Examtests with Research Methods in Psychology: Evaluating a World of Information by Morling - 4th edition

What is the psychological way of thinking? - ExamTests 1

Multiple Choice questions with chapter 1

MC question 1

Which of the options below describes the steps of the theory-data cycle in the correct order?

1. Theory - observation - prediction - testing - evaluation.
2. Prediction - testing - observation - evaluation - theory.
3. Observation - prediction - theory - evaluation - testing.
4. Observation - theory - prediction - testing - evaluation.

MC question 2

Which of the options below is an example of applied research?

1. A social psychologist interested in the components of self-image.
2. An educational psychologist seeking a way to increase math proficiency in eight-year-olds.
3. A personality psychologist who examines the differences between introverted and extroverted people.
4. A cognitive psychologist looking at the differences in problem-solving abilities between men and women.

MC question 3

Many conspiracy theories have in common that they deal with observations that go against the theory, by extending the theory in such a way that those observations also fall within it. For example, when people who believe the Earth is flat were confronted with photos of the (round) Earth taken from space, they quickly invented an extension to their theory that such space photos were manipulated by the government. Such extensions can continue to be added in order to incorporate observations that seem to go against the theory. What will these conspiracy theories become as explanations and information continue to be added?

1. Falsifiable and parsimonious.
2. Falsifiable and Unparsimonious.
3. Unfalsifiable and parsimonious.
4. Unfalsifiable and Unparsimonious.

MC question 4

In which case would a researcher be allowed to conclude that a theory has been proven?

1. When the hypothesis is completely in line with the theory.
2. If the data of the study are completely in line with the theory.
3. When multiple studies in different contexts are completely in line with the theory.
4. It is not possible to prove a theory.

MC question 5

What is the main reason why we find articles in a scientific journal a better source of information than articles in popular science journals?

1. Articles in popular science journals often describe studies that have not followed the empirical cycle.
2. Articles in popular science journals are often published because they are relevant to current social discussions and not necessarily for theory development.
3. Articles in scientific journals must first withstand criticism from colleagues in the field before they are published.
4. Articles in scientific journals are written by scientists rather than journalists.

MC question 6

Which of these jobs are more likely to require the skills of a research producer than a research consumer?

1. Police officer.
2. University professor.
3. Physicist.
4. Journalist.

MC question 7

A true empiricist...?

1. Bases conclusions on direct observations.
2. Strives to prove all theories through research.
3. Enables his or her research to be used in the real world.
4. Discusses his or her ideas publicly, such as on social media.

MC question 8

A statement or several statements that describe how variables are related to each other is also called a...?

1. Prediction.
2. Hypothesis.
3. Empirical observation.
4. Theory.

MC question 9

Why is publication an important part of doing research?

1. Because publication allows people to use the research in everyday life.
2. Because when a study is published, other scientists can verify or challenge it, so science corrects itself, as it were.
3. Because in this way journalists can make the knowledge known to a more general public.
4. Because publication is the first step in the theory-data cycle.

Answers Multiple Choice questions with chapter 1

MC question 1

D. Observation - theory - prediction - testing - evaluation.

MC question 2

B. An educational psychologist seeking a way to increase math proficiency in eight-year-olds.

MC question 3

D. Unfalsifiable and Unparsimonious.

MC question 4

D. It is not possible to prove a theory.

MC question 5

C. Articles in scientific journals must first withstand criticism from colleagues in the field before they are published.

MC question 6

C. Physicist.

MC question 7

A. Bases conclusions on direct observations.

MC question 8

D. Theory.

MC question 9

B. Because when a study is published, other scientists can verify or challenge it, so science corrects itself, as it were.

What different sources of information are there and why is scientific research the best source? - ExamTests 2

Multiple Choice questions with chapter 2

MC question 1

James is asked what the best way is to study for an exam. He replies that the best way to study is to make flash cards. He can still remember all the times he used flash cards and got a good exam grade. He forgets to take into account all the times that he did get a good exam grade, but did not use flash cards. And vice versa, the times he used the flash cards, but the exam didn't go well. What do we call this faulty reasoning?

1. Cherry picking evidence.
2. Availability heuristic.
3. Present/present bias.
4. Hindsight bias.

MC question 2

Angela reads a study in a scientific journal that finds a link between cell phone use and migraines. She doesn't think the study is valid because she uses her phone a lot and never suffers from migraines. What is Angela forgetting here?

1. Science is based on empiricism.
2. The study was likely replicated.
3. The study does not provide a clear definition of cell phone use.
4. Science is probabilistic.

MC question 3

If Ben is convinced that despite other people having fallacies in their thinking, he would never suffer from these, what do we call this?

1. Bias blind spot.
2. Confirmation bias.
3. Self-serving bias.
4. Motivated thinking.

MC question 4

Anna wants to summarize all available evidence on a particular topic. She searches for all relevant scientific publications, extracts the effect size from each article, and uses this to calculate the total effect. What is the correct term for Anna's study?

1. A meta-analysis.
2. A systematic review.
3. An edited chapter.
4. A conceptual summary.

MC question 5

Sara concludes that her 'white noise machine' has ensured that she has slept well. This conclusion is based on personal experience, which may have confounds. What does a confound mean in this context?

1. Another thing may have happened that caused Sara to fall asleep.
2. The experience has confused Sara.
3. Sara doesn't compare this night with the white noise machine with the nights she didn't use it.
4. Sara should not rely on the white noise machine.

MC question 6

What does it mean that research results are probabilistic?

1. That research results predict all possible outcomes.
2. That research results explain some of the possible cases but not all.
3. That research results must predict everything, or the theory is wrong.
4. That research results can be invaluable.

MC question 7

Mark is convinced that suicide is the most common cause of death among teenagers. This is because two people have recently died of suicide at his school. However, suicide is not the most common cause of death in teens. What happened here?

1. Mark has a bias blind spot.
2. Mark is influenced by the availability heuristic; he was influenced by the cases that came to his mind most easily.
3. Mark thought about too many other causes of teenage death.
4. Mark didn't include the confounds.

MC question 8

When should you base your conclusions on expert advice?

1. When an expert bases advice on research that systematically and objectively compares different conditions.
2. When an expert has a PhD.
3. When an expert has written a book or has a website on the subject.
4. When an expert says he has a lot of experience with the subject or field.

MC question 9

What is the most reliable source to read the details of a psychological examination?

1. Scientific journal.
2. A science page from a newspaper.
3. An edited book
4. A popular magazine.

MC question 10

What two questions do you ask yourself when reading scientific articles?

1. What is the argument? What is the evidence to support this argument?
2. Why was this research done? Are there any significant findings?
3. Is the writer in good standing? Has evidence been found to support the hypotheses?
4. How is this research related to other research? How can we research this topic in the future?

Answers Multiple Choice questions with chapter 2

MC question 1

C. Present/present bias.

MC question 2

D. Science is probabilistic.

MC question 3

A. Bias blind spot.

MC question 4

A. A meta-analysis.

MC question 5

A. Another thing may have happened that caused Sara to fall asleep.

MC question 6

B. That research results explain some of the possible cases but not all.

MC question 7

B. Mark is influenced by the availability heuristic; he was influenced by the cases that came to his mind most easily.

MC question 8

A. When an expert bases advice on research that systematically and objectively compares different conditions.

MC question 9

A. Scientific journal.

MC question 10

A. What is the argument? What is the evidence to support this argument?

Which types of claims and validity can consumers of research interrogate? - ExamTests 3

Multiple Choice questions with chapter 3

MC question 1

If a scatterplot shows a point cloud that runs from the bottom left to the top right, what do you call it?

1. A negative correlation.
2. A non-existent correlation.
3. A positive correlation.
4. A curvilinear relationship.

MC question 2

If researchers want to investigate a phenomenon that is happening around the world, why is it important to actually have people from all over the world in the sample for the study?

1. To increase external validity.
2. To increase ecological validity.
3. To increase internal validity.
4. To increase cultural validity.

MC question 3

Which of the variables below are manipulated rather than measured? (More than one correct answer is possible).

1. How many shoes a person has, in pairs.
2. How tall someone is, in centimeters.
3. How much paracetamol a researcher gives a person, in 325 or 500 mg.
4. How happy someone is, rated on a scale of 1 to 10. E. What reward a researcher uses on dogs, verbal or feeding.

MC question 4

Which of the following claims is an association claim?

1. Chewing gum can improve your mood and focus.
2. Having money makes children less helpful.
3. Workaholism is linked to psychiatric disorders.
4. Eating kiwi helps with sleep.

MC question 5

Which of the following claims is a frequency claim?

1. Overweight children are less sensitive to tastes.
2. Eighty percent of women are dissatisfied with their bodies.
3. You may feel fat because of Facebook.
4. Going to daycare and behavior problems do not seem to be linked.

MC question 6

Which of the following claism is a causal claim?

1. Deep breathing helps to lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety and depression.
2. Young people do not understand emotions well.
3. Children born in the fall are more likely to live longer.
4. Many mothers display features of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

MC question 7

If you're wondering how well a researcher measured 'sensitivity to tastes', what validity are you asking a question about?

1. Construct validity.
2. Statistical Validity.
3. External validity.
4. Internal validity.

MC question 8

What validity do you question when you look at how researchers obtained their sample for a study?

1. Construct validity.
2. Statistical Validity.
3. External validity.
4. Internal validity.

MC question 9

We usually weigh interests when looking at which validity we consider important for a study and we cannot guarantee all four. Which trade-off is most often made, the one between...?

1. Internal and external validity.
2. Construct and Statistical Validity.
3. Statistical and internal validity.
4. External and statistical validity.

Answers Multiple Choice questions with chapter 3

MC question 1

C. A positive correlation.

MC question 2

A. To increase external validity.

MC question 3

C. How much paracetamol a researcher gives a person, in 325 or 500 mg. E. What reward a researcher uses on dogs, verbal or feeding.

MC question 4

C. Workaholism is linked to psychiatric disorders.

MC question 5

B. Eighty percent of women are dissatisfied with their bodies.

MC question 6

A. Deep breathing helps to lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety and depression.

MC question 7

A. Construct validity.

MC question 8

C. External validity.

MC question 9

A. Internal and external validity.

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