Research methods in psychology worksheet with answers

A covert observation is one in which:

1. AThe observer joins the group being observed
2. BBehaviour is recorded in a laboratory
3. CParticipants know about the study and agree to it
4. DParticipants do not know they are being observed

Which sampling method selects people who happen to be available at the time, such as students in a canteen?

1. ARandom sampling
2. BOpportunity sampling
3. CStratified sampling
4. DSystematic sampling

Which is an example of qualitative data?

1. ANumber of words recalled
2. BInterview transcripts describing feelings about work
3. CScores on a 20-item memory test
4. DReaction times in milliseconds

To obtain a sample with the same proportions of first-, second- and third-year students as the university population, a researcher should use:

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

Ecological validity refers to:

1. AHow well findings generalise to real-life settings
2. BHow consistent a test is over time
3. CWhether a test predicts future behaviour
4. DWhether the test looks like it measures the right thing

A study is preregistered. This means that:

1. AThe study has already been published
2. BParticipants register their consent online
3. CThe results were checked and approved by a second, independent statistician before publication
4. DThe hypotheses, methods and analysis plan are recorded publicly before data collection

A study reports t(28) = 2.50, p = .018 for two independent groups of equal size. How many participants took part?

1. A29
2. B30
3. C56
4. D28

A researcher finds that ice cream sales and drowning deaths are positively correlated. Which explanation is most plausible?

1. AIce cream causes drowning
2. BHot weather increases both ice cream sales and swimming
3. CDrowning increases ice cream sales
4. DThe correlation must be a calculation error