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1. Internal validity is defined as

a. the extent to which the results of a study can be explained by the dependent variable.
b. the degree to which the hypothesis is supported by the study.
c. the overall quality of the research.
d. the extent to which the results in a study can be explained by the independent variable.

2. External validity refers to the

a. degree that the dependent variable was changed in the study.
b. power of the independent variable to cause a change in the dependent variable.
c. extent to which findings apply to individuals or situations other than those studied.
d. overall quality of the study.

3. A researcher studies the impact of stress on college students' exam scores. Whether the results of this study help us
to understand the relationship between job performance and stress level of real-life organizational workers is a
question of
a. internal validity.
b. study confounds.
c. external validity.
d. the original research hypothesis.

4. Dr. Smith uses a sample of participants in his memory study. Any conclusions that can be drawn from the results
may be applied to the general population if there is a high degree of
a. internal reliability.
b. external reliability.
c. internal validity.
d. external validity.

5. Your friend has trouble making commitments in relationships. You believe that this is because her parents had a
bitter divorce when she was young. Your belief that a child who lives through a bitter parental divorce will have
trouble making commitments in relationships as an adult would be considered a(n) .
a. hypothesis
b. independent variable
c. empirical conclusion
d. applied theory

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6. A hypothesis is defined as a(n) .

a. theory
b. empirical conclusion
c. research study
d. educated guess

7. Of the following, which hypothesis would NOT be appropriate given the concept of testability:
a. Behavior is influenced by the rewards that follow the behavior.
b. Children who view aggression are more likely to act in an aggressive manner.
c. Invisible forces influence our behavior every day.
d. Personality traits can be influenced by genetics.

8. The dependent variable in a research study is the variable

that
a. is expected to influence or change the variable being studied.
b. is the empirical result of the study.
c. is expected to be changed or influenced in the study.
d. forms the most important component of the hypothesis.

9. The independent variable in a research study is the variable that

a. is expected to be changed or influenced in the study.
b. is expected to influence or change the dependent variable.
c. is the empirical result of the study.
d. forms the most important component of the hypothesis.

10. The independent variable is the whereas the dependent variable measures .
a. treatment or intervention; impact of the treatment or intervention
b. measurement; explanation
c. impact of the treatment or intervention; treatment or intervention
d. none of the above are correct

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11. Shonda and her company have developed a new drug to treat Parkinson’s Disease. She conducts a randomized
control trial. Which is most likely the independent variable?
a. Whether or not the drug impacts the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease
b. The experimental drug
c. The number of patients in the trial
d. Whether or not the drug cures Parkinson’s patients

12. A researcher is testing the effects of sunlight on depression. The dependent variable is independent variable is
a. sunlight; depression
b. depression; sunlight
c. sunlight; mood
d. depression; mood

13. In an experimental study,

a. the independent variable is manipulated.
b. the dependent variable is manipulated.
c. both the independent variable and the dependent variable are manipulated.
d. the environment is manipulated.

14. With regard to research design, all of the following statements are true EXCEPT that
a. independent variables are hypothesized to have an impact on dependent variables.
b. independent variables are generally manipulated by the researcher.
c. dependent variables are hypothesized to have an impact on independent variables.
d. dependent variables are generally measured by the researcher.

15. Any factor in a research study that makes the results uninterpretable is called a(n) .
a. independent variable
b. confound
c. dependent variable
d. confluence

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16. While studying the impact of nutrition on intelligence, a researcher has one group of rats on a vitamin-rich diet and the
other group eating Big Macs. While observing the rats run a complicated maze, the researcher notes that the
vitamin- enhanced rats' maze is more brightly lit than the Big Mac rats' maze. The difference in lighting in this
study is a(n)
_________.
a. confound
b. independent variable
c. dependent variable
d. hypothesis

17. Studies that have significant confounds are said to be low in .

a. external validity
b. internal validity
c. fidelity
d. empirical validity

18. Internal validity is:

a. an educated guess or statement to be supported by the data
b. the extent to which the results of the study can be generalized or applied outside the immediate study
c. the extent to which the results of the study can be attributed to the independent variable
d. none of the above are correct

19. External validity is:

a. an educated guess or statement to be supported by the data
b. the extent to which the results of the study can be generalized or applied outside the immediate study
c. the extent to which the results of the study can be attributed to the independent variable
d. none of the above are correct

20. If a study of a medication is conducted using only 25-year-old white males, the results would be limited in their
______________.
a. generalizabiity
b. internal validity
c. concurrent reliability
d. usefulness

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21. A researcher separates participants into two groups. Group A receives an active medication, and Group B receives
an empty capsule that looks and feels like the real medication. Group B is the group.
a. treatment
b. analog
c. control
d. experimental

22. In a study to investigate the effects of alcohol on reflexes, some students were given three bottles of beer and
some were given three bottles of nonalcoholic beer, and reaction time was measured. The group that received the
nonalcoholic beer is the .
a. treatment group
b. dependent variable
c. control group
d. confound

23. The purpose of randomization is to make sure that

a. each research participant spends an equal amount of time in the treatment and control groups.
b. each research participant has an equal chance of being in the treatment or control group.
c. everyone in each group is exactly the same on the independent variable.
d. everyone in each group is exactly the same on the dependent variable.

24. The reason that researchers cannot allow participants to decide whether to be in the control or treatment group is
that this procedure may result in differences between the treatment and control group participants that
a. have nothing to do with the independent variable.
b. are a direct result of the independent variable.
c. have nothing to do with the dependent variable.
d. are a direct result of the dependent variable.

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25. Matilda designed a study in which she had a treatment group and a control group. She then took 100 participants
and flipped a coin with each one to determine which group they would be in. This assigning of participants is
called
_____________.

a. randomization
b. generalization
c. experimentation
d. uniformity

26. Randomization is used to assign research participants to groups in order to

a. prevent assembling groups that differ in a way that may influence the research outcome.
b. make sure that all participants in the study are the same with respect to the dependent variable when the
study is concluded.
c. make sure that all participants are the same with respect to the independent variable before the study begins.
d. prevent any differences in the way the independent variable is manipulated for all research subjects.

27. Analog research models

a. are conducted outside of the laboratory.
b. generally utilize case studies to maximize similarity to the phenomenon under study.
c. are correlational.
d. create laboratory conditions that are comparable to the phenomenon under study.

28. A study that uses the controlled conditions of the lab to replicate the phenomenon under study is called a(n)
a. analogue model.
b. longitudinal study.
c. cross-sectional study.
d. retrospective study.

29. Analogue models are useful when:

a. there are too many potential confounds outside of the laboratory.
b. there is a need to tightly control for internal validity.
c. it is not reasonable/practical to study the phenomenon outside of the laboratory.
d. all of the above are correct.

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30. Statistical significance determines whether an observed difference between a treatment and control group is likely
due to____________.
a. random assignment
b. external validity
c. chance
d. confounds

31. In research, the term “clinical significance” refers to

a. whether the effects observed in the study are due to chance.
b. the external validity of the study.
c. whether the treatment was meaningful for those affected.
d. randomization of the sampling procedure.

32. A researcher studying the effect of a dietary supplement on sleep finds that research participants who take the
supplement sleep an average of 7 hours and 25 minutes per night, while participants who were given a placebo pill
with no active ingredients in it sleep for an average of 7 hours and 20 minutes. These findings are clearly
a. statistically significant.
b. not clinically significant.
c. not valid.
d. clinically significant.

33. In research studies, the term "effect size" refers to

a. how much each treated and untreated person in the study changes.
b. the power of the statistical tests that are used to detect the impact of the independent variable.
c. how many subjects are included in a particular study.
d. the degree of external validity that the study has.

34. The patient uniformity myth refers to the tendency to

a. see all study participants as homogenous.
b. see all study participants as heterogenous.
c. emphasize patient symptoms and uniformity.
d. give all patients the same medications.

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35. In well-designed research studies, medications that enhance serotonin functioning have been found to help patients
recover from episodes of depression. Given the realities of the patient uniformity myth, it would be a mistake to
conclude that
a. most depressed patients will be helped substantially by these medications.
b. all depressed patients will be helped by these medications.
c. research can help us determine which treatments should be used for specific disorders.
d. medication can be an appropriate treatment for a psychological disorder.

36. Joe is suffering from a severe anxiety disorder. His psychiatrist prescribes a medication that has been found in
many research studies to help reduce anxiety. Joe takes the medication, but his anxiety level does not improve at all.
Since the anxiety medication did not work, Joe concludes that his psychiatrist must be wrong and he must be suffering
from some other disorder. The problem with Joe's conclusion is that he is failing to consider the
a. patient uniformity myth.
b. internal validity of the research studies.
c. lack of clinical significance of many research findings.
d. external validity of the prior research.

37. The type of study that generally does not follow the scientific method and typically contains many confounds is the
a. case study.
b. correlation model.
c. true experiment.
d. longitudinal study.

38. One of the major problems with the case study method is that it is too easy to make false conclusions based on
a. statistical significance.
b. unreliable measures.
c. poorly defined dependent variables.
d. coincidence.

39. One advantage of the case study method is that it can:

a. measure causation.
b. study a rare phenomena in-depth.
c. none of the above are correct.
d. all of the above are correct.

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40. Which of the following is most likely to be investigated using a case study method:
a. the effectiveness of a new anxiety drug on alcoholics.
b. whether or not tall people have more friends than short people.
c. whether or not the hippocampus is involved in the production of language.
d. how a very rare physical disability impacts the mental health of 14-and-a-half year olds living in the
American southeast.

41. Jessie is the first person to contract a new virus by drinking unsafe water. How are psychologists most likely to
study Jessie’s health in the next year?
a. Randomized control trial
b. Clinical trial
c. Correlational study
d. Case study

42. If you observe that umbrellas cause rain since they always occur together, you may be confusing
a. correlation with causation.
b. confounds with correlations.
c. independent variable with dependent variable.
d. statistical and clinical effects.

43. The most accurate description of the correlational model is

a. manipulation of an independent variable to measure the effects on a dependent variable.
b. in-depth examination of many variables associated with a small number of individuals.
c. statistical examination of the relationships between variables.
d. statistical examination of the cause of changes in a dependent variable.

44. When studying family functioning, it has been observed that marital discord often increases as child behavior
problems increase in the family. Using the correlational model,
a. it is possible to determine that marital problems generally cause child behavior problems.
b. it is not possible to determine whether marital discord causes child behavior problems, whether child behavior
problems cause marital discord, or whether both may be true.
c. it is possible to determine whether marital problems cause child behavior problems or whether child behavior
problems cause marital problems, but it is not possible to determine whether both may be true.
d. it is possible to determine whether any or all observed effects may be causing changes on any of the
variables being studied.

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45. As a child's age increases, so does her height. This is an example of a(n) correlation.
a. negative
b. zero
c. causal
d. positive

46. The more time one spends exercising, the less one generally weighs. The correlation between time on a treadmill
each month and overall body weight would represent a(n) correlation.
a. positive
b. zero
c. negative
d. causal

47. The correlation between the amount of time a college student studies and the student's height in inches is_______.
a. positive
b. negative
c. zero
d. causal

48. Every incremental increase in variable A is associated with an exactly equal increase in variable B. The
correlation between these two variables is .
a. +1.00
b. -1.00
c. 0
d. causal

49. When is a correlation negative?

a. When an incremental increase in one variable produces an incremental decrease in a second variable
b. When the variables are not related
c. When an incremental increase in one variable produces an incremental increase in the second variable
d. None of the above are correct

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50. The Surgeon General gathered data that demonstrated the more people smoked, the more likely they were to
develop lung cancer, heart disease, and other dangerous illnesses. This data demonstrates
a. that there is a positive correlation between smoking and serious illnesses like lung cancer.
b. that there is a negative correlation between smoking and serious illnesses like lung cancer.
c. that smoking causes lung cancer and other serious illnesses.
d. there is no relationship between smoking and lung cancer or other serious illnesses.

51. It has been demonstrated the amount of time watching violent shows on TV is correlated with aggressiveness
in children. However, we cannot say that watching violence on TV causes children to be aggressive because
a. we do not know if children watch violent TV shows because they are aggressive.
b. we do not know if violent TV shows causes children to act violent.
c. both variables may be related to another factor such as violent parents.
d. all of the above

52. Epidemiology is the study of

a. the effectiveness of the correlational model in determining cause.
b. research methods.
c. various forms of therapy.
d. incidence, distribution, and consequences of a problem in a population.

53. Epidemiologists study of a particular problem in one or more populations.

a. distribution
b. incidence
c. consequences
d. all of the above

54. Epidemological researchers such as DeLisi and colleagues (2003), who assessed men and women in Manhattan
following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, generally use the research method called the .
a. correlational model
b. case study
c. experiment
d. longitudinal study

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55. The basis of an experiment is

a. manipulation of a dependent variable.
b. examining the relationship between an independent and a dependent variable.
c. manipulation of an independent variable.
d. in-depth fact gathering regarding many variables.

56. A researcher manipulates an independent variable and observes the effects on a dependent variable in a(n)
a. correlational study.
b. analog study.
c. experiment.
d. epidemiological study.

57. While trying to discover the nature of the relationship between stress and blood pressure, a researcher asks
participants to complete a difficult task. The researcher monitors the participants' blood pressure, while some
are exposed to noisy distractions and others stay in a quiet environment. This type of research study is a(n)
______________.
a. correlational study
b. experiment
c. analog study
d. placebo control study

58. When a control group is used in experimental research, the members of the control group will be treated exactly
the same as the
a. treatment group, except that they will be exposed to the independent variable.
b. treatment group in every way.
c. control group in any other psychology study.
d. treatment group, except that they will not be exposed to the independent variable.

59. The purpose of a control group in experimental research is to

a. control for the expectation of some research subjects that they will improve just because they are in a
research study.
b. determine whether a treatment or independent variable actually influenced change in the independent variable.
c. determine statistical significance.
d. control the dependent variable.

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60. Placebos are used in experiments to

a. control for the variability of individuals who tend to volunteer for research studies.
b. control for the expectations of some research participants that they will improve just because they are in
a research study.
c. help determine whether an independent variable actually causes a statistically significant change in a dependent
variable.
d. make certain that the treatment and control group are randomly selected.

61. In a typical drug study, some research participants are given an active medication and others are given a sugar
pill. The subjects given the sugar pill are in the group.
a. placebo control
b. treatment
c. independent variable
d. dependent variable

62. In a double-blind study,

a. participants are not aware of who is in the treatment and control groups, but the researcher providing
the treatment does know.
b. neither the researcher providing the treatment nor the participants are aware of who is in the treatment
and who is in the control group.
c. neither the researcher providing the treatment nor the research participants can ever be made aware of the
research findings.
d. participants are not aware that they are participating in a research study.

63. It can be important to use a double-blind procedure in a research study to prevent the
a. independent variable from influencing the dependent variable.
b. researcher's expectations from biasing the outcome.
c. participants' expectations from biasing the expectations of the researcher.
d. both b and c.

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64. Of the following, researchers use_________to attempt to control for the phenomenon called the "allegiance effect,"
which occurs when experimenter bias influences research outcomes.
a. correlation studies
b. double-blind control
c. epidemiological studies
d. placebo pills

65. Which of the following is an example of treatment outcome research?

a. Examining the changes in serotonin levels from taking Prozac
b. Determining whether the active ingredients in a medication actually have any impact on the function of the brain
c. Exploring the parts of cognitive-behavioral therapy homework that are most difficult for patients to perform
d. Examining the impact of Prozac on depression

66. Which of the following is an example of treatment process research?

a. Examining the impact of Prozac on depression
b. Determining how many therapy sessions it takes for most anxiety patients to feel better
c. Examining the impact of Prozac on serotonin levels
d. Determining which treatment reduces patients' anxiety in the fewest number of sessions

67. Single-case experimental designs utilize several strategies such as to improve their internal validity.
a. repeated measurement
b. process measures
c. random assignment
d. placebo controls

68. One important difference between a typical case study and the single-case experiment is that the single-
case experiment attempts to
a. increase the number of confounding variables.
b. improve external validity.
c. improve internal validity.
d. utilize a single strategy to reduce confounds.

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69. Single-case experimental designs are sometimes criticized because they tend to
a. always involve a single case.
b. decrease internal validity.
c. have lower external validity.
d. have very poor reliability estimates.

70. The single-case experimental design

a. always uses a single case.
b. is not concerned with external validity.
c. is not concerned with internal validity.
d. often incorporates several people at once.

71. The advantage of using a withdrawal design as part of a single-case experiment is that the researcher can
a. counterbalance the research design with additional measures to improve internal and external validity.
b. control for the placebo effect.
c. conduct a true double-blind experiment.
d. determine whether improvements gained with treatment are lost when the treatment is withheld.

72. One of the problems of using a withdrawal design as part of a single-case experiment is the
a. difficulty of measuring changes that are associated with removal of a treatment.
b. confounding factor of the placebo effect when the treatment is removed.
c. ethical issue of removing treatment that appears to be helping the patient.
d. impossibility of removing the treatment equally for the treatment and control subjects.

73. Which of the following is NOT a component of withdrawal designs?

a. Establishing a baseline
b. Manipulating the independent variable
c. Withdrawing the dependent variable
d. Returning to baseline

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74. A child is having temper tantrums at home, at school, and at his grandparents' house. After working with the parents
for a while, the therapist believes that the child is being rewarded for his tantrums in each setting because his teacher,
parents, and grandparents generally give him what he wants just to make him stop yelling. The therapist devises a
plan to stop his tantrums but first implements the plan at home, then the following week at school, and finally at the
grandparents' home several weeks later. From a research perspective, this is an example of
a. withdrawal method.
b. multiple baseline.
c. placebo control.
d. external validity.

75. An advantage of the multiple baseline design in evaluating treatments is that

a. it enables a clinician to see predictable and orderly changes related to where and when treatment is used.
b. it does not require withdrawal of treatment.
c. it resembles the way treatment would naturally be implemented.
d. all of the above

76. An important advantage of the multiple baseline design over the withdrawal design for evaluating treatments is
that multiple baseline
a. has greater internal validity.
b. has greater external validity.
c. does not require the removal of a potentially helpful treatment.
d. does not require the artificial intervention of the researcher.

77. A phenotype is defined as an individual's

a. hidden characteristics.
b. observable characteristics.
c. genetic influences.
d. unique genetic makeup.

78. A genotype is defined as an individual's

a. unique genetic makeup.
b. recessive genes.
c. hidden characteristics.
d. observable features and behavior.

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79. Mary looks nothing like her mother, but Mary's daughter grows up to look exactly like Mary's mother. In other
words, grandmother and granddaughter look alike. The fact that Mary's daughter looks like her (Mary's) mother
but she herself doesn't is a good example of the
a. difference between genotype and phenotype.
b. influence of environment on genes.
c. fact that we really have no idea of how genes work.
d. diathesis-stress model.

80. At this point, we know much more about the of psychological disorders than the of psychological
disorders.
a. genotype; phenotype
b. phenotype; genotype
c. behavioral causes; social influences
d. social influences; behavioral causes

81. At this point, the human genome project has been successful in producing
a. a complete listing of each human gene and its function.
b. little if any success in mapping the structure and location of human genes.
c. a rough draft of the mapping of all human genes.
d. some success in mapping the structure of human genes, but little success in mapping gene locations.

82. Which of the following patterns is typical for a disorder that is influenced by genetics?
a. Siblings of the person with the disorder are more likely to have the disorder than cousins, and cousins are just
as likely to have the disorder as the general public.
b. Siblings of the person with the disorder will almost always have the same or similar disorders, and cousins
are more likely than the general public to have disorders.
c. Siblings of the person with the disorder are more likely than cousins to have the disorder, and cousins are
more likely to have the disorder than the general public.
d. Siblings will almost always have the same or similar disorders, though cousins may have a similar rate of the
disorder as the general public.

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83. While conducting a family study, a researcher determines that the siblings and parents of the person with a disorder
are much more likely than the general public to have the disorder, although cousins, uncles, and grandparents are
only moderately more likely to have the disorder than the general public. This is an example of a disorder with
a. no genetic component.
b. a single gene influence.
c. a genetic component.
d. strong environmental and very weak genetic components.

84. The genetic mechanism that ultimately contributes to the underlying problems causing the symptoms and
difficulties experienced by people with psychological disorders is called .
a. genotypes
b. phenotypes
c. endophenotypes
d. causal types

85. The study of what genes do and how they interact with the environment to create the symptoms associated
with psychological disorders is called genetics.
a. molecular
b. behavior
c. environmental
d. interactive

86. One of the major problems of using family studies to determine the genetic components of psychological disorders
is that family members may have similar disorders due to
a. shared genes.
b. common diet factors.
c. physical similarities.
d. the fact that they live together.

87. Adoption studies can be used to study the influence of genetic influences on psychopathology
a. without the typical confound of common biological parents.
b. using more sophisticated statistical techniques.
c. through direct examination of genetic causes.
d. without the typical confound of siblings raised in the same environment.

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88. Monozygotic twins allow for unique genetic studies because they
a. have identical genes.
b. always share the same environment.
c. share approximately 50% of the same genes.
d. are usually raised in similar ways.

89. Combining the monozygotic and adoption study methods, researchers often study monozygotic twins raised in
different families. Using this method, similarities in behaviors, traits, and psychological disorders between monozygotic
twins raised apart helps researchers determine
a. the effects of adoption on a child's psychological functioning.
b. whether it is detrimental to separate twins at birth.
c. whether genes or adoption impact psychopathology.
d. the effects of genes.

90. Given what we know about the effects of genes and the environment, which of the following pairs of children would
be expected to be most similar in terms of overall personality, psychological disorders, and intelligence?
a. Monozygotic twins, one raised in a wealthy family living in a modern city and the other raised in poverty in
a developing nation
b. Adopted children from different biological families raised in the same home
c. Biological siblings raised in the same house
d. Biological siblings, each adopted immediately after birth, one raised in Chicago and the other raised in
New York City

91. Family, twin, and adoption studies can identify all of the following EXCEPT
a. whether a particular form of psychopathology is influenced by genes.
b. whether a particular form of psychopathology is influenced by the environment.
c. identification and location of a gene associated with psychopathology.
d. approximate degree of influence of genetics for a specific psychological disorder.

92. In family studies, scientists simply examine a behavioral pattern or emotional trait in the context of the family.
The member with the trait singled out for study is called the .
a. sibling
b. prototype
c. genetic marker
d. proband

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93. If a match is found between the inheritance of a disorder and a genetic marker, the genes for both are probably
a. on different chromosomes.
b. on different ends of the same chromosome. c
c. identical.
d. close together on the same chromosome.

94. The implication of the fact that genetic linkage studies frequently fail to replicate when subsequent researchers
repeat the study in different families is that
a. the human genome is not well mapped.
b. researchers need to be more careful with their methods.
c. the environment is a more powerful influence on most forms of complex psychopathology than genetics.
d. it is doubtful that there are single gene causes for complex disorders.

95. A researcher studying a family with a history of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) records data for each person
in the family with OCD and for those who have been diagnosed with OCD in the past. The researcher is particularly
interested in determining if family members who now have OCD or who were previously diagnosed share any other
inherited characteristics. The researcher is conducting a(n) .
a. association study
b. chromosome analysis
c. genetic linkage analysis
d. family DNA analysis

96. Genetic linkage analysis has not yet provided the types of answers scientists hope for in terms of understanding the
specific genetic causes of psychopathology. The most likely reason that this type of analysis has not been as
promising as hoped is that the genetic influences of psychopathology are
a. impossible to understand until the entire human genome is sequenced.
b. difficult to understand with the limited statistical models available.
c. based on more than single gene defects.
d. insignificant in comparison to the power of the environment.

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97. An association study of the genetic influences of psychopathology compares people with and without a specific
disorder in terms of
a. shared environments.
b. inherited characteristics other than the disorder.
c. family history.
d. inherited tendencies to behave in a specific manner.

98. A researcher collects data comparing people with and without a particular disorder. The researcher is
particularly interested in inherited tendencies that are not part of the disorder but that occur with much greater
frequency in afflicted people. The researcher is conducting a(n)
a. genetic linkage analysis.
b. association study
c. family study.
d. DNA analysis.

99. As Van Gogh slowly began developing schizophrenia, he painted a series of self-portraits that depicted the
progression of the disorder over time. This is a good example of a(n)
a. negative development strategy.
b. anecdotal study.
c. prospective study
d. retrospective study.

100. Positive development strategies involve efforts to blanket

a. an entire family, including all blood relatives to prevent later problems.
b. a large group of unrelated participants who are at risk for a disorder to prevent later problems.
c. a large group of people to fix existing problems.
d. entire populations of people to prevent later problems.

101. Longitudinal and/or cross-sectional research is often necessary to determine

a. how disorders change and progress over a typical patient's lifetime.
b. the genetic causes of a particular disorder.
c. the environmental causes of a particular disorder.
d. if a particular treatment is appropriate for patients suffering from a specific disorder.

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102. The two most frequently used methods in prevention research for examining psychopathology across time are
a. longitudinal and case study.
b. case study and experimental.
c. longitudinal and cross-sectional.
d. experimental and cross-sectional.

103. Brown and Finn (1982) found that attitudes regarding alcohol were somewhat different for 12-year-olds, 15-year-
olds, and 17-year-olds. All measures were taken during the same year from children of different ages. This type of
research is an example of the research method called .
a. longitudinal
b. cross-sectional
c. experimental
d. case-study

104. A researcher is studying how depression tends to be experienced by people of different ages. The researcher
interviews depressed adolescents, young adults, individuals in their 30s and 50s, and those over 70 years old. The
research design being used is called .
a. cross-sectional
b. longitudinal
c. experimental
d. case-study

105. A researcher is studying how anxiety tends to be experienced by people of different ages. The researcher
interviews depressed adolescents, young adults, individuals in their 30s and 50s, and those over 70. The individuals in
each age group represent a .
a. treatment group
b. control group
c. longitudinal group
d. cohort

106. The confounding of age and experience is referred to as the effect.

a. cohort
b. proband
c. longitudinal
d. participant

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107. In a sequential study and designs are combined.

a. cross-sectional; longitudinal
b. case study; experimental
c. cross cultural; individual
d. internal; external

108. One significant limitation of the cross-sectional design is called the "cohort effect." This relates to the fact that
a. experience is confounded with participation in the study.
b. age is confounded with experience.
c. genetics and experience are confounded.
d. reliable statistics cannot be computed for cohort groups.

109. Age and experience are confounded while using the cross-sectional design. This means that it cannot be determined if
a. findings for cohort groups are due to their similar experiences or similar age.
b. findings are due to the fact that age and life experience tend to be correlated.
c. differences across groups are due to differences in assignment to the treatment conditions.
d. differences across groups are due to age, experience, or the experimental manipulation.

110. Use of a cross-sectional design would be appropriate in trying to find an answer to all of the
following questions EXCEPT:
a. How does panic disorder differ in children and adults?
b. Are the cognitive triggers for panic disorder different in children and adults?
c. What early behaviors did adult panic disorder patients tend to display when they were young?
d. Does exposure therapy tend to be more or less effective when it is used in the treatment of children
versus adults?

[Link] research design most helpful in determining how individuals with particular disorders change over time is the
__________.
a. longitudinal method
b. cross-sectional design
c. family study
d. association study

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112. One reason that cross-sectional studies are more common than longitudinal studies is the fact that
a. cross-sectional studies involve large numbers of subjects.
b. longitudinal studies involve very sophisticated statistical procedures.
c. cross-sectional studies take many years to complete.
d. longitudinal studies take many years to complete.

113. Which research method often suffers from losing research participants due to high dropout rates or even death?
a. Cross-sectional study
b. Longitudinal study
c. Family study
d. Twin study

114. In cross-cultural research, the independent or treatment variable is generally the .

a. culture
b. disorder
c. method used to treat the disorder
d. success of the treatment

115. One of the most important reasons to conduct cross-cultural research in psychopathology is that
a. we can gain a better appreciation for the virtues of various cultures by examining how psychopathology
is viewed by different cultures.
b. the stigma of psychopathology can be removed by understanding that psychopathology exists in all cultures.
c. genetic influences of disorders can be best determined through careful comparison of the
different environmental stressors found in various cultures.
d. we can understand more about psychopathology by understanding how culture impacts the experience of
various disorders.

116. One of the problems in trying to understand how psychopathology may be "caused" by cultural influences is
that similarities in the way individuals of a culture experience psychopathology
a. are confounded by the cross-cultural methods used to study psychopathology.
b. may be due to the culture or to common genetic factors.
c. cannot be understood by those outside of the culture.
d. generally do not exist.

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117. Which of the following are potential problems when conducting cross-cultural research in the area of psychopathology?
a. Different cultures may describe or experience similar psychological sensations in very different ways
b. The level of "abnormality" that is considered acceptable may differ greatly across cultures
c. Treatment models developed in one culture may be unacceptable according to another culture's customs
and values
d. All of these

118. The most influential research generally utilizes

a. multiple well-controlled, double-blind experiments.
b. a combination of well-controlled correlational studies and cross-sectional research.
c. a program of multiple research designs over a period of time.
d. multiple cross-sectional and longitudinal designs over a period of time.

119. A new research study is published and becomes the "hot story" in the news. This story concerns you because the
researchers report that they are the first scientists to find a higher incidence of depression in individuals who are
taking a particular vitamin—the same vitamin that your physician has had you taking for years. While this may be
cause for you to investigate further, you probably shouldn't panic because
a. your physician will call you if there is anything to worry about.
b. research like this is rarely accurate.
c. without replication, the finding could just be due to coincidence.
d. unless it was a double-blind experiment, the results are probably in error.

120. The function of replication in research is to

a. better define independent and dependent variables.
b. improve the research design.
c. rule out coincidence.
d. enhance the external validity of the study.

121. The basic components of informed consent are

a. competence, volunteerism, full information, and comprehension.
b. volunteerism and comprehension.
c. competence, volunteerism, comprehension, and knowledge of results.
d. anonymity, volunteerism, full information, and comprehension.

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122. Your psychology professor is conducting research and desperately needs more participants because the existing
subjects keep running from the building screaming! She tells the class that everyone must be a subject to get a grade
in the class and that there are no exceptions. In terms of ethical treatment of research subjects, her policy would
a. violate the informed consent concept of competence.
b. be acceptable as long as her procedures were presented to the institutional review board.
c. be acceptable if she carefully explained the experiment to each participant and allowed participants to quit if
they were uncomfortable during the procedure.
d. violate the informed consent concept of volunteerism.

123. When conducting research with adults who suffer from schizophrenia,
a. informed consent is not necessary.
b. informed consent must be given by a mentally competent family member or guardian.
c. it is difficult to meet the requirements of informed consent.
d. it is necessary to have the research procedures approved by the American Psychological Association.

124. Which of the following is NOT part considered part of proper ethical research?
a. Conducting research with many participants so that none are identified individually
b. Obtaining informed consent
c. Not coercing the participant to participate
d. Giving the participant full information from which to make a decision to participate in the research

125. Which of the following is TRUE with regard to deception of research participants?
a. It is not allowed under any circumstances.
b. The researcher must tell the participants about the deception after the study.
c. The researcher must obtain approval of the procedure from a special national review board.
d. The researcher need only tell the participants about the deception if not telling them would place the
participants in any harm.

126. Institutional review boards are typically made up of

a. animal rights group members and lawyers.
b. research participants and their families.
c. faculty and community members.
d. administrators and students.

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127. According to the APA’s IRB guidelines, participants in experiments must be fully informed
a. that they may or may not receive an active treatment.
b. that they will not receive active treatment until the research study is over.
c. if they are in the placebo group or the treatment group.
d. only that they are participants in a research study and that they can quit at any time.

128. Experiments designed to test new clinical treatments are called clinical .
a. trials
b. exams
c. functions
d. expectations

129. Provide definitions for the terms hypothesis, independent variable, dependent variable, and confound. Discuss how you
could use a control group and randomization to ensure that the results of an experiment are accurate.

ANSWER: Hypothesis—a statement summarizing your expected findings

Independent variables—the things you manipulate in a study
Dependent variables—the things you measure in a study
Confound—a factor in a study that renders the results impossible to interpret
In order to make sure your study results are accurate, it is a good idea to randomly assign people to
the control group and the experimental group so you know there is no systematic bias in the groups
that would confound your results.

130. Write a testable and untestable hypothesis. Explain each.

ANSWER:
Answers will vary but an example of a testable hypothesis is “People taller than 5 feet and 11 inches
have more followers on Twitter than those shorter than 5 feet 11 inches.” It is testable because “tall”
and “short: are well defined. In addition, the number of followers on Twitter is something that can be
measured.
In contrast, an untestable hypothesis could be “taller people have more friends.” This is not testable as
it is because “tall” and “friends” are undefined.

131. Write a hypothesis and identify the independent and dependent variables that could be measured.

nswers will vary. Correct answers will include a testable hypothesis. The independent variable will be the variable
manipulated by the researcher. The dependent variable will be the change in outcome. For example:
Hypothesis: “Taking a placebo in the morning increases how many times a participant smiles per day”
Independent Variable: Placebo
Dependent Variable: Smiles per
day

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132. Explain why you cannot imply a cause and effect relationship from data of a correlational study.

ANSWER:
Correlational designs are designed to study the relationships between two variables. When a high
correlation exists, one cannot conclude Factor A caused Factor B. One reason is directionality: Did A
cause B, or did B cause A? For example, does violence on TV cause children to be aggressive, or
because children are aggressive they watch violent TV?
A second reason is the third variable. Factors A and B may actually be related to a third variable that
is affecting the noted outcome. For example, college students who achieve well in the classroom sit
in the front of the room. Students may sit in the front because they are highly motivated and want a
seat where they are free from distraction and can see and hear clearly.

133. Explain why it is important to make a distinction between statistical and clinical significance when interpreting research
findings.

ANSWER: Statistical significance refers to the statistical or mathematical probability of something occurring, while
clinical significance refers to the actual real-world significance of the finding. It is important to make sure
that a finding matters in real-life terms.

134. Describe the Patient Uniformity Myth and explain why it is important to recognize in clinical research.

ANSWER: The Patient Uniformity Myth is when researchers mistakenly see all participants as one homogenous
group. It is problematic when it leads researchers to make inaccurate generalizations about
disorders and their treatments.

135. Describe the procedures of the cross-sectional and longitudinal research methods. What are the uses and limitations
of each of these methods?

ANSWER:
In cross-sectional designs, researchers take a cross-section of a population across different age groups
and compare them on some characteristics. Longitudinal studies involve following the same group of
people over time to assess change on the measures of interest. Longitudinal
studies allow researchers to assess individual change without cohort effects, however longitudinal studies
take a long time, can require enormous resources (including money), and may suffer from the loss of
participants over time.

136. Why is studying behavior across cultures important?

ulture can contextualize what is considered “normal” and “abnormal” in a given setting. For example, nudity is
more acceptable in Western Europe than in many parts of the Middle East. Therefore, someone who
regularly goes to a nude beach will be interpreted differently given the context. Although the
characteristics of different cultures can complicate research designs, it is important to consider the
impacts of beliefs, values, and even varying genetic information in your research.

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137. Why is replication important in research? Explain and give anexample.

ANSWER: Replication is an immunization against cynicism. Replicating findings is what makes researchers
confident that what they are observing is not a coincidence. In short, replication builds confidence in the
results of the research study. Imagine if you took a random sample of Americans and asked how much
tofu they ate. Suppose the results yielded a whopping 20 lbs per year! However, you may have over-
sampled healthy Americans or Americans in a particular region of the country. Replicating the findings
gives more confidence that what you found is true.

138. Describe each of the four components of informed consent for research participants. Explain why it may be
difficult to satisfy informed consent when research participants are mentally retarded adults.
ANSWER:
Competence—the participant is capable of consenting to participate in the research Voluntarism—
the person must volunteer, not be coerced, into participating in the study
Full information—participant must have all relevant information needed to make decisions about
whether or not to participate in the study
Comprehension—the participant must understand the study procedures
It can be difficult to meet these criteria if the individual is unable to fully understand and make a
voluntary decision about whether or not to participate.

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