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110 PSYCHOLOGY — RESEARCH METHODS What research methods and key science skills are used in VCE Psychology?
CHAPTER 2 TEST
SECTION A — Multiple-choice questions
Choose the response that is correct or that best answers the question.
A correct answer scores 1, an incorrect answer scores 0.
Marks will not be deducted for incorrect answers.
No marks will be given if more than one answer is completed for any question.
Question 1 The main purpose of ethical standards for research is to A. ensure validity and reliability of the results. B. ensure that the research proceeds scientifically. C. safeguard the rights and wellbeing of participants. D. keep problems with participants to a minimum.
Question 2 A researcher studied differences in the behaviour of newborn babies who are breast-fed and newborn babies who are bottle-fed. The psychologist conducted the research with 20 mothers and their newborn infants at the Royal Women’s Hospital (RWH). The 20 mothers (and infants) were selected from a group of 45 mothers at the RWH who had all volunteered to participate in the experiment. There were another 50 mothers with newborn infants at the hospital, but these mothers did not volunteer to be in the experiment. In this experiment, there were _____ mothers (and their infants) in the sample, and _____ mothers (and their infants) in the population. A. 20; 95 B. 45; 50 C. 20; 45 D. 45; 95
Question 3 A researcher interested in the effects of anxiety on exam performance asked research participants to describe how they feel during an exam when they come across a question they know they will get wrong. The participants’ responses were tape-recorded so that they could be analysed at a later time. The type of data obtained by the researcher is best described as A. secondary data. B. quantitative data. C. numerical data. D. qualitative data.
Question 4 When the researcher replayed the tape of participants’ responses to the questions asked in the experiment described in question 3, it was decided to summarise the data using a table which showed the number of times certain anxiety- related words, such as ‘worried’ and ‘scared’, and non anxiety-related words such as ‘nothing’ and ‘didn’t care’, were used. This type of data is best described as A. secondary data. B. quantitative data. C. qualitative data. D. quantitative and qualitative data.
Question 5 To test the notion that ‘two heads are better than one’, a researcher measures how long it takes people working either in groups of two or working alone to solve a problem. The independent variable is A. the problem. B. the number of people working on the problem. C. the time it takes to solve the problem. D. whether or not the problem is solved.
Question 6 Minimising unwanted effects of variables other than the independent variable involves controlling A. participant responses in the experimental condition. B. participant responses in the control condition. C. extraneous variables. D. dependent variables.
Question 7 Which of the following procedures would be considered to be unethical when conducting research? A. choosing only volunteers as participants in an experiment B. disclosing a participant’s extraordinary test results to the media without obtaining written consent to do so from the research participant C. testing a child’s ability to do algebra even though the child’s ability to do algebra is already known D. allowing a participant to discontinue being in the experiment, even though the experiment has started
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Question 12 Which of the following series of steps is the most appropriate sequence for conducting psychological research using scientific method? A. design the research, collect data, formulate hypothesis, analyse data, interpret data, report findings B. formulate hypothesis, design the research, collect data, analyse data, interpret data, report findings C. design the research, collect data, analyse data, interpret data, formulate hypothesis, report findings D. formulate hypothesis, collect data, design the research, interpret data, analyse data, report findings
Question 13 To generalise from the results of a research study means A. overstating the results. B. stating whether the results can be replicated. C. restricting the conclusion(s) to the results. D. applying the results to the sampled population.
Question 14 Validity in research means that A. the participants knew what they had to do. B. the researchers knew what they were doing. C. the research study produced results that accurately measured the behaviour or event that it claimed to measure. D. the researchers obtained results that were consistent and dependable.
Question 15 A researcher evaluating their experiment asks the question: ‘Did the IV actually cause the difference between the mean scores of the participants in the experimental and control conditions?’ This question is most relevant to A. debriefing. B. reliability. C. internal validity. D. external validity.
Question 16 A researcher designs an experiment to test whether alcohol increases reaction time. Group A participants drink three orange-flavoured drinks containing a small amount of alcohol and Group B drink three orange-flavoured drinks that contain no alcohol. Both groups are told that the orange- flavoured drinks contain alcohol. In this study, Group B is in the _____ condition. A. experimental B. single-blind C. placebo control D. stratified control
Question 8
A research hypothesis is
A. a prediction about the results to be obtained for a study. B. a very specific procedure the researcher must follow when conducting a study. C. a statement about whether the results apply to the population of research interest. D. a statement about the accuracy of the results of a study.
Question 9
In an experiment, the group of participants used for comparison purposes in order to measure any change caused by the IV is called a/an
A. independent variable group. B. placebo group. C. experimental group. D. control group.
Question 10
A researcher collected data for a study on the amount of vacation time employees had and their happiness at work. The data were presented in the following graph.
Happiness at work (%)
Number of weeks vacation per year
100
80
60
40
20
(^0 2 4 6 8 10 )
The type of graph they used to show the results is called a
A. line graph. B. bar graph. C. chart. D. measure of variability.
Question 11
The most important feature of a table is that
A. percentages have been calculated. B. the data are displayed in an orderly arrangement of rows and columns. C. means have been calculated. D. all raw data are included and accurately reflect participants’ responses.
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Question 29 A researcher conducted a study on memory and found a significant difference between the number of words correctly remembered for the group using the free recall method and the group using the recognition method. The results of the study are likely to be expressed as A. p > 0.05. B. p > 0.5%. C. p < 0.05. D. p < 0.5.
Question 30 In one experiment, researchers exposed children to a video clip showing aggressive and non-aggressive adult models and then observed the children to measure the amount of `imitative learning’ of aggressive behaviour. In order to control individual participant differences in pre-existing aggression, which could distort the results if any of the groups contained a disproportionate number of children who were normally quite aggressive, the researchers pre-tested the children for aggressiveness. On the basis of their test scores, participants were organised into groups of three. One member of each group was then randomly allocated to either of two experimental groups or to the control group. This experiment used a/an _____ design. A. cross-sectional B. independent groups C. repeated measures D. matched participants
Question 26
The results of a research study are said to be reliable when
A. consistent and dependable. B. an appropriate research method is used. C. the researcher has drawn conclusions that are accurate. D. the researcher has conducted an experiment that established a cause–effect relationship.
Question 27
A researcher is interested in studying why some people willingly give up their personal time to help others. She has seen people operating a hot soup outlet for homeless people after midnight and decides to survey the operators. The researcher’s sampling procedure is best described as _____ sampling.
A. random B. convenience C. stratified D. situational
Question 28
When drawing a line graph for the results of an experiment,
A. the dependent variable is represented on the horizontal axis, whereas the independent variable is represented on the vertical axis. B. the independent variable is represented on the horizontal axis, whereas the dependent variable is represented on the vertical axis. C. a line of best fit can be used to illustrate the underlying relationship between the independent and dependent variables. D. the trend line must always show a causal relationship between the independent and dependent variables.
114 PSYCHOLOGY — RESEARCH METHODS What research methods and key science skills are used in VCE Psychology?
SECTION B
Answer all questions in the spaces provided. Write using black or blue pen.
Question 1 (4 marks) (a) What is a case study? 1 mark
(b) In what way is a cross-sectional study different from a case study? 1 mark
(c) Describe one limitation of a case study. 1 mark
(d) Describe one limitation of a cross-sectional study. 1 mark
Question 2 (1 mark) Explain a potential limitation of small sample size when drawing conclusions.
Question 3 (5 marks) (a) Explain the meaning of the term order effect. 1 mark
(b) In which type of experimental research design is an order effect more likely to occur? 1 mark
(c) Explain your answer to (b) above. 2 marks
(d) Name the procedure used to minimise or control an order effect. 1 mark
Question 4 (2 marks) (a) What is the placebo effect? 1 mark
(b) How is this effect best controlled? 1 mark
Question 5 (2 marks) (a) What is experimenter expectancy? 1 mark
(b) Explain how experimenter expectancy can produce results due to a self-fulfilling prophecy. 1 mark
116 PSYCHOLOGY — RESEARCH METHODS What research methods and key science skills are used in VCE Psychology?
Question 8 (2 marks) (a) What does it mean to standardise procedures for a research study? 1 mark
(b) Why are the research procedures standardised? 1 mark
Question 9 (1 mark) Name a data collection method for obtaining self-reports.
Question 10 (1 mark) Explain why volunteer participants are required to give informed consent.
Question 11 (2 marks) Distinguish between random sampling and random allocation.
Question 12 (2 marks) Explain what a psychology experiment is with reference to two key features that distinguish the experiment from other research methods.
Question 13 (1 mark) What is a scientific benefit from reporting psychological research in a journal or other professional publication?
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Question 14 (15 marks)
A psychologist conducted an experiment to investigate a new online method of teaching algebra called Algebratics. She wanted to find out whether teaching young children using Algebratics is more effective than the standard textbook approach to teaching algebra in many schools. The psychologist predicts that children who use Algebratics will score higher on an algebra test.
To test her hypothesis, one class of year 6 students in a local primary school was taught a new algebra topic through Algebratics. This took place for one hour at 9 am on the first four days of the school week. Their teacher was trained in Algebratics to ensure the method was used correctly. Another year 6 class at the same school was taught the same topic, at the same time by their teacher through the standard approach. Both classes had 24 students, each with 11 males and 13 females. Informed consent was obtained for all participants.
On Friday at 9 am, all participants were given 30-minute test on the topic. Their classroom teacher administered the test under strictly controlled test conditions. The results are shown in Figure 1 below.
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Mean test score
Algebratics Standard
Males
Females
Figure 1 Test scores for algebra teaching methods
(a) Identify the experimental and control groups. 1 mark experimental group: control group:
(b) Operationalise the independent and dependent variables in the experiment. 2 marks independent variable:
dependent variable:
(c) Write a research hypothesis for the experiment. 1 mark
(d) Name the experimental research design. 1 mark
