Which of the is not a characteristic of scientific thinking?
A. Systematic observation
B. Criticality and skepticism
C. Intitution
D. Emperical Observation
ANSWER: C
What does empirical mean?
A. Ideas are generated through theorizing and conjecture
B. Studies are realistic and relevant to the real word
C. A study can be repeated and the same results found
D. Evidence is collected by making systematic observation in the world
ANSWER: D
What is another name for the scientific method?
A. Hypothetico-deductive method
B. Trial and error
C. Theoretical empirical method
D. Deducto-hypothetical method
ANSWER: A
In the scientific method, what step comes between theory and empirical
investigation?
A. Results
B. Hypothesis generation
C. Theory modification
D. Initial inspiration
ANSWER: B
What can be defined as a specific prediction about what will happen in the
particular conditions forming the study?
A. Hypothesis
B. Deductive reasoning
C. Theory
D. Inductive reasoning
ANSWER: A
If a theory is correct then the same findings should emerge if a study is repeated.
This is known as
A. Replication
B. Reproduction
C. Duplication
D. Propagation
ANSWER: A
When is deductive reasoning used in the research process?
A. In developing hypotheses.
B. In developing a theory.
C. In generalizing results to the population.
D. None of the above.
ANSWER: B
Hypotheses cannot be ‘proven’ to be true because the next study might produce
different results that refute the hypothesis. This is known as…
A. The problem of deduction
B. The problem of replication
C. The problem of proof
D. The problem of induction
ANSWER: D
Which of the following is a characteristic of qualitative methods?
A. Relies on replication of findings to consolidate and generalize conclusions.
B. Uses carefully controlled studies.
C. Emphasises the exploration of meaning.
D. Researcher is objective.
ANSWER: C
Deductive reasoning involves….
A. None of the above.
B. Reasoning from the general to the particular.
C. Generalising results to the population.
D. Reasoning from the particular to the general.
ANSWER: A
Which of the following is NOT one of the main purposes of a theory?
A. Predict how the results of research studies will turn out.
B. Explain why phenomena are related and what this means.
C. Describe the relationships between observed phenomena
D. Suggest several alternative explanations of phenomena.
ANSWER: D
A good theory is…
A. Precise, parsimonious and untestable.
B. Precise, complex and testable
C. Precise, parsimonious and testable
D. General, parsimonious and testable.
ANSWER: A
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of an untestable hypothesis?
A. Non-directionality.
B. Circularity
C. Appeal to unscientific notions.
D. Inadequate definition of concepts.
ANSWER: A
Event A can be inferred to cause event B if…
A. A happens before B.
B. If A doesn’t happen, B doesn’t happen either.
C. Whenever A happens, B happens.
D. All of the above.
ANSWER: D
The definition of a psychological construct such as ‘love’ in such a way as to
allow measurement of it is known as…
A. Conceptualisation.
B. Hypothesising
C. Scale of measurement.
D. An operational definition.
ANSWER: D
The order in which participants complete a task is an example of what level of
measurement?
A. Ratio
B. Interval
C. Nominal
D. Ordinal
ANSWER: D
What level of measurement would be used if participants were asked to choose their
favourite picture from a set of six?
A. Ratio
B. Ordinal
C. Interval
D. Nominal
ANSWER: D
What is the difference between data measured on an interval scale and data measured
on a ratio scale?
A. A ratio scale puts scores into categories, while an interval scale measures on a
continuous scale.
B. An interval scale has a true zero point, so zero on the scale corresponds to
zero of the concept being measured.
C. A ratio scale has a true zero point, so zero on the scale corresponds to zero of
the concept being measured.
D. A ratio scale has equal intervals between the points on the scale, whereas an
interval scale does not.
ANSWER: C
Asking participants to recruit further participants by word-of-mouth is what type
of sampling?
A. Self-Selecting
B. Snowball
C. Quota
D. Stratified random.
ANSWER: B
If groups of participants are selected to represent sub-groups in the population
(e.g. such as selecting an entire class of psychology students to be compared to a
group of history students), this is known as…
A. Simple random sampling.
B. Opportunity sampling.
C. Cluster sampling.
D. Haphazard sampling.
ANSWER: C
Which of the following is NOT one of the key characteristics of a true experiment?
A. Holding everything constant apart from the variable being manipulated.
B. The measurement of changes caused by the manipulation of a variable.
C. All participants experience all experimental conditions.
D. The manipulation of a variable.
ANSWER: C
In an experiment, the variable that is manipulated is called the…
A. Dependent variable.
B. Confounding variable.
C. Independent variable.
D. Independant variable.
ANSWER: C
______ tests focus on information acquired through the informal learning that goes
on in life.
A. Personality
B. Achievement
C. Aptitude
D. Intelligence
ANSWER: C
If a cricket coach calculates batting averages, what scale would be used?
A. Interval scale
B. Ratio scale
C. Nominal scale
D. Ordinal scale
ANSWER: B
An ordinal scale is:
A. The simplest form of measurement
B. A rank-order scale of measurement
C. A scale with equal intervals between adjacent numbers
D. A scale with an absolute zero point
ANSWER: B
Qualitative observation is usually done for exploratory purposes; it is also called
___________ observation.
A. Structured
B. Naturalistic
C. Complete
D. Probed
ANSWER: B
When constructing a questionnaire, there are principles to which you should adhere.
Which of the following is not one of those principles?
A. Do not use "leading" or "loaded" questions
B. Avoid double-barrelled questions
C. Avoid double negatives
D. Avoid using multiple items to measure a single construct
ANSWER: D
The term used to define the smallest element in sample selection is:
A. respondent
B. population unit
C. sample frame
D. sampling unit
ANSWER: D
Which of the following is a probability-based sample selection method?
A. judgment sampling
B. multistage stratified
C. accidental sampling
D. over sampling
ANSWER: B
Interviewing hockey players as they exit the arena is an example of what type of
sampling?
A. simple random
B. adaptive
C. convenience
D. cluster
ANSWER: C
