Research Methods Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which type of sampling involves selecting individuals based on accessibility or the researcher's personal judgment?

Convenience Sampling (correct)

Stratified Sampling

Systematic Sampling

Operational Sampling

What level of measurement consists of categories without a set order?

Ordinal

Interval

Ratio

Nominal (correct)

Which type of research design establishes causality by manipulating independent variables with random selection?

Quasi-Experimental

Case Study

Descriptive

True Experiment (correct)

Which of the following is NOT a type of probability sampling?

Purposive Sampling (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic that distinguishes ratio from interval measurement?

True zero point (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which sampling method involves dividing the population into subgroups and then sampling from those groups?

Stratified Sampling (B) Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the complete group of individuals that a researcher is interested in studying?

Population (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which type of research design involves observing subjects in their natural environment without any manipulation?

Non-Experimental (C) Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary purpose of labeling the Evolving Interest in Culture-Related Issues questionnaire as a 'Personal Data Sheet'?

To disguise the true purpose of the test (D) Signup and view all the answers

What type of test is the Woodworth Psychoneurotic Inventory classified as?

Self-report Measure (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the term 'self-report' in psychological assessments?

A method where individuals supply their own assessment-related information (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by the term 'standard of care' in a professional setting?

The level of care expected from a competent professional (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a main criticism raised by Henry H. Goddard regarding personality tests?

They lack cultural relevance for specific test subjects. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes a 'projective test'?

It allows individuals to project their feelings onto ambiguous stimuli. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes 'legal considerations' in psychological testing?

Laws ensuring safety and efficacy of tests (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of a 'Code of Professional Ethics'?

To define expected standards of behavior in a profession (C) Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes traits from states in psychology?

Traits are relatively enduring ways in which individuals vary. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How is variance defined in the context of scores?

The average squared difference of scores from the mean. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What does the standard deviation represent in psychological measurement?

The variability of test scores from the mean. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is an assumption regarding psychological traits and states?

They can be qualified and measured. (D) Signup and view all the answers

In test development, what is crucial for the measurement of specific traits and states?

Carefully defining the constructs being measured. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'overt behavior' refer to in psychological testing?

Observable actions or products of observable actions. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'construct' imply in psychological measurement?

It is a scientifically developed concept used for describing behavior. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is one relation between test-related behavior and non-test-related behavior?

Test-related behavior may predict non-test-related behavior. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What does the Spearman-Brown formula primarily assess?

The reliability obtained from two equivalent halves of a single test (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is systematic error?

A source of error that is consistent and proportional to the true value (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a source of error variance in testing?

Respondent bias (B) Signup and view all the answers

What does the Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20) assess?

The degree of correlation among all items on a scale (B) Signup and view all the answers

What does cost refer to in the context of test utility?

Disadvantages, losses, or expenses (D) Signup and view all the answers

What does internal consistency measure in the context of test reliability?

The degree of correlation among all items in a scale (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is Leniency Error characterized by?

A tendency to score generously (C) Signup and view all the answers

What does Utility Analysis primarily entail?

A family of techniques for cost-benefit analysis (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these reliability estimates would be associated with different administrations of the same test?

Test-retest reliability (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which error arises from a general reluctance to give extreme ratings?

Central Tendency Error (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of heterogeneity in the context of test measurement?

The degree to which a test measures different factors (A) Signup and view all the answers

The coefficient of stability is primarily concerned with what time interval?

Greater than six months (D) Signup and view all the answers

A cutoff score is defined as which of the following?

A reference point used to classify data (C) Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes Central Tendency Error?

Scores cluster around the mean (A) Signup and view all the answers

What forms the basis of Restriction-of-range rating errors?

Comparisons of individuals against one another (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following does NOT relate to Rating Error?

The process of making sound judgments (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the first step in calculating Split Half Reliability?

Divide the test into equivalent halves (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly describes Inter-Scorer Reliability?

The agreement between two or more scorers on a measure (D) Signup and view all the answers

What does the Spearman–Brown formula relate to in the context of Split Half Reliability?

Adjusting the half-test reliability (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which theory is the most widely used in psychometric literature today?

Classical Test Theory (CTT) (D) Signup and view all the answers

What does Face Validity relate to?

How well a test appears to measure its intended concept (A) Signup and view all the answers

Domain Sampling Theory aims to estimate what aspect of test scoring?

The variation in specific sources affecting the score (B) Signup and view all the answers

The reliability obtained from correlating scores on two halves of a test is primarily referred to as?

Split Half Reliability (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is primarily assessed by Ecological Validity?

How well a test measures in real-world scenarios (D) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Psychological Testing and Assessment

Psychological testing is a process of measuring psychological variables using devices or procedures designed to sample behavior
Psychological assessment involves gathering and integrating relevant data to make a psychological evaluation using tests, interviews, case studies, behavioral observation, and specialized apparatuses and measurement procedures.
Psychological testing and assessment started with Alfred Binet and a colleague publishing a test to help place Paris schoolchildren in appropriate classes in the early 1900s
During WWII, the military used psychological tests to screen recruits
Subsequently, many more psychological tests were developed to measure a wider range of psychological variables

Varieties of Assessment

Educational Assessment uses tests and other tools to evaluate abilities and skills related to school success. Examples include intelligence tests, achievement tests, and reading comprehension tests
Retrospective Assessment uses tools to evaluate past psychological aspects of a person
Remote Assessment uses tools to assess individuals not physically present
Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) evaluates specific problems and related cognitive/behavioral variables at the time and place they occur

The Process of Assessment

The process involves referrals, initial contact, selection of tools, formal assessment, report writing, and feedback sessions
Collaborative Psychological Testing, where assessors and assessee work together, is a collaborative approach
Therapeutic Psychological Assessment helps with self-discovery and understanding throughout the assessment process

Behavioral Observation

Monitoring actions, visually or electronically, while recording observations.
Role-play tests involve acting in improvised or simulated situations.

Tools of Psychological Assessment

Tests are measuring devices/procedures to assess psychological variables like intelligence, personality, aptitude, interests, attitudes, or values.
Interviews gather information through direct communication
Panel interviews involve more than one interviewer
Motivational interviewing combines person-centered listening with techniques affecting motivation
Portfolios and case history data are valuable sources of information

Historical, Cultural, and Ethical Considerations

Psychological testing and assessment have roots in antiquity, with early examples appearing in China's imperial examinations.
Famous figures include Francis Galton and Wilhelm Wundt, who established early psychological laboratories.
Test developers should consider cultural and historical context, as well as legal/ethical considerations.

Statistics Refresher

Statistics are techniques for analyzing, interpreting, displaying, and making decisions based on data.
Data encompass qualitative and quantitative values, made up of variables (anything measurable).
Variables may take different values between individuals and even within the same individual at different times.
Independent variables are controlled by researchers
Dependent variables are measured to see how they respond to changes in the independent variables
Qualitative variables describe qualities; quantitative variables give numerical values
Measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode) summarize data
Measures of variability/spread (range) describe how dispersed data is

Levels/Scale of Measurement

Nominal categorizes data.
Ordinal ranks data.
Interval measures differences between values.
Ratio measures ratios between values.

Psychological Tests

Test Takers are the individuals being assessed
Psychological Autopsy is a reconstruction of a deceased individual's psychological profile

Types of Research Designs

Experimental designs investigate cause-and-effect relationships
Quasi-experimental designs use existing groups, not random assignments
Non-experimental designs observe events without manipulating variables

Graphing Qualitative Variables

Frequency Tables categorize data, providing counts and frequencies.
Various graphs (pie charts, bar charts, histograms, frequency polygons, cumulative frequency polygons) visually represent qualitative data distributions.

The Shape of the Distribution

Symmetrical distributions are mirrored images.
Asymmetrical/Skewed distributions have one tail disproportionately longer.

Kurtosis

The degree of flatness or peakiness of a distribution
Distributions with higher peaks are leptokurtic
Distributions with lower peaks are platykurtic

Measures of Central Tendency

Mean is the average of a set of numbers
Median is the middle value in a sorted set
Mode is the most frequent value

Measures of Variability/Spread

Range is the difference between the highest and lowest values

Interquartile Range (IQR)

The IQR is a measure of the dispersion of the middle 50% of the data.
It is calculated as the difference between the 75th and 25th percentile.

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Description

Test your understanding of various research methods and measurement levels. This quiz covers topics such as sampling techniques, research design, and measurement types. Reflect on different methodologies used in psychological research and their implications.