer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Applying 6. In the theory-data cycle, theories first lead to . a. questions b. answers c. data d. research ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Understanding 7. Another word for hypothesis is a(n) . a. theory b. observation c. prediction d. outcome ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Remembering 8. Another word for data is a(n) . a. theory b. observation c. prediction d. outcome ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Remembering 9. RESEARCH STUDY 1.1: Deci and Ryan (1985, 2001) have proposed that there are three fundamental needs that are required for human growth and fulfillment: relatedness, autonomy, and competence. Susan predicts that students who have these needs met in their psychology class feel happier and more satisfied with the class. She collects data and finds that students who feel more related and competent do feel happier but that feeling more autonomous does not seem to matter. Susan thinks that maybe autonomy is only necessary when people are in situations in which they are not being evaluated. Deci and Ryan’s general statement of how the three needs are related to growth and fulfillment is an example of which of the following? a. A theory b. A hypothesis c. Data d. Research ANS: A DIF: Difficult REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Applying 10. RESEARCH STUDY 1.1: Deci and Ryan (1985, 2001) have proposed that there are three fundamental needs that are required for human growth and fulfillment: relatedness, autonomy, and competence. Susan predicts that students who have these needs met in their psychology class feel happier and more satisfied with the class. She collects data and finds that students who feel more related and competent do feel happier but that feeling more autonomous does not seem to matter. Susan thinks that maybe autonomy is only necessary when people are in situations in which they are not being evaluated. Susan’s prediction that students who have all three needs met will experience greater satisfaction with their psychology class is an example of which of the following? a. A theory b. A hypothesis c. Data d. Research ANS: B DIF: Difficult REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Applying 11. RESEARCH STUDY 1.1: Deci and Ryan (1985, 2001) have proposed that there are three fundamental needs that are required for human growth and fulfillment: relatedness, autonomy, and competence. Susan predicts that students who have these needs met in their psychology class feel happier and more satisfied with the class. She collects data and finds that students who feel more related and competent do feel happier but that feeling more autonomous does not seem to matter. Susan thinks that maybe autonomy is only necessary when people are in situations in which they are not being evaluated. After Susan collects and analyzes her data, which of the following is the next logical step? a. Susan writes a paper challenging Self-Determination Theory because only some of her data supported it. b. Susan ignores the data that did not fit the theory. c. Susan recalculates her data to fit the theory. d. Susan alters or amends the theory to fit her data. ANS: D DIF: Difficult REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Applying 12. RESEARCH STUDY 1.1: Deci and Ryan (1985, 2001) have proposed that there are three fundamental needs that are required for human growth and fulfillment: relatedness, autonomy, and competence. Susan predicts that students who have these needs met in their psychology class feel happier and more satisfied with the class. She collects data and finds that students who feel more related and competent do feel happier but that feeling more autonomous does not seem to matter. Susan thinks that maybe autonomy is only necessary when people are in situations in which they are not being evaluated. Susan’s hypothesis was not completely supported by her data. What does this mean? a. Susan must have collected the data incorrectly. b. Susan must have analyzed the data incorrectly. c. The theory may need to be amended. d. The theory is completely wrong. ANS: C DIF: Difficult REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Applying 13. is the approach of collecting data and using it to develop, support, and/or challenge a theory. a. Falsifiability b. Theorizing c. Empiricism d. Application ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Remembering 14. Occam’s razor states that the simplest solution is the best, all things being equal. This speaks to a theory’s: a. parsimony. b. falsifiability. c. theorizing. d. empiricism. ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Analyzing 15. Benjamin is a social psychologist who studies marriage. He believes that marital satisfaction has two components: the ability to trust one’s partner and a belief that one can be a good spouse. This is known as: a. a theory. b. a hypothesis. c. data. d. research. ANS: A DIF: Medium REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Applying 16. Benjamin is a social psychologist who studies marriage. He believes that marital satisfaction has two components: the ability to trust one’s partner and a belief that one can be a good spouse. He conducts a study to test his ideas. Assuming that his data match his theory, which of the following statements should he make? a. “The data prove my theory.” b. “My theory is generalizable.” c. “The data provide support for my theory.” d. “The data complicate my theory.” ANS: C DIF: Medium REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Applying 17. Which of the following is true of the relationship between hypotheses and theories? a. Hypotheses are used to determine if a theory is accurate. b. Theories are used to determine if a hypothesis is accurate. c. Multiple theories are needed to test whether a hypothesis is accurate. d. Hypotheses and theories are synonymous terms. ANS: A DIF: Difficult REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Analyzing 18. Both James and Thomas have theories that explain why listening to classical music while reading is associated with increased recall of the material. James’ theory is much simpler than Thomas’. Thomas created his theory a few months before James did. Which of the following is true? a. James’ theory would be considered better because it is more parsimonious. b. James’ theory would be considered better because it was thought of more recently. c. Thomas’ theory would be considered better because he thought of it first. d. Thomas’ theory would be considered better because it is more complex. ANS: A DIF: Medium REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Applying 19. Which of the following is an example of applied research? a. A social psychologist who is interested in the components of self-concept b. An educational psychologist who looks for a way to increase math skills in 8-year-olds c. A personality psychologist who studies the difference between introverts and extroverts d. A cognitive psychologist who looks at the difference in problem-solving abilities of men and women ANS: B DIF: Medium REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Tackle Applied and Basic Problems OBJ: Learning Objective 1.3 MSC: Applying 20. Which of the following is an example of translational research? a. An industrial-organizational psychologist who is interested in the components of job satisfaction b. A clinical psychologist who examines the effectiveness of art therapy in decreasing symptoms of ADHD c. A sports psychologist who uses information on how we emotionally process victory to design an intervention for improving mental stamina during athletic performance d. A cognitive psychologist who examines people’s ability to distinguish between colors based on light exposure ANS: C DIF: Medium REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Tackle Applied and Basic Problems OBJ: Learning Objective 1.3 MSC: Applying 21. Which of the following is an example of basic research? a. An industrial-organizational psychologist who is interested in the components of job commitment b. A clinical psychologist who examines the effectiveness of drama therapy in helping children who have been abused