Research methods in psychology worksheet with answers

In a naturalistic observation, the researcher:

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

A Type II error occurs when a researcher:

1. AMeasures the wrong dependent variable
2. BFails to reject a null hypothesis that is actually false
3. CRejects a null hypothesis that is actually true, finding an effect that is not there
4. DUses the wrong statistical test

Selecting every 10th name from a list of the population is an example of:

1. AOpportunity sampling
2. BSystematic sampling
3. CSnowball sampling
4. DStratified sampling

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. AStratified sampling
2. BSnowball sampling
3. CRandom sampling
4. DSystematic sampling

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

1. AChi-square test
2. BMann–Whitney U test
3. CIndependent samples t-test
4. DPaired (related) samples t-test

A researcher wants to test whether there is an association between gender (male/female) and preferred film genre (four categories). Which test is appropriate?

1. APaired t-test
2. BOne-way ANOVA
3. CPearson's correlation
4. DChi-square test of independence

In Milgram's obedience studies, participants believed they were giving real electric shocks. Which ethical issue is most directly raised, and how was it partly addressed?

1. ALack of confidentiality, addressed by publishing names
2. BUse of children, addressed by parental consent
3. CDeception and potential distress, addressed by a thorough debriefing
4. DLack of a control group, addressed by randomly allocating participants to conditions

A researcher wants to test whether a new teaching method causes better grades, but cannot randomise students. Which design gives the strongest causal evidence in this situation?

1. ACorrelating grades with how much students like the teacher
2. BComparing matched classes measured before and after, with a comparison group
3. CAsking students whether they think the method worked
4. DMeasuring only the class using the new method after teaching