Research Methods in Psychology Exam Practice Tests
Course Introduction
This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental principles and techniques of psychological research. Students will explore various research designs, including experimental, correlational, and observational methods, while gaining hands-on experience with data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Topics include formulating research questions, ethical considerations, sampling strategies, measurement reliability and validity, and the use of statistical tools for hypothesis testing. By critically examining published research and conducting their own projects, students will develop the skills necessary to evaluate scientific findings and contribute to the field of psychology with rigor and integrity.
Recommended Textbook
Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences 2nd Edition by Gregory J. Privitera
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18 Chapters
1399 Verified Questions
1399 Flashcards
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Statistics
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80 Verified Questions
80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Continuous data are strictly distributed in discrete units.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q2) Which of the following describes a descriptive statistic?
A)summarize
B)infer
C)generalize
D)predict
Answer: A
Q3) Each of the following is an example of quantitative data,except A)weight in ounces
B)income in dollars
C)political affiliation
D)age in years
Answer: C
Q4) The number of students in a class is an example of discrete,quantitative data.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Page 3
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Chapter 2: Summarizing Data: Frequency Distributions in
Tables and Graphs
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80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) As a general rule,a simple frequency distribution should have between
A)3 and 6 intervals
B)5 and 10 intervals
C)8 and 12 intervals
D)5 and 20 intervals
Answer: D
Q2) A relative frequency is typically used with smaller,but not larger,data sets.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q3) The corresponding percentile of a given percentile point is the percentile rank of that score.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q4) A circular graph that displays the relative percentage of a frequency distribution into sectors is called a scatter gram.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
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Chapter 3: Summarizing Data: Central Tendency
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80 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The sample mean is symbolized as M;the population mean is symbolized as \(\mu\).
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) Given the same set of data for a population and sample,would the mean for both data sets be equal?
A)no,the population mean would be larger
B)no,the sample mean would be larger
C)yes,but only if the sample size equaled the population size
D)yes,this would be true anytime both data sets are the same
Answer: D
Q3) The size of a population is symbolized as ________,whereas the size of a sample is symbolized as ________.
A)\(\mu\);M
B)M;\(\mu\)
C)n;N
D)N;n
Answer: D
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Chapter 4: Summarizing Data: Variability
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Sample Questions
Q1) The computational formula for the variance requires that you know the value of the mean.
A)True
B)False
Q2) A researcher computes the following scores: 12,8,14,12,and 10.If these scores were substituted into each formula,the sample variance would be smaller than the population variance.
A)True
B)False
Q3) A reason for squaring deviations to compute SS in the numerator includes which of the following?
A)The sum of the differences of scores from their mean is zero.
B)The sum of the squared differences of scores from their mean is minimal.
C)Squaring scores can be corrected easily by square rooting.
D)all of the above
Q4) The definitional formula ______ the computational formula for SS.
A)estimates
B)explains
C)diminishes
D)equals
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Chapter 5: Probability
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Sample Questions
Q1) The mean of a probability distribution is called the A)expected value of the mean
B)mathematical expectation
C)both A and B
D)none of the above
Q2) The expected value of a random variable can be thought of as a "long-term" mean.
A)True
B)False
Q3) In a game,the probability of winning money is p = .16,the probability of losing money is p = .54,and the probability of breaking even is p = .30.What is the probability of winning or losing money in this game?
A).16
B).54
C).70
D)1.00
Q4) Bayes' theorem is a conditional probability formula.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 6: Probability, Normal Distributions, and Z Scores
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Sample Questions
Q1) Most behavioral phenomena are believed to approximate the normal distribution.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The unit of measurement distributed along the x-axis of a standard normal distribution is referred to as a
A)standardized score
B)x-score
C)normalized deviation
D)z score
Q3) For a set of data with 25±2.5,at least 95% of scores fall between 20 and 30.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Two normal distributions are observed.The first distribution has a mean of 12 and a standard deviation of 2.The second distribution has a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 2.For which distribution will the z score for the mean be larger?
A)The first z distribution.
B)The second distribution.
C)None,the z score will be the same.
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8
Chapter 7: Probability and Sampling Distributions
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is the central limit theorem?
A)It explains that sample means will vary minimally from the population mean.
B)It explains that a sampling distribution of possible sample means is approximately normally distributed,regardless of the shape of the distribution in the population.
C)It explains that if we select a sample at random,then on average we can expect the sample mean to equal the population mean.
D)all of the above
Q2) Experimental research is typically conducted using a sampling strategy in which A)the order of selecting participants matters
B)the same participant can never be selected twice in the same sample
C)participants are replaced after being sampled
D)all of the above
Q3) The average sample variance equals the population variance when dividing SS by df.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The sample mean is an unbiased estimator of the population mean.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 8: Hypothesis Testing: Significance, Effect Size, and
Power
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Sample Questions
Q1) Hypothesis testing is also called
A)Type III error
B)random testing
C)effect size
D)significance testing
Q2) The greater the power,the less likely we are to correctly reject the null hypothesis,if it is incorrect.
A)True
B)False
Q3) A researcher selects a sample of 36 students from a school population with a mean IQ of 100 and standard deviation of 12.She determines that the mean IQ in this sample is 104.Assuming she computes a one-sample z test at a .05 level of significance,what is the decision for a two-tailed test?
A)Retain the null hypothesis;IQ scores in this sample are the same as those in the population.
B)Reject the null hypothesis;IQ scores in this sample are significantly higher than those in the population.
C)There is not enough information to make a decision.
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Chapter 9: Testing Means: One-Sample and
Two-Independent Sample T Tests
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following summarizes a t test that was significant and associated with a large effect size?
A)t(22)= 3.02,p < .05,d = .36
B)t(30)= 1.03,p > .05,d = .20
C)t(60)= 1.76,p > .05,d = .45
D)t(12)= 2.95,p < .05,d = .82
Q2) A researcher conducts a study and concludes that a new behavioral health treatment program significantly reduces one's risk for disease compared with risk levels in the general population (d = -0.64).Interpret the size of this effect.
A)64% of the variability in risk level can be accounted for by the new treatment.
B)64% of the new treatment can be accounted for by the risk levels.
C)Risk levels in the population shifted 0.64 standard deviations below the mean.
D)Risk levels in the population shifted 0.64 standard deviations above the mean.
Q3) Computing a two-independent sample t test is appropriate when
A)different participants are assigned to each group
B)the population variance is unknown
C)participants are observed one time
D)all of the above
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Chapter 10: Testing Means: Related Samples T Test
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Sample Questions
Q1) A researcher compares the difference in the amount of texting by students in class during the first week and last week of classes.The type of design described here is called a
A)repeated measures design
B)matched samples design
C)both A and B
Q2) The estimated standard error for difference scores is the denominator of the test statistic for a related samples t test.
A)True
B)False
Q3) A researcher records the time it takes (in seconds)for participants to respond (by pressing a key)to a familiar versus an unfamiliar word flashed onto a computer screen.In this study,the difference in response time for each participant is compared.The type of design described here is called a
A)repeated measures design
B)matched samples design
C)both A and B
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Chapter 11: Estimation and Confidence Intervals
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Sample Questions
Q1) The estimated standard error is used in the formula to estimate the population mean for the one-sample z.
A)True
B)False
Q2) For the same data,increasing the certainty of an estimate will result in a less precise estimate.
A)True
B)False
Q3) A matched-pairs design is one example of a situation in which it is appropriate to use the estimation formula for the related samples t.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Which of the following is a characteristic of confidence intervals?
A)The less certain an estimate,the more precise the estimate.
B)The more certain an estimate,the less precise the estimate.
C)both A and B
Q5) The smaller the level of confidence,the more precise the estimate.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 12: Analysis of Variance: One-Way
Between-Subjects Design
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Sample Questions
Q1) A researcher conducts a study in which k = 6 and n = 6 per group.What are the critical values for the one-way between-subjects ANOVA at a .05 level of significance?
A)3.70
B)3.47
C)2.53 D)2.42
Q2) A researcher measures mating displays among 12 birds randomly assigned to be in the presence of no cue,an auditory cue,or a visual cue.The degrees of freedom for this one-way between-subjects ANOVA is 2 and 9 degrees of freedom.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Unlike omega-squared,the formula for eta-squared corrects for the number of groups and the size of error in its estimate of effect size.
A)True
B)False
Q4) A "one-way" ANOVA is associated with one degree of freedom.
A)True
B)False
Page 14
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Chapter 13: Analysis of Variance: One-Way Within-Subjects
Repeated Measures Design
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Sample Questions
Q1) The between-persons variation is measured in the one-way within-subjects ANOVA.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The test statistic for a one-way within-subjects ANOVA is mean square between groups divided by mean square error.
A)True
B)False
Q3) A researcher measures the time it takes eight participants to complete three successive tasks.What are the degrees of freedom between-persons for a one-way within-subjects ANOVA?
A)2
B)7
C)14
D)There is not enough information to answer this question.
Q4) If participant responding is consistent between groups,then the one-way within-subjects ANOVA will have higher power to detect an effect compared with the one-way between-subjects ANOVA.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 14: Analysis of Variance: Two-Way
Between-Subjects Factorial Design
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Sample Questions
Q1) If both main effects and the interaction are not significant using the two-way between-subjects ANOVA then post hoc tests and simple main effect tests are unnecessary.
A)True
B)False
Q2) A researcher assigns participants to one of three groups (Group A,B,or C)and then observes each group for two days (Days 1 and 2).What type of factorial design is most appropriate for this study?
A)a 1-between,1-within factorial design
B)a between-subjects factorial design
C)a within-subjects factorial design
D)None;this is not a factorial design.
Q3) If each main effect is significant,then the interaction must also be significant for a two-way between-subjects ANOVA.
A)True
B)False
Q4) There are two factors and four cells in a 2 \(\times\) 2 between-subjects ANOVA.
A)True
B)False
Page 16
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Chapter 15: Correlation
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Sample Questions
Q1) Outliers can change the _____ of a correlation.
A)direction
B)strength
C)sign (+,-)
D)all of the above
Q2) Three assumptions for a correlation are homoscedasticity,linearity,and normality.
A)True
B)False
Q3) When we compute many correlations in a single study,we report each correlation coefficient in a table called a correlation matrix.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Select the description below that identifies the following correlation: r = .28,p < .01.
A)the correlation is positive
B)the correlation is statistically significant
C)the coefficient of determination is .08
D)all of the above
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Chapter 16: Linear Regression and Multiple Regression
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Sample Questions
Q1) A researcher measures the extent to which the speed at which people eat (in minutes)predicts calorie intake (in kilocalories).Which factor is the predictor variable in this example?
A)the speed at which people eat
B)calorie intake
C)minutes and kilocalories
D)all of the above
Q2) The more that the variability in ____ is associated with regression variation,the more likely it is that X predicts Y.
A)XY
B)X
C)Y
D)all of the above
Q3) The larger the standard error of estimate,the more accurately known values of X will predict values of Y.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 17: Nonparametric Tests: Chi-Square Tests
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Sample Questions
Q1) To interpret a chi-square goodness-of-fit test,we compare observed and expected frequencies at each level of the categorical variable,and not across the levels of the categorical variable.
A)True
B)False
Q2) A researcher computes a 3 \(\times\) 5 chi-square test for independence.What are the degrees of freedom for this test?
A)3
B)5
C)8
D)15
Q3) A chi-square goodness-of-fit test with 3 levels of a categorical variable will have 3 degrees of freedom.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The formula for the chi-square test measures the size of the discrepancy between observed and expected frequencies.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 18: Nonparametric Tests: Tests for Ordinal Data
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Sample Questions
Q1) For a Mann-Whitney U test,the more lopsided the dispersion of scores between groups,the more likely we are to reject the null hypothesis.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which of the following dispersions of scores for two groups,A and B,best illustrates the null hypothesis for a Mann-Whitney U test?
A)A,B,A,B,A,B,A,B
B)A,A,B,B,A,B,B,A
C)B,A,B,A,A,B,A,B
D)A,A,A,A,B,B,B,B
Q3) Ordinal data indicate that one score is larger or smaller than another.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Which of the following is not a step to average tied ranks?
A)Compute the mean of the tied ranks.
B)Assume the ranks are in order.
C)Rank each score by its effect size.
D)Shift the remaining ranks accordingly.
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