Research methods in psychology worksheet with answers

Ranking runners as first, second and third produces which level of data?

1. AOrdinal
2. BInterval
3. CNominal
4. DRatio

A hypothesis that predicts the direction of an effect is called:

1. AAn operational hypothesis
2. BA null hypothesis
3. CDirectional (one-tailed)
4. DNon-directional (two-tailed)

A hypothesis that predicts a difference but does not say in which direction is called:

1. AAn operational definition
2. BDirectional (one-tailed)
3. CNon-directional (two-tailed)
4. DA null hypothesis

A p-value of 0.03 means:

1. AThe result will replicate 97% of the time
2. BIf the null hypothesis were true, data this extreme would occur about 3% of the time
3. CGiven the observed data, there is only a 3% probability that the null hypothesis is true
4. DThe effect is large

A student scores 130 on a test with mean 100 and standard deviation 15. What is the z-score?

1. A1.5
2. B3.0
3. C0.5
4. D2.0

In a content analysis, inter-rater reliability is checked by:

1. AAsking participants afterwards whether the researcher's coding of their material is correct
2. BHaving two researchers code the same material and comparing results
3. CUsing a larger sample of materials
4. DCoding the material twice in one day

A researcher records data at nine time points and tests at the 5% level each time without correction. What is the problem?

1. AThe data become more reliable each time, so the final test is the most accurate
2. BThe effect size falls with each test
3. CThe chance of at least one false positive rises well above 5%
4. DThere is no problem with this approach

A psychology department recruits participants only from introductory psychology courses. Critics say samples are "WEIRD". What does this refer to?

1. ASamples that withdraw early from studies
2. BWestern, Educated, Industrialised, Rich and Democratic samples that may not generalise
3. CSamples recruited using weighted random methods
4. DSamples that are unusually strange in their behaviour