Question

Which of the following investigation types does not represent the descriptive method of scientific inquiry?

Case study

Naturalistic observation

Laboratory experimentation

Surveying

Which of the following correlation coefficients represents the strongest correlation between two variables?

−0.10

+0.70

−0.85

+0.25

In which of the following situations would a correlation coefficient be highly misleading?

There is a perfect, but negative, correlation.

The variables are associated in a nonlinear pattern.

The causal connection between the variables is unknown.

The variables do not covary.

Cases of spurious correlations are typically explained in terms of _______ variables that are _______ two correlated variables.

independent; distinct from

confounding; independent of

independent; unaffected by

confounding; affecting

The principle of Occam's razor compares _______ in terms of the _______.

hypotheses; assumptions they make

hypotheses; observations they predict

experiments; potential to replicate results

experiments; handling of dependent variables

A researcher is designing an experiment intended to study the effects of the physical environment on reading comprehension. Which of the following factors would be best characterized as an independent variable in such an experiment?

The number of subjects participating in the experiment

The performance of subjects on reading tests administered by the researcher

The level of lighting in settings where test subjects are asked to read

The manner in which the researcher records observable data

A group of researchers is most likely to conduct a meta-analysis if an experiment has

significant results that could not be replicated by other parties.

had widely replicated results and has undergone extensive variation.

been widely replicated only under very similar conditions.

results that could be replicated only when certain conditions changed.

A _______ is a set of consistent _______ that have undergone successful testing.

theory; hypotheses

hypothesis; strong inferences

strong inference; theories

strong inference hypotheses

A good scientific hypothesis is

logically impossible to refute.

tied to observable phenomena.

capable of being proven.

based on a relatively new theory.

A psychologist working at a university is interested in designing an experiment to explore the impact of stress on women's sleep cycles. She will use university students as subjects. In this situation, the students at her university represent a _______, which is part of the _______.

theoretical population; study population

random sample; study population

study population; theoretical population

representative sample; theoretical population

Answer 1

1. Laboratory experimentation : are used to determine causation

2. −0.85: a score closer to 1 indicates a higher correlational whereas a score closer to 0 indicates low correlation

3. The variables are associated in a nonlinear pattern: linearity is an assumption in correlation

4. confounding; affecting : spurious correlation means that the associations is because of coincidence or a third factor variable

5.hypotheses; assumptions they make: it says that we have to select a solution with the fewest assumptions