Question 1

Which of the following best describes the scientific attitude required in psychology?

Accepted Answer

Being skeptical but not cynical, open-minded but not gullible, and willing to explore and understand without being misled

Question 2

A psychologist is conducting a study to determine if a new teaching method improves student test scores. She randomly assigns students to either the new method or the traditional method and compares their final exam results. In this experiment, what is the independent variable?

Accepted Answer

The teaching method used (new vs. traditional)

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of hindsight bias?

Accepted Answer

Believing you could have predicted the outcome of an event after it has already happened

Question 4

A researcher wants to study the natural behavior of children on a playground without interfering. Which research method is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Naturalistic observation

Question 5

What is the main limitation of correlational research?

Accepted Answer

It cannot determine cause and effect

Question 6

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of regression toward the mean?

Accepted Answer

A student who scores extremely high on one test tends to score closer to the average on the next test

Question 7

According to the biopsychosocial approach, which of the following would NOT be considered when analyzing behavior?

Accepted Answer

Astrological signs

Question 8

Which of the following is a key difference between behaviorism and Freudian (psychoanalytic) psychology?

Accepted Answer

Behaviorism focuses on observable behavior, while Freudian psychology emphasizes unconscious mental processes

Question 9

A survey is conducted to measure the relationship between hours spent on social media and reported levels of anxiety. The correlation coefficient is found to be $$r = 0.65. $$What does this indicate?

Accepted Answer

There is a strong positive relationship between social media use and anxiety

Question 10

Which of the following best describes an operational definition?

Accepted Answer

A carefully worded statement of the exact procedures used in a research study

Question 11

A psychologist wants to ensure that her sample accurately represents the population she is studying. Which sampling method should she use?

Accepted Answer

Random sampling

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of confirmation bias?

Accepted Answer

Seeking out information that supports your existing beliefs and ignoring contradictory evidence

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a step in Stephan Lewandowsky's 4-step process for debunking misinformation?

Accepted Answer

Ignore the myth and only present the correct information

Question 14

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of illusory correlation?

Accepted Answer

Believing that two unrelated events are connected because they occur together

Question 15

In an experiment, what is the dependent variable?

Accepted Answer

The variable that is measured and may change in response to manipulations

Question 16

Which of the following is a benefit of using meta-analysis in psychological research?

Accepted Answer

It allows researchers to analyze the results of multiple studies to reach an overall conclusion

Question 17

A psychologist is interested in how cultural differences affect parenting styles. Which subfield of psychology is most relevant to this research?

Accepted Answer

Cultural psychology

Question 18

Which of the following is an ethical requirement for research involving human participants?

Accepted Answer

Obtaining informed consent from participants

Question 19

Which of the following best describes the empirical approach in psychology?

Accepted Answer

Drawing on observation and experimentation to gather evidence

Question 20

A researcher finds a correlation coefficient of $$r = -0.80$$ between hours of sleep and reported stress levels. What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

As hours of sleep increase, stress levels tend to decrease

Foundations of Psychology: Science, History, and Methods

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