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

Why should correlation not be taken as proof of causation?

  1. ACorrelations are never statistically significant
  2. BCorrelation coefficients are always too weak to indicate any real relationship
  3. CA third variable or reverse causation could explain the relationship
  4. DCorrelations can only be negative
2.Easy

On a questionnaire, an item like "Strongly agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly disagree" is called a:

  1. ASemantic differential
  2. BRating of reaction time
  3. COpen question
  4. DLikert scale
3.Easy

In a naturalistic observation, the researcher:

  1. AControls the environment in a laboratory
  2. BObserves behaviour in its usual setting without manipulating variables
  3. CAsks participants to complete a questionnaire about their everyday behaviour
  4. DRandomly assigns participants to conditions
4.Medium

In a repeated measures design, order effects can be controlled by:

  1. ACounterbalancing
  2. BRandom sampling
  3. CSingle-blind procedures
  4. DUsing a larger sample only
5.Medium

A p-value of 0.03 means:

  1. AThe effect is large
  2. BThe result will replicate 97% of the time
  3. CIf the null hypothesis were true, data this extreme would occur about 3% of the time
  4. DGiven the observed data, there is only a 3% probability that the null hypothesis is true
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. AMann–Whitney U test
  2. BChi-square test
  3. CIndependent samples t-test
  4. DPaired (related) samples t-test
7.Hard

A study finds that students who sleep more have higher grades. Which design change would best allow a causal conclusion?

  1. ARandomly assign students to different sleep schedules
  2. BMeasure grades more accurately
  3. CSurvey more students
  4. DAsk students to report their sleep twice and average the two reports
8.Hard

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

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

Answer key

  1. 1. C · A third variable or reverse causation could explain the relationship
  2. 2. D · Likert scale
  3. 3. B · Observes behaviour in its usual setting without manipulating variables
  4. 4. A · Counterbalancing
  5. 5. C · If the null hypothesis were true, data this extreme would occur about 3% of the time
  6. 6. D · Paired (related) samples t-test
  7. 7. A · Randomly assign students to different sleep schedules
  8. 8. D · Refine the behaviour categories and train observers, then recheck agreement

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