BAPSY FREE BAPSY Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Psychological Research Methods Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A researcher wants to determine whether sleep deprivation causes decreased reaction time. Which research design is most appropriate?
- True experimental design (Correct answer)
- Correlational study
- Naturalistic observation
- Case study
Correct answer: True experimental design
A true experimental design with random assignment and manipulation of the independent variable is needed to establish causation.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of a double-blind procedure in psychological research?
- To reduce both participant and researcher bias (Correct answer)
- To increase the sample size
- To ensure random sampling from the population
- To replicate findings across multiple studies
Correct answer: To reduce both participant and researcher bias
Double-blind procedures prevent both participants and researchers from knowing group assignments, minimizing expectation-related biases.
Question 3: Which measure of central tendency is most affected by extreme outliers in a data set?
- Mean (Correct answer)
- Median
- Mode
- Interquartile range
Correct answer: Mean
The mean incorporates every value in the calculation, making it highly sensitive to extreme scores that pull it toward the outlier.
Question 4: A psychologist notices that students who exercise more frequently also report lower stress levels. What conclusion can be drawn?
- Exercise and stress are negatively correlated (Correct answer)
- Exercise causes reduced stress
- Reduced stress causes more exercise
- There is no relationship between the variables
Correct answer: Exercise and stress are negatively correlated
Correlational data can only establish that a relationship exists and its direction, not that one variable causes changes in another.
Question 5: In a study with 200 participants, what does a p-value of 0.03 indicate?
- There is a 3% probability the results occurred by chance alone assuming the null hypothesis is true (Correct answer)
- The effect size is 3%
- 97% of participants showed the expected effect
- The study has a 3% error rate in measurement
Correct answer: There is a 3% probability the results occurred by chance alone assuming the null hypothesis is true
A p-value of 0.03 means there is a 3% probability of obtaining results at least this extreme if the null hypothesis were true.
Question 6: Which ethical principle requires researchers to inform participants about potential risks before they agree to take part in a study?
- Informed consent (Correct answer)
- Debriefing
- Confidentiality
- Beneficence
Correct answer: Informed consent
Informed consent requires that participants receive clear information about procedures, risks, and their right to withdraw before agreeing to participate.
BAPSY FREE BAPSY Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Psychological Research Methods Questions and Answers 2
A researcher wants to determine whether sleep deprivation causes decreased reaction time.
Which research design is most appropriate?