UKY FAM 357 EXAM 1 PRACTICE QUESTIONS COMPLETE
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
1. What percentage of scores fall below the mean in a normal distribution?
A) 25%
B) 75%
C) 50%
D) 100%
Correct Answer: C) 50%
Explanation: In a normal distribution, the mean divides the distribution exactly in
half. Therefore, 50% of scores fall below the mean and 50% fall above the mean.
This is a fundamental property of symmetrical distributions.
2. Which research design collects data from the same group of participants at
two or more points in time?
A) Cross-sectional study design
B) Longitudinal study design
C) Experimental design
D) Case study design
Correct Answer: B) Longitudinal study design
Explanation: A longitudinal study design involves collecting data from the same
participants multiple times over a period of time. This allows researchers to track
changes and development within individuals. In contrast, a cross-sectional design
collects data from different groups at one point in time.
,3. Dr. Martinez is studying how adolescent depression changes over time. She
collects data from the same group of 200 teenagers at ages 13, 15, and 17. What
type of research design is she using?
A) Cross-sectional study design
B) Longitudinal study design
C) Experimental design
D) Correlational design
Correct Answer: B) Longitudinal study design
Explanation: Dr. Martinez is collecting data from the same participants at multiple
time points (ages 13, 15, and 17), which is the defining characteristic of a
longitudinal study design. This allows her to observe developmental changes in
depression within individuals over time.
4. What does the term "maturation" refer to in human development?
A) Learning from environmental experiences
B) The biological unfolding of genetic plans contained in DNA
C) Social influences on behavior
D) Educational achievement
Correct Answer: B) The biological unfolding of genetic plans contained in DNA
Explanation: Maturation refers to the biological unfolding of the plan contained in
an individual's DNA, including physical and emotional changes. It is the hereditary
material passed from parents to children at conception. For example, individuals
cannot drive a car before age 14-16 because a certain level of maturation must
occur before learning can take place.
5. According to Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model, which of the following is a
characteristic of the model?
,A) It focuses only on genetic influences
B) It examines multiple environmental systems that influence development
C) It only considers school influences
D) It ignores family influences
Correct Answer: B) It examines multiple environmental systems that influence
development
Explanation: Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model of Human Development describes
how individuals develop within interconnected environmental systems, including
the microsystem (immediate environment), mesosystem (connections between
microsystems), exosystem (indirect influences), macrosystem (cultural values), and
chronosystem (changes over time).
6. Which type of statistics describes the distribution of scores in a class, such as
calculating the mean?
A) Inferential statistics
B) Descriptive statistics
C) Correlational statistics
D) Regression statistics
Correct Answer: B) Descriptive statistics
Explanation: Descriptive statistics are used to describe and summarize the basic
features of data in a study. They include measures such as frequency, mean,
median, and standard deviation. They simply describe the distribution of scores
without making predictions or inferences about larger populations.
7. A researcher finds that as ice cream sales increase, drowning incidents also
increase. This represents what type of correlation?
A) Positive correlation
B) Negative correlation
, C) No correlation
D) Zero correlation
Correct Answer: A) Positive correlation
Explanation: A positive correlation means that as one variable increases, the other
variable also increases. In this example, ice cream sales and drowning incidents
move in the same direction. However, this does not mean ice cream causes
drowning - both may be influenced by a third variable like hot weather.
8. What range of values can a correlation coefficient (r) take?
A) 0 to 100
B) -1 to 0
C) -1 to 1
D) 0 to 1
Correct Answer: C) -1 to 1
Explanation: The correlation coefficient (r) ranges from -1.0 to +1.0. A value of -1
indicates a perfect negative correlation, 0 indicates no correlation, and +1
indicates a perfect positive correlation. Values between these extremes indicate
varying degrees of correlation strength.
9. What are the rules that govern how researchers conduct studies to protect
human rights called?
A) Legal statutes
B) Ethics
C) Protocols
D) Regulations
Correct Answer: B) Ethics
Explanation: Ethics in research refers to the rules and principles that guide
researchers in conducting studies to protect the rights, dignity, and welfare of
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
1. What percentage of scores fall below the mean in a normal distribution?
A) 25%
B) 75%
C) 50%
D) 100%
Correct Answer: C) 50%
Explanation: In a normal distribution, the mean divides the distribution exactly in
half. Therefore, 50% of scores fall below the mean and 50% fall above the mean.
This is a fundamental property of symmetrical distributions.
2. Which research design collects data from the same group of participants at
two or more points in time?
A) Cross-sectional study design
B) Longitudinal study design
C) Experimental design
D) Case study design
Correct Answer: B) Longitudinal study design
Explanation: A longitudinal study design involves collecting data from the same
participants multiple times over a period of time. This allows researchers to track
changes and development within individuals. In contrast, a cross-sectional design
collects data from different groups at one point in time.
,3. Dr. Martinez is studying how adolescent depression changes over time. She
collects data from the same group of 200 teenagers at ages 13, 15, and 17. What
type of research design is she using?
A) Cross-sectional study design
B) Longitudinal study design
C) Experimental design
D) Correlational design
Correct Answer: B) Longitudinal study design
Explanation: Dr. Martinez is collecting data from the same participants at multiple
time points (ages 13, 15, and 17), which is the defining characteristic of a
longitudinal study design. This allows her to observe developmental changes in
depression within individuals over time.
4. What does the term "maturation" refer to in human development?
A) Learning from environmental experiences
B) The biological unfolding of genetic plans contained in DNA
C) Social influences on behavior
D) Educational achievement
Correct Answer: B) The biological unfolding of genetic plans contained in DNA
Explanation: Maturation refers to the biological unfolding of the plan contained in
an individual's DNA, including physical and emotional changes. It is the hereditary
material passed from parents to children at conception. For example, individuals
cannot drive a car before age 14-16 because a certain level of maturation must
occur before learning can take place.
5. According to Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model, which of the following is a
characteristic of the model?
,A) It focuses only on genetic influences
B) It examines multiple environmental systems that influence development
C) It only considers school influences
D) It ignores family influences
Correct Answer: B) It examines multiple environmental systems that influence
development
Explanation: Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model of Human Development describes
how individuals develop within interconnected environmental systems, including
the microsystem (immediate environment), mesosystem (connections between
microsystems), exosystem (indirect influences), macrosystem (cultural values), and
chronosystem (changes over time).
6. Which type of statistics describes the distribution of scores in a class, such as
calculating the mean?
A) Inferential statistics
B) Descriptive statistics
C) Correlational statistics
D) Regression statistics
Correct Answer: B) Descriptive statistics
Explanation: Descriptive statistics are used to describe and summarize the basic
features of data in a study. They include measures such as frequency, mean,
median, and standard deviation. They simply describe the distribution of scores
without making predictions or inferences about larger populations.
7. A researcher finds that as ice cream sales increase, drowning incidents also
increase. This represents what type of correlation?
A) Positive correlation
B) Negative correlation
, C) No correlation
D) Zero correlation
Correct Answer: A) Positive correlation
Explanation: A positive correlation means that as one variable increases, the other
variable also increases. In this example, ice cream sales and drowning incidents
move in the same direction. However, this does not mean ice cream causes
drowning - both may be influenced by a third variable like hot weather.
8. What range of values can a correlation coefficient (r) take?
A) 0 to 100
B) -1 to 0
C) -1 to 1
D) 0 to 1
Correct Answer: C) -1 to 1
Explanation: The correlation coefficient (r) ranges from -1.0 to +1.0. A value of -1
indicates a perfect negative correlation, 0 indicates no correlation, and +1
indicates a perfect positive correlation. Values between these extremes indicate
varying degrees of correlation strength.
9. What are the rules that govern how researchers conduct studies to protect
human rights called?
A) Legal statutes
B) Ethics
C) Protocols
D) Regulations
Correct Answer: B) Ethics
Explanation: Ethics in research refers to the rules and principles that guide
researchers in conducting studies to protect the rights, dignity, and welfare of
