Guide to using the learning objectives
1.
Outline3
two reasons why descriptive methods cannot test causal hypotheses.
2.
Identify
which of the following research goal(s) can be achieved using descriptive methods:
description, prediction, explanation, and control.
3.
Discuss2
how descriptive methods can help researchers predict what will
happen. Provide3 an example that is not from your text.
4.
Defend4
the following statement, "We need science when describing behavior."
a.
Provide3 four reasons in defense
of the above statement.
b. Generate5 a brief explanation
why each of these four reasons is important.
5.
Defend4
the following statement, "The key to getting a representative sample is to
get a large and random sample." Discuss2 what each of the following
terms mean as you generate your answer:
a.
representative
b. random
6.
You did
an experiment looking at the effect of chocolate consumption on memory. You also collected data on age, gender
and birth order. Later, you decide to see if birth order is related to memory.
a.
Explain2 why this research
(birth order and recall) would be considered ex post facto.
b. Suppose this ex post facto research suggested
that first-born children had better memory than later-born children.
i.
Construct3 a question to
assess the study's external validity.
ii.
Construct3 a question to
assess the study's construct validity.
iii.
Construct3
a question to assess the study's internal validity.
7.
Define1the
term archival data.
8.
Describe2and
provide3 an example of each of the following:
a.
collected and coded data
b. collected but uncoded data
9.
Define1content
analysis and explain2 why it is valuable.
10.
Describe2an
example of archival data. Criticize2 or praise2 the internal,
external, and construct validity of archival data.
11.
Examine4the
relationship between archival data and the psychologist's desire to understand
the individual.
12.
Provide3an
example of each of the following:
a.
naturalistic observation
b. participant observation.
13.
Compare4
and contrast4 naturalistic and participant observation.
a.
How are they similar?
b. How are they different (be sure
to address their different strengths and weaknesses)?
14.
Imagine
you were going to use observation to study rudeness. Decide6 whether
you would use participant observation or naturalistic observation. Justify6
your decision.
15.
Describe2
two problems with using observation. For each problem, discuss2
how you could minimize the problem.
16.
Imagine
you were to study extroversion and had to choose between using observation or using
tests. Compare4 the advantages and disadvantages of each in terms of
internal, external, and construct validity. Then, decide6 which
method you would use and justify6 your decision.
17.
Draw
a frequency distribution of the following data: 3, 3, 3, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8. Then,
compute the mode, median, and mean of those data. Finally, explain2
why those data are not morally distributed.
18.
Explain
why one might want to do a one-sample t
test.
19.
Give1 one similarity between
doing a one-sample t test and
creating a confidence interval.
20.
Explain2
the advantage(s) of constructing a confidence interval over doing a one-sample t test.
21.
Define1positive
correlation, negative correlation, and zero
correlation.
22.
Explain2
how you can determine from a scatterplot graph whether the correlation
(degree of relationship) between 2 variables is positive, negative, or zero.
23.
Generate5a
graph that illustrates the following data on scores on an assertiveness scale and
scores on an extroversion scale:
assertiveness = 8, extroversion = 59
assertiveness = 11, extroversion = 63
assertiveness = 10, extroversion = 57
assertiveness = 7, extroversion = 54
assertiveness = 12, extroversion = 64
24.
Distinguish4between
a relationship described by a Pearson r with a positive sign and one described by
a negative sign.
25.
Explain2
the difference between a strong correlation and a weak correlation.
26.
Fill
in four tables like the table below with the hypothetical results of four studies
that looked at the relationship between participants' skill at winning the game
"Paper, scissors, stone" and participants' grade-point average. Generate5 results
that would express
a.
A strong positive correlation
b. A strong negative correlation
c.
A weak positive correlation
d. A weak negative correlation
|
|
Participant's number of wins in
"paper, rock, scissors" game |
|
|
Participant's
Grade Point Average |
|
|
|
|
Below
Average |
Above
Average |
|
Below
Average |
|
|
|
Above
Average |
|
|
27.
Define1coefficient
of determination. Explain2 how to calculate the coefficient
of determination from the Pearson r.
28.
Explain2
(by calculating the coefficient of determination) why
a.
A negative correlation of -.50 does not indicate a weaker relationship
than a positive correlation of +.50
b. A correlation of -.50 is stronger than
a correlation of +.30
c.
A correlation of Ð50 indicates a
stronger relationship than a correlation of -.30
d. A correlation of +0.1 indicates a weak
relationship between variables.
29.
Explain2
why obtaining a correlation of .30 in your sample might not indicate that the two variables are
correlated in the population.
30.
Explain2
why
a.
the correlation between two variables
is more likely to be significantly different from 0 in a study obtaining a
correlation coefficient of .90 between the two than in a study obtaining a
correlation coefficient of .10.
b. the correlation between two variables
is more likely to be significantly different from 0 in a study obtaining a
study based on 100 participants that obtains a correlation coefficient of .30
between two variables than in a study based on 10 participants that obtains the
same .30 correlation.
31.
Explain2
the importance of having a random sample of a population for enabling you
to know whether you can generalize your results to the population.
32.
Define1median
split. Use4 a median split (based on introversion scores) to
place the following participants into groups.
Participant |
Introversion
score |
Happiness
score |
|
Juan |
10 |
6 |
|
Sarah |
5 |
7 |
|
Albert |
4 |
8 |
|
Maria |
9 |
9 |
33.
Compare4
and contrast4 the advantages and disadvantages of using a
median split --instead of testing whether the correlation is significantly different
from zero--to look at the relationship between introversion and happiness. (Be
sure to discuss power in your response.)
34.
Explain2
why, in terms of power, statistical tests that use more information, provide
more information. Then, rank6 the power of the following: (a) ANOVA,
(b) t test based on a medium split, (c) t test to determine the
significance of a correlation coefficient.
35. Defend4the following statement, "with correlational research, significant results do not allow you to make cause-effect statements."
36.
Explain2why
you might obtain a significant correlation between two variables even though
the variables are not really related (a "false alarm").Then, explain2
what you could do to minimize your chances of having such false alarms.
37.
Generate5four
reasons why you might fail to find a relationship between variables even though
such a relationship exists.