Psychological Research and Statistics Flashcards

A researcher is studying the effect of a new memory-enhancing drug. One group receives the drug, and another group receives a placebo. The researcher then measures their performance on a memory test. To determine if the results can be generalized to a larger population, the researcher should use which type of statistics?

Answer: Inferential statistics

Inferential statistics are used to make generalizations from a sample to a population. In this scenario, the researcher wants to know if the drug's effect in the sample can be applied to the broader population, which is the core purpose of inferential analysis. Descriptive statistics would only summarize the data from the two groups (e.g., mean scores) without making broader claims.

A psychologist develops a new questionnaire to measure anxiety. To ensure the questionnaire accurately measures the concept of anxiety and not some other related concept like stress, the psychologist must establish strong:

Answer: Construct validity

Construct validity refers to how well a test or tool measures the specific concept or construct it was designed to measure. In this case, the psychologist needs to provide evidence that the questionnaire truly assesses anxiety. Internal validity relates to causality in experiments, and external validity relates to generalizability.

A study finds a strong positive correlation between ice cream sales and the number of shark attacks. Concluding that eating ice cream causes shark attacks is an error in reasoning because:

Answer: A third variable, such as weather, is likely involved.

The phrase 'correlation does not imply causation' is a fundamental principle in research. Two variables can be highly correlated because a third, unmeasured variable (a confounding variable) is influencing both. In this classic example, hot weather likely causes both an increase in ice cream sales and an increase in people swimming, which in turn increases the likelihood of shark encounters.

Which of the following APA ethical principles requires that researchers strive to be honest, accurate, and truthful in their scientific work and avoid any form of fraud or misrepresentation?

Answer: Integrity

The APA's ethical principle of Integrity obligates psychologists to promote accuracy, honesty, and truthfulness in the science, teaching, and practice of psychology. This includes not engaging in fraud, subterfuge, or intentional misrepresentation of fact.

A researcher wants to assess the stability of their new personality test. They administer the test to a group of participants on one occasion and then again to the same group one month later. The researcher is most likely evaluating the test's:

Answer: Test-retest reliability

Test-retest reliability is a measure of a test's consistency over time. By administering the same test to the same individuals at two different points in time, researchers can see how correlated the scores are. High correlation indicates good test-retest reliability, meaning the test yields stable results.

In an experimental design, the variable that is manipulated by the researcher to observe its effect on another variable is known as the:

Answer: Independent variable

The independent variable is the factor that the experimenter directly manipulates or changes to determine if it has an effect on the dependent variable. The dependent variable is what is measured to see if the manipulation had an effect.