QUESTION BANK
CHAPTER – 2
METHODS OF ENQUIRY IN PSYCHOLOGY
1. Which of the following is not a goal of psychological enquiry?
a) Description
b) Explanation
c) Speculation
d) Prediction
2. The goal of control in psychology refers to:
a) Manipulating variables to observe outcomes
b) Preventing individuals from behaving freely
c) Recording data without interference
d) Describing past behaviors
3. Define prediction in psychological enquiry.
4. Explain the difference between description and explanation in psychological enquiry.
5. How do psychologists achieve the goal of prediction in research? Give an example.
6. Discuss the importance of control as a goal in psychological enquiry with an illustration.
7. “Goals of psychological enquiry are interrelated and complementary.” Discuss with
suitable examples.
8. A school counselor observes that students who score low on self-esteem tests also report
higher anxiety levels. Identify the goals of psychological enquiry reflected in this
observation and explain.
9. Psychological data differs from physical data because it is:
a) Objective and measurable
b) Subjective and context-dependent
c) Always numerical
d) Free from interpretation
10. Which of the following is an example of psychological data?
a) Heart rate
b) EEG reading
c) Self-reported happiness
d) Reaction time
11. What do you mean by psychological data?
12. State two characteristics of psychological data.
13. Differentiate between qualitative and quantitative psychological data with examples.
14. Why is context important while collecting psychological data? Explain with examples.
15. Psychological data is complex and multi-dimensional. Evaluate this statement with
examples of different types of data.
16. A psychologist collects heart rate, skin conductance, and self-reported stress scores from
participants exposed to an exam situation. Identify the nature of data collected and
justify.
17. The first step in psychological research is:
a) Hypothesis formulation
b) Problem identification
c) Data collection
d) Analysis
18. A testable prediction derived from a theory is called:
a) Variable
b) Hypothesis
c) Sample
d) Data
19. Define hypothesis.
20. Differentiate between population and sample.
21. Explain the importance of data analysis in psychological research.
22. Describe the major steps involved in psychological research.
23. With the help of an example, critically analyze the stepwise process of conducting
psychological research.
24. A psychologist wants to study the impact of peer pressure on academic performance.
Frame a suitable hypothesis, mention the sample, and explain the research steps involved.
25. Which is not a type of observation?
a) Naturalistic
b) Participant
c) Controlled
d) Correlational
26. What is participant observation?
27. Differentiate between naturalistic and controlled observation.
28. Explain the merits and limitations of observation method.
29. “Observation is both a scientific and artful method.” Discuss.
30. Evaluate observation as a method of psychological enquiry with examples.
31. A researcher joins a school as a sports coach to study aggression in players. Identify the
method used and explain its advantages and limitations.
32. The variable manipulated by the researcher is called:
a) Dependent variable
b) Independent variable
c) Extraneous variable
d) Control variable
33. What is randomization in experimental research?
34. Mention two merits of experimental method.
35. Differentiate between independent and dependent variables with examples.
36. Discuss the ethical issues related to experimental method.
37. Describe the experimental method in psychology. How do researchers control extraneous
variables?
38. A psychologist designs an experiment to test whether background music affects memory
recall. Identify independent, dependent, and extraneous variables. Suggest a suitable
design.
39. Correlation coefficient ranges from:
a) -1 to 1
b) 0 to 100
c) -100 to 100
d) -10 to 10
40. Define correlation.
41. Explain the difference between positive and negative correlation with examples.
42. Why can correlation not establish cause-effect relationship?
43. State the merits and demerits of correlational method.
44. “Correlation helps in prediction but not in establishing causation.” Elaborate with
examples.
45. A psychologist finds that higher screen time is associated with lower sleep quality among
teenagers. Identify the type of correlation. Can a causal inference be made? Justify.
46. Which tool is commonly used in surveys?
a) Reaction time apparatus
b) Questionnaire
c) EEG
d) Polygraph
47. Define survey method.
48. Give two limitations of survey method.
49. Explain how surveys are useful in large-scale psychological research.
50. Distinguish between structured and unstructured questionnaires.
51. Critically evaluate the survey method in psychology.
52. A psychologist designs a survey to study the relationship between social media use and
self-esteem among adolescents. Suggest appropriate tools and discuss the strengths and
weaknesses of this method.
53. The method most suitable for studying unique individuals in depth is:
a) Survey
b) Case study
c) Observation
d) Experiment
54. What is a case study?
55. Mention two advantages of case study method.
56. Differentiate between case study and survey method.
57. Explain the importance of case study method in clinical settings.
58. Critically evaluate the case study method in psychology.
59. A clinical psychologist studies the life history of a patient suffering from dissociative
amnesia. Which method is being used? What are its strengths and limitations?
60. Which is not a type of interview?
a) Structured
b) Semi-structured
c) Unstructured
d) Blind
61. Define interview method.
62. Differentiate between structured and unstructured interview.
63. Mention merits and limitations of interview method.
64. Discuss the ethical concerns in interview method.
65. Evaluate the role of interviews in psychological research with examples.
66. A psychologist interviews parents of autistic children to understand their coping
mechanisms. Identify the method used and explain how it helps collect data.
67. Which of the following is not a psychological test?
a) Intelligence test
b) Personality test
c) Blood test
d) Aptitude test
68. What is a psychological test?
69. Mention two essential features of a good psychological test.
70. Differentiate between aptitude and personality tests with examples.
71. Discuss the significance of reliability and validity in psychological testing.
72. Describe psychological tests as a method of enquiry. Explain their types and applications.
73. A counselor administers an aptitude test to help a student choose a career stream. Identify
the method and discuss its usefulness.
74. Which of the following is a measure of central tendency?
a) Range
b) Mean
c) Standard deviation
d) Variance
75. In psychology, data analysis involves:
a) Only numerical calculations
b) Organizing, summarizing, and interpreting data
c) Drawing without patterns
d) Collecting raw facts only
76. Define frequency distribution.
77. Differentiate between descriptive and inferential statistics.
78. Explain the significance of graphical representation in data analysis.
79. What are measures of central tendency? Explain with examples.
80. Discuss the role of statistics in psychological enquiry. Illustrate with examples.
81. A psychologist finds that students scored 10, 20, 20, 30, 40 on a stress scale. Calculate
the mean. What does it indicate about the data?
82. Which of the following is a limitation of psychological enquiry?
a) Contextual nature of data
b) Generalizability
c) Objectivity
d) Replicability
83. Psychological enquiry often faces the challenge of:
a) Limited objectivity
b) High reliability
c) Easy replication
d) Fixed outcomes
84. Mention one limitation of psychological enquiry.
85. Why is generalization difficult in psychological research?
86. Explain ethical concerns as a limitation of psychological enquiry.
87. Discuss the limitations of psychological enquiry with suitable examples.
88. Critically evaluate the scientific nature of psychology in light of its limitations.
89. A researcher conducts a study on aggression in urban schools and tries to generalize the
findings to rural schools. Identify the limitation reflected here and explain.
90. Informed consent means.
a) Participants must be forced to participate
b) Participants are fully aware of the study before agreeing
c) Participants cannot withdraw from the study
d) Deception is always allowed
91. Which of the following is not an ethical principle?
a) Confidentiality
b) Voluntary participation
c) Informed consent
d) Manipulation of data
92. What is informed consent?
93. State two ethical principles in psychological research.
94. Why is confidentiality important in psychological enquiry?
95. Discuss the role of ethics in psychological research.
96. Critically analyze the ethical principles in psychological research with examples.
97. A psychologist conducts an experiment on sleep deprivation but does not inform
participants about the possible side effects. Identify the ethical violation and suggest
corrective measures.
98. Which of the following is an emerging trend in psychological enquiry?
a) Qualitative research
b) Multicultural research
c) Neuroscientific approach
d) All of the above
99. Qualitative research focuses on:
a) Numbers and statistics
b) Subjective experiences and meanings
c) Only cause-effect relationships
d) Physiological measures
100. What is qualitative research?
101. Differentiate between qualitative and quantitative approaches.
102. Explain the role of neuroscience in modern psychological enquiry.
103. How does multicultural perspective influence psychological research?
104. Discuss the emerging trends in psychological enquiry and their significance in
broadening the scope of psychology.
105. A researcher studies how cultural background influences parenting styles among Indian
and American families. Identify the trend in psychological enquiry and explain its
relevance.