PBSI 302 EXAM 1

Anna is studying whether drug use contributes to lower academic achievement in high school youth. Anna is a research producer or consumer?

Research producer

Mia used a study done on the link between anxiety and meditation for her psychology midterm. Mia is a research producer or consumer?

Research consumer

What is a set of statements that describes general principles about how variables relate to one another?

Theory

What is a prediction or a specific researcher expects to observe in a study?

Hypothesis

What is a set of observations considered? (in terms of research)

data

T/F A good scientific theory is supported by data, falsifiable, has parsimony, do not "prove" or claim anything.

True

Sam has discovered a new protein that plays a key role in cancer cell growth through laboratory experiments. This is what type of research?

Basic

- Focuses on expanding fundamental knowledge without immediate practical applications

Sam tests different compounds in animal models to see if they can inhibit the growth of a new protein that aids in cancer cell growth. This is what type of research?

Translational

- bridge between basic and applied by testing potential treatments in a controlled setting like through animal testing

Sam performs clinical trials on a new drug developed from research that will inhibit the release of a protein that plays a key role in cancer cell growth.

Applied

- aims to solve real-world problems

What is the use of objective, quantitative observation in a systematically controlled, replicable situation, in order to test or refine a theory?

Empirical method

T/F: Research and experience both have a comparison group

False, just research

T/F: Experience is confounded

True

- This basically means there could be several different reasons for why something occurred (confounds)

T/F: Research is better than experience

True

T/F: Research should explain all cases because confounds have been eliminated

False

- research is probabilistic meaning there will always be exceptions to study

- It is meant to gain a generalization of the population, not explain EVERY SINGLE occurrence

T/F: When deciding how reliable a source is, it is important to look into the background/ credentials of each author to make a decision

True

When asked if falling airplane parts or shark attacks are a more likely cause of death in the United States, most people would say shark attacks. This is an example of what?

A. Availability heuristic

B. Present/ Present Bias

C. Confirmation Bias

D. Bias Blind spot

A

Sally woke up today and decided to drink a cup of coffee. Throughout her day she noticed that she was more focused and had consistent energy levels. However, sally also went to bed early last night and ate a protein-rich breakfast. Sally chooses to associate her focus and energy levels with the fact that she drank coffee. This is an example of what?

A. Peer Bias

B. Confirmation Bias

C. Present/ Present Bias

D. Confounding Bias

C

- Sally is ignoring the factors she cannot see and attributing all her good symptoms to caffeine. While it is true that caffeine could help, there are also other factors that influenced her energy levels.

During presidential elections, people tend to seek information that paints the candidate they support in a positive light, while dismissing any information that paints them in a negative light. This is an example of what?

A. Peer Bias

B. Confirmation Bias

C. Availability Heuristic

D. Confounding Bias

B.

- focusing on the information we like best "cherry-picking"

Carl believes that other drivers are too easily distracted and influenced by texting on the road and that he would never get distracted like that. This is an example of what?

A. Bias blind spot

B. availability heuristic

C. Confounding Bias

D. Peer Bias

A.

- belief we are unlikely to fall prey to other biases

What are the components of an empirical journal?

Abstract

Introduction

Method

Results

Discussion

References

T/F: In research, constants are always changing.

False, they do not vary

T/F: variables are something that changes or varies so it will have at least two levels or values

True

What type of variable is observed or recorded?

Measured

What type of variable is controlled or changed?

Manipulated variable

T/F: conceptual variables, constructs, and conceptual definitions are variables that can be measured and tested

False, those are operational

T/F: conceptual variables, constructs, and conceptual definitions are abstract, theoretical concepts that we cannot measure directly

True

What the process to turn a conceptual definition into a measured or manipulated variable?

Operationalize

"According to a recent survey, 60% of Americans report feeling stressed about their jobs". This is what type of claim?

Frequency

- describes a particular rate or degree of a single variable

"People Who Talk with Their Hands Are Often Warmer and Friendlier Than Those Who Don't". This is what type of claim?

Association

- Argues that one level of a variable is likely to be associated (correlate) with a particular level of another variable

"Positive reinforcement increases desired behaviors". This is what type of claim?

Causal claim

- These claims go beyond correlation and claim that Variable A is the only thing that causes variable B

- usually use action verbs like "causes", "promotes", "affects"

What type of validity is about how well a test measures the concept it was designed to evaluate?

Construct validity

Example: A new IQ test has high correlations with previously established IQ tests, meaning that the new test actually measures what it is supposed to

Which type of validity is about the extent to which the results of a study generalize to some larger population, as well as to other times or situations?

External Validity

- Can your test apply to the overall population?

- Can your study on school-aged children apply to all school-aged children in the U.S.?

Which type of validity is about the extent to which the data supports the conclusion?

Statistical

- data is statistically significant

What type of validity is about how well a study eliminates alternative explanations?

Internal

- In a relationship between variable A and variable, the extent to which A is responsible for B rather than some other third variable

What are the 3 criteria for casual claims?

Covariance- Variable A is correlated to variable B

Temporal Precedence- Variable A comes before B in time

Internal validity- A is the only thing that causes B, there is no other explanation

T/F: Random Assignment increases internal validity

True

- Controlling for potential alternative explanations

A researcher asks individuals "How many caffeinated beverages have you consumed today?" This is what type of measure?

self report

A researcher observes how many times someone sneezes. This is an example of what type of measure?

Observational

A researcher examines an individual's brain responses to different speech sounds to see if they can distinguish between two different speeches. This is an example of what type of measure?

Physiological

Eye color is an example of what type of scale of measurement?

Nominal- categories

Ranking 10 movies from most to least favorite is an example of what type of scale of measurement?

Ordinal- ranked order

IQ score is an example of what type of scale of measurement?

Interval- NO TRUE ZERO

the number of exam questions answered correctly is an example of what type of scale of measurement?

Ratio- THERE IS A TRUE ZERO

A researcher administers an IQ test to a group of participants twice, a few weeks apart, and then compares the scores from both tests. What type of reliability is this?

Test- retest

- consistent scores every time the measure is used

Suppose two individuals were sent to a clinic to observe waiting times, the appearance of the waiting and examination rooms, and the general atmosphere. There were two observers and they agreed perfectly on all items. This is an example of what type of reliability?

interrater

- consistent scores no matter who does the tests

A survey measuring job satisfaction where multiple questions about different aspects of the job (like workload, pay, and work environment) all produce consistent results for each individual. This is what type of reliability?

Internal

- A participant provides a consistent pattern of responses regardless of how the researcher has phrased the question

T/F: The scatterplot shown has good internal reliability

True since all points follow the line of regression

What is validity?

whether the operationalization is measuring what it's supposed to be measuring

You ask happiness experts if Diener's well-being scale is a reasonable way of assessing happiness. This is an example of what type of validity?

Face

- It looks like what you want to measure

A written exam tests whether individuals have enough theoretical knowledge to acquire a driver's license. This is an example of what type of validity?

Content

- The measure contains all the parts that your theory says it should contain

SAT scores are used to predict academic success in college. This is an example of what type of validity?

Criterion

- Whether a self report measure is related to a concrete outcome that us should be related to (objective)

The scores of two tests, one measuring self-esteem and the other measuring extroversion, are likely to be correlated—individuals scoring high in self-esteem are more likely to score high in extroversion. This is an example of what type of validity?

Convergent

- A self-report measure should correlate strongly with other self report measures of the same construction

The scores of two tests measuring security and loneliness theoretically should not be correlated. This is an example of what type of validity?

Discriminant

- Self report measure should correlate less strongly with self-report measures of different constructs

T/F: Validity is necessary but not sufficient for reliability

False, switch them

- Reliability is necessary but not sufficient for validity

-In order for it to be valid the tests must yield consistent answers

T/F: A measure can be less valid than it is reliable, but it cannot be more valid than it is reliable

True