Research methods in psychology worksheet with answers

Free printable Research methods in psychology worksheet: 8 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

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1.Easy

Social desirability bias in questionnaires means that respondents:

  1. AChoose answers at random
  2. BRefuse to answer sensitive questions
  3. CAnswer in ways that make them look good
  4. DAlways agree with every statement
2.Easy

In an experiment, the variable that is measured to see whether it is affected by the manipulation is the:

  1. AIndependent variable
  2. BDependent variable
  3. CExtraneous variable
  4. DControl variable
3.Easy

Data that are categories with no order, such as eye colour, are at which level of measurement?

  1. ARatio
  2. BNominal
  3. COrdinal
  4. DInterval
4.Medium

A researcher studies the effect of gender on memory scores. Why is this a quasi-experiment rather than a true experiment?

  1. AThe DV is not measured
  2. BThe study takes place in a laboratory
  3. CThere are only two conditions, and a true experiment needs at least three levels of the IV
  4. DThe IV is a pre-existing characteristic, so participants cannot be randomly allocated to it
5.Medium

A researcher sends a questionnaire to all students and then asks respondents to recruit friends who also use a rare sleep app. Which sampling method is used for the second step?

  1. ARandom sampling
  2. BStratified sampling
  3. CSnowball sampling
  4. DSystematic sampling
6.Medium

The same 25 participants complete a memory test before and after caffeine. The scores are interval and roughly normal. Which test is appropriate?

  1. APaired (related) samples t-test
  2. BChi-square test
  3. CIndependent samples t-test
  4. DMann–Whitney U test
7.Hard

Two observers record aggressive acts in a playground and their counts correlate at r = 0.45. What should the researcher do?

  1. ARefine the behaviour categories and train observers, then recheck agreement
  2. BUse only the higher of the two counts
  3. CSwitch to a one-tailed hypothesis
  4. DAccept the data because any positive correlation is enough
8.Hard

A participant takes a drug or a sugar pill but does not know which, while the researcher does. What design is this and what bias remains possible?

  1. AOpen trial; placebo effects are fully controlled
  2. BSingle-blind; demand characteristics are impossible
  3. CSingle-blind; experimenter bias is still possible
  4. DDouble-blind; no bias is possible

Answer key

  1. 1. C · Answer in ways that make them look good
  2. 2. B · Dependent variable
  3. 3. B · Nominal
  4. 4. D · The IV is a pre-existing characteristic, so participants cannot be randomly allocated to it
  5. 5. C · Snowball sampling
  6. 6. A · Paired (related) samples t-test
  7. 7. A · Refine the behaviour categories and train observers, then recheck agreement
  8. 8. C · Single-blind; experimenter bias is still possible

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