This document contains 40 multiple choice questions about research methods and design. The questions cover topics such as low-constraint vs high-constraint research, experimental and correlational research, threats to validity, sampling methods, and ethical issues. Response options with letters A-D are provided for each question.

1. Question 1 of 40
2.5 Points
In low-constraint studies:
[removed]
A. analysis is only possible if we use complex statistical
software.
[removed]
B. coding of data is generally necessary before analysis.
[removed]
C. direct analysis can always be undertaken.
[removed]
D. there is often no data to analyze.
Question 2 of 40
2.5 Points
A survey is most useful in gathering data on the:
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A. knowledge base of participants.
[removed]
B. attitudes of participants.
[removed]
C. causes of participants' behavior.
[removed]
D. Both A and B

2. Question 3 of 40
2.5 Points
If an obtained correlation was 0.50, the coefficient of
determination would be:
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A. 0.50.
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B. 0.25.
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C. -0.50.
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D. 0.00.
Question 4 of 40
2.5 Points
A strong relationship between two variables:
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A. can imply causality in differential research.
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B. cannot imply causality in differential research.
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C. can imply causality in differential research but not in
correlational research.
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D. is entirely meaningless.

3. Question 5 of 40
2.5 Points
Carrying out a survey by interviewing the first 100 people
coming out of a movie theater would be an example of:
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A. a status survey.
[removed]
B. nonprobability sampling.
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C. probability sampling.
[removed]
D. simple random sampling.
Question 6 of 40
2.5 Points
Milfont (2009) found that desirable responding did not impact
the self-reporting of environmental attitudes and behavior. What
methodological issues might decrease the credibility of this
claim?
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A. Ecological behavior was self-reported instead of measuring
actual behavior.
[removed]
B. The sample used was made up only self-reported
environmentalists.
[removed]
C. Environmental attitudes were not related to environmental

4. behavior in this study.
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D. None of the above was true of the study.
Question 7 of 40
2.5 Points
A researcher wants to study bonding behavior in chimpanzees.
Unfortunately, the researcher has no real knowledge about
chimpanzees, and there is no information on bonding in the
literature. Which of the following would be the most
appropriate way to begin to study the topic?
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A. Archival research
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B. Ex post facto methodology
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C. Experimental research
[removed]
D. Naturalistic observation
Question 8 of 40
2.5 Points
What is the reason for this statement: "In differential research,
we are actually studying relationships between variables"?
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A. Correlation coefficients are calculated.
[removed]

5. B. The strength of the relationship between dependent variables
is measured.
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C. Differential research involves only measuring variables and
not manipulating them.
[removed]
D. Contingent relationships are carefully measured.
Question 9 of 40
2.5 Points
The problem of participants' contrived consistency on self-
report measures can be reduced by:
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A. including fewer items.
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B. using appropriate statistical controls.
[removed]
C. making the participant aware of what the researcher is
interested in.
[removed]
D. adding filler items.
Question 10 of 40
2.5 Points
What is the primary ethical concern in low-constraint research?
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A. Confidentiality

6. [removed]
B. Researcher's access to sensitive information
[removed]
C. Informed consent
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D. All of the above
Question 11 of 40
2.5 Points
Archival research is an example of:
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A. single-subject designs.
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B. an ANOVA.
[removed]
C. low-constraint field research.
[removed]
D. high-constraint laboratory research.
Question 12 of 40
2.5 Points
Rosenhan investigated the experiences of psychiatric patients in

7. mental hospitals by:
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A. asking patients to describe their experiences.
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B. unobtrusively observing the behavior of patients on
psychiatric hospital wards.
[removed]
C. asking normal people to admit themselves to mental hospitals
by feigning symptoms.
[removed]
D. asking psychiatrists to describe the environment of a typical
mental hospital.
Question 13 of 40
2.5 Points
A probability statement such as "given that event X occurred,
then the probability of event Y occurring is high" is referred to
as a(n):
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A. event notation.
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B. corollary.
[removed]
C. certainty statement.

8. [removed]
D. contingency.
Question 14 of 40
2.5 Points
One of the most important uses of a correlation is its potential
use in:
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A. causal inferences.
[removed]
B. determining differences between groups.
[removed]
C. enhancing internal validity.
[removed]
D. the prediction of future events.
Question 15 of 40
2.5 Points
Low-constraint research enables us to obtain useful information
about:
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A. techniques for manipulating variables.
[removed]
B. causality.
[removed]
C. relationships among variables.

9. [removed]
D. making and testing predictions.
Question 16 of 40
2.5 Points
An area of concern that is more problematic in laboratory
research than in low-constraint field work in psychology is:
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A. scientific validity.
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B. generalizability of findings.
[removed]
C. that lab experiments are unethical.
[removed]
D. that most human behavior can only be evaluated in
naturalistic environments.
Question 17 of 40
2.5 Points
Without experimentation:
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A. no conclusions can be drawn.
[removed]
B. strong causal conclusions can still be drawn.

10. [removed]
C. drawing strong conclusions is difficult.
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D. drawing strong conclusions is easy.
Question 18 of 40
2.5 Points
Asking participants in a survey a question such as, "What is
your opinion of the way the economy is being handled by the
president?" is an example of a(n) __________ question.
[removed]
A. open-ended
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B. multiple-choice
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C. Likert scale
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D. None of the above
Question 19 of 40
2.5 Points
In analyzing data in differential research, if we have score data
and more than two groups, we would typically use a(n):
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A. Mann-Whitney U-Test.
[removed]

11. B. analysis of variance (ANOVA).
[removed]
C. chi-square test.
[removed]
D. correlated t-test.
Question 20 of 40
2.5 Points
A researcher wants to study the effects of attention on ability to
perform a task. The participant's attention is recorded by a
research assistant that the participant knows is watching. A
problem with this design is:
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A. measurement reactivity.
[removed]
B. participant observer bias.
[removed]
C. unobtrusive measurement.
[removed]
D. obtrusive participant measurement.
Question 21 of 40
2.5 Points
Testing effects are most pronounced in:
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A. measures of skill.

12. [removed]
B. elderly participants.
[removed]
C. young participants.
[removed]
D. nonverbal tests.
Question 22 of 40
2.5 Points
Which of the following characterizes experimental research?
[removed]
A. Seeking the strength and direction of relationships
[removed]
B. Hypothesis generating as the major aim
[removed]
C. High control and causal inferences
[removed]
D. The goal of observing contingent relationships
Question 23 of 40
2.5 Points
Multiple observers should be used in psychology when:
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A. observations are not completely subjective.
[removed]
B. there are questions about objectivity in making observations.

13. [removed]
C. it is thought that one observer is sufficient.
[removed]
D. the measure is unreliable.
Question 24 of 40
2.5 Points
Failure to rule out __________ variables results in threats to
__________ validity.
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A. confounding; internal
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B. confounding; external
[removed]
C. dependent; internal
[removed]
D. dependent; external
Question 25 of 40
2.5 Points
A researcher wants to do a study of pretest anxiety. He devises
two possible ways of measuring pretest anxiety: (1) attaching
electrodes to the palm and measuring the amount of sweat
produced; (2) having observers rate participants on how anxious
they look. Which of the following is true?
[removed]
A. Both are subjective measures.

14. [removed]
B. Both are objective measures.
[removed]
C. #1 is objective; #2 is subjective.
[removed]
D. #1 is subjective; #2 is objective.
Question 26 of 40
2.5 Points
Matched random assignment is used in situations in which
random assignment would:
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A. increase chances of unequal sample sizes.
[removed]
B. cause possible confounding because the groups may be
unequal on key dimensions.
[removed]
C. not be possible because the researcher has too much prior
knowledge about the participants.
[removed]
D. not be possible because the researcher has too little prior
knowledge about the participants.
Question 27 of 40
2.5 Points

15. If the null hypothesis has been rejected, we should consider
that:
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A. the causal hypothesis can be accepted.
[removed]
B. the causal hypothesis cannot be rejected.
[removed]
C. extraneous variables may have affected the study.
[removed]
D. extraneous variables do not affect the hypothesis.
Question 28 of 40
2.5 Points
If we wish to apply results of a study to a wider population, the
type of validity that we would be concerned about would be
__________ validity.
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A. statistical
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B. internal
[removed]
C. external
[removed]
D. construct
Question 29 of 40

16. 2.5 Points
In a double-blind control procedure:
[removed]
A. the participants and researcher are blind to assignment of
participants.
[removed]
B. the laboratory is not illuminated.
[removed]
C. the researcher and the research assistant(s) are blind to
assignment to the experimental group.
[removed]
D. no one knows which participants are assigned to the
experimental group.
Question 30 of 40
2.5 Points
Which confounding variable can ONLY occur in within-subjects
studies?
[removed]
A. Regression to the mean
[removed]
B. Diffusion of treatment
[removed]
C. Sequence effects
[removed]
D. Testing

17. Question 31 of 40
2.5 Points
In order to generalize across different times, places, or
conditions, a researcher must:
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A. sample across those times, places, or conditions.
[removed]
B. use a random sample of participants.
[removed]
C. use a large enough sample size.
[removed]
D. use powerful statistics.
Question 32 of 40
2.5 Points
When research participants give information to prospective
participants about the procedures, the research could be affected
by the confounding variable of:
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A. the bystander effect.
[removed]
B. diffusion of responsibility.
[removed]
C. diffusion of treatment.
[removed]

18. D. regression to the mean.
Question 33 of 40
2.5 Points
Since the data on gender differences in mathematical ability
tend to support both a nature and a nurture hypothesis, the
__________ validity of any one interpretation is in doubt.
[removed]
A. internal
[removed]
B. construct
[removed]
C. statistical
[removed]
D. external
Question 34 of 40
2.5 Points
Experimenter effects do NOT result from the experimenter's
knowledge of the:
[removed]
A. hypothesis being tested.
[removed]
B. assignment of individual participants to conditions of the
experiment.
[removed]
C. nature of the experiment and control conditions.

19. [removed]
D. specific details of the independent variable.
Question 35 of 40
2.5 Points
After the statement of the problem has been clearly defined and
the major variables identified, the next step in developing a
research hypothesis is to:
[removed]
A. test the problem statement on research participants.
[removed]
B. operationally define the variables.
[removed]
C. analyze the data.
[removed]
D. interpret the results.
Question 36 of 40
2.5 Points
In research on the effects of noise on sleep, a researcher
wonders whether disrupted sleep may be due to drinking coffee
rather than to living near an airport. What type of hypothesis is
this?
[removed]
A. A confounding variable hypothesis
[removed]
B. A null hypothesis

20. [removed]
C. A research hypothesis
[removed]
D. A moot hypothesis
Question 37 of 40
2.5 Points
Doyen & colleagues (2012) found that __________ effects were
the reason that participants changed their walking speed.
[removed]
A. experimenter
[removed]
B. subject
[removed]
C. both subject and experimenter
[removed]
D. neither subject nor experimenter
Question 38 of 40
2.5 Points
Which of the following is NOT characteristic of a good research
hypothesis?
[removed]
A. It is a declarative statement.
[removed]
B. It identifies at least two variables.

21. [removed]
C. It states a predicted relationship.
[removed]
D. It is in the form of a question.
Question 39 of 40
2.5 Points
The reduction of extraneous variables is typically an advantage
of:
[removed]
A. natural environments.
[removed]
B. laboratory settings.
[removed]
C. lower-constraint laboratory settings only.
[removed]
D. non-laboratory settings.
Question 40 of 40
2.5 Points
Experimenter expectancies might be responsible for all of the
following EXCEPT:
[removed]

22. A. directly influencing the participant's behavior toward support
of the hypothesis.
[removed]
B. selecting data that best support the hypothesis.
[removed]
C. minimizing demand characteristics.
[removed]
D. interpreting results in a biased manner.