More About Correlational Studies Chapter 11 Test Bank

Test Bank

Chapter 11: More About Correlational Studies

Multiple Choice

1. In a correlational study, the variable that is used to predict the outcome variable is called the ______ variable.

a. dependent

b. predictor

c. confounding

d. third

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. In a correlational study, the variable that is predicted by the predictor variable is called the ______ variable.

a. outcome

b. dependent

c. confounding

d. third

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. Correlational studies are not well-suited for answering ______ research questions.

a. causal

b. descriptive

c. predictive

d. outcome

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. When a variable that is not of interest in a study may explain the results of a study is a ______.

a. high internal validity

b. third variable problem

c. experimenter bias

d. low reliability

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. Suppose that a researcher found that as introversion (as measured on a standardized questionnaire) of participants goes up, the number of social activities attended per week goes down. This finding represents ______.

a. a positive relationship

b. a negative relationship

c. no relationship

d. a flawed study

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Descriptive Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. Suppose that a researcher found that as introversion (as measured on a standardized questionnaire) of participants goes up, number of social activities attended per week goes up. This finding represents ______.

a. a positive relationship

b. a negative relationship

c. no relationship

d. a flawed study

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Descriptive Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. Of the following, the ______ represents the correlational research design.

a. two groups of participants (those who are left handed and those who are right handed) are asked to perform a speeded cognitive task to compare performance for the two groups

b. participants take a handedness questionnaire with score indicating the degree of right- and left-handedness to look for a relationship between handedness score and time to complete a cognitive task

c. participants are randomly assigned to conditions where a cognitive task is given with speeded or non-speeded instructions to determine if there is an effect of instruction type of task performance

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. In ______ studies, researchers examine two or more measures to determine if those measures are related.

a. correlational

b. descriptive

c. predictive

d. analytical

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. The ______ analyses allow predictions.

a. regressions

b. t tests

c. ANOVAs

d. ANCOVAs

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. A correlational study ______ provide causal information about the relationship between the measures, it can only describe the relationship between the behaviors.

a. can

b. cannot

c. sometimes

d. will always

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. Most of the research showing a link between smoking and long-term health in humans has involved ______ studies.

a. correlational

b. descriptive

c. predictive

d. analytical

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. A relationship between variables characterized by an increase in one variable that occurs with an increase in the other variable is called ______.

a. a positive relationship

b. a negative relationship

c. a causal relationship

d. a predictive relationship

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Descriptive Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

13. A relationship between variables characterized by an increase in one variable that occurs with a decrease in the other variable is called a ______.

a. positive relationship

b. negative relationship

c. causal relationship

d. predictive relationship

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Descriptive Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

14. In many studies related to ______, correlational studies are the only options because we cannot subject someone to factors that may negatively harm them for ethical reasons.

a. behavior

b. health

c. weather

d. animals

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

15. The strong ______ correlations between age and incidence of Alzheimer’s disease found in many studies seem to indicate a 50% likelihood of getting Alzheimer’s disease by age 85.

a. positive

b. negative

c. causal

d. predictive

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

16. Important information can be gained from correlational studies about the likelihood of an event based on the relationship with another event, but this relationship may or may not be ______.

a. positive

b. negative

c. causal

d. predictive

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

17. A research question that asks about the presence of behavior, how frequently it is exhibited, or whether there is a relationship between different behaviors is a ______ research question.

a. positive

b. negative

c. descriptive

d. predictive

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

18. A research question that asks if one behavior can be predicted from another behavior to allow predictions of future behavior is a ______ research question.

a. positive

b. negative

c. descriptive

d. predictive

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

19. Groups of subjects are not compared in a correlational study as they are in ______ experiments.

a. quasi

b. analytical

c. descriptive

d. predictive

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

20. In correlational research multiple measures are collected from ______ group(s) of subjects to determine if those measures co-vary.

a. one

b. two

c. three

d. four

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

21. Whenever a strong relationship exists between variables, prediction of one variable from other variables ______.

a. is impossible

b. is possible

c. cannot be determined

d. is rarely possible

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

22. Regardless of the type of observational technique used to measure behavior, the goal of any correlational study is to examine relationships between ______ or more measures of behavior.

a. one

b. two

c. three

d. four

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

23. A causal relationship can be tested using ______.

a. correlational research

b. experimental research

c. diagnostic research

d. analytical research

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

24. A researcher would like to study the effects of smoking on respiratory functioning. There are two groups: participants who smoke one pack a day and participants who smoke two. This is a ______ study

a. correlational

b. quasi-experimental

c. independent variables

d. true experimental

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

25. At times, correlational studies are the only options because we cannot subject study participants to factors that may negative impact their health for ______.

a. confidentiality reasons

b. anonymity reasons

c. ethical reasons

d. recruitment issues

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

26. Researchers typically must rely on correlational studies to learn about factors that influence one’s ______.

a. behavior

b. health

c. weather

d. animals

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

27. Hypothesized relationships are typically tested using correlational analyses such as ______.

a. Pearson r

b. Pearson b

c. Pearson f

d. Pearson t

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

28. Correlational studies provide information that allows researchers to determine which variables should be considered when they design tests of ______ relationships.

a. normative

b. equal

c. causal

d. descriptive

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

29. Most correlational study designs involve ______ data collection techniques.

a. experimental measures

b. archival records

c. natural observation

d. survey administration

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

30. It is ______ to conduct a study where some participants are assigned to a condition that may be harmful to them.

a. unethical

b. sometimes ethical

c. completely ethical

d. sometimes unethical

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

31. Correlation ______ equal(s) causation.

a. most of the time

b. always

c. does not

d. typically

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

32. It is ______ that parental influences have a causal relationship with both the number of hours of TV their children watch and their grades.

a. not possible

b. possible

c. highly improbable

d. too hard to tell

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

33. Assigning one group of participants to smoke and another group not to smoke is ______.

a. unethical

b. sometimes ethical

c. completely ethical

d. sometimes unethical

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

34. Only a(n) ______ study has an independent variable.

a. experimental

b. positive correlational study

c. negative correlational study

d. correlational study

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

35. Many ______ studies use surveys to measure behavior.

a. experimental

b. quasi-experimental

c. non-experimental

d. correlational

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

36. For a variable to be an independent variable, it must be ______.

a. manipulated

b. held constant

c. measured by nominal scale

d. dichotomous

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Difficulty Level: Medium

37. In a scatter plot of a correlational study data set, each dot represents ______.

a. one individual’s data

b. one level of a condition

c. one variable of interest

d. one scale of measure

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

38. Unlike experiments, correlational studies cannot control for ______.

a. observational techniques

b. extraneous/confounding variables

c. negative associations

d. inconsistent findings

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

39. Manipulating a variable to test for a causal relationship often times is ______.

a. difficult or impossible

b. unnecessary or wasteful

c. time consuming or costly

d. unethical or disallowed

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

True/False

1. Correlational studies can provide good tests of causal research questions.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Correlation equals causation.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. Correlational studies are used to answer descriptive and predictive research questions.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Validity of Scores From a Survey

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. Correlational studies are designed to examine relationships between measured variables.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. A correlational study showed that men who had one or more servings of tomatoes a week were 60% less likely to get prostate cancer. This means that tomatoes cause the reduction in cancer rates.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.3: Describe relationships shown in scatterplots

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Descriptive Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. A researcher may conduct a correlational study with the ultimate goal of predicting one behavior from another behavior.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. Most survey research involves a correlational study.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. Correlational studies never involve naturalistic observations or systematic observations.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. The direction of the cause and effect relationship cannot be determined from a correlational study because none of the variables are manipulated in the study.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. Correlational studies provide information that allows researchers to determine which variables should be considered when they design tests of causal relationships.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. ACT/SAT scores are considered college performance predictor variables.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.3: Describe relationships shown in scatterplots

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Stop and Think Answers

Difficulty Level: Medium

12. If two factors simply co-occur, this indicates a causal relationship.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.3: Describe relationships shown in scatterplots

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

13. Pearson r test is used to determine whether a linear relationship exists between two variables measured on an ordinal scale.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.3: Describe relationships shown in scatterplots

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. Third-variable problem can decrease the internal validity of the study.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.3: Describe relationships shown in scatterplots

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

15. A negative relation is shown by a downward slope of the cluster of data points in a graph of the data set.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

Essay

1. Suppose a study was conducted to examine the relationship between how often people exercise and how happy they are with their lives. Participants in this study were asked to report how many times a week they exercise for 30 minutes or more at a time and to complete a questionnaire with items that measure their quality of life (e.g., How many times in the past week do you remember feeling happy?). A positive relationship is found between the number of times per week people exercise and their quality of life score.

Discuss why we cannot conclude a causal relationship between frequency of exercise and degree of happiness.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. Explain the difference between a predictor and an outcome variable.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. Explain why correlational studies do not provide the best test of a causal research question.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. Explain the difference between a descriptive research question and a predictive research question. Provide an example of each type of research question.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.2: Identify advantages and limitations of correlational designs

REF: Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Hard

5. How are correlational studies different from quasi-experiments?

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.1: Understand the difference between correlation and causation

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: More About Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. Explain what a third-variable problem is and give an example.

KEY: Learning Objective: 11.3: Describe relationships shown in scatterplots

REF: Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Research Questions in Correlational Studies

Difficulty Level: Hard