Question: 1. In a study, researchers wanted to learn the impact of television viewing on grades. Researchers discovered that as the number of hours spent watching television increased, grades decreased.
• This study is an example of what type of research method?
2. Researchers conducted an experiment on test anxiety with two groups. They hypothesized that studying for an hour would result in lower anxiety than studying for only 20 minutes. In the first group, the students studied for only 20 minutes and then took an exam. The second group studied for one hour and then took an exam. Before the exam, the students' level of anxiety was measured.
• What is the independent variable?
• What is the dependent variable?
• Which group is the experimental group?
• Which group is the control group?
3. In order to examine the social behavior of chimpanzees, researchers spent several years observing them in their native habitat.
• Which research method was used in this example?
4. Simone is doing research with head injury victims who are in physical therapy. She believes that the addition of music to their physical therapy routine will enable them to better coordinate their motor skills. She randomizes the patients into two groups. Group A will get the regular physical therapy sessions. Group B will get the identical physical therapy sessions while listening to music.
• What is the independent variable?
• What is the dependent variable?
• Which group is the experimental group?
• Which group is the control group?
5. A study randomized school-aged children into either a small class or a large class. The researchers believed smaller classes size would result in better grades. When tested years later, children who had spend their K-3 years in small classes scored better on all tests of academic performance than did the students in larger classes.
• What is the independent variable?
• What is the dependent variable?
• Which group is the experimental group?
• Which group is the control group?
6. Rats are randomized into two groups. The rats in Group A are fed an adequate diet of food pellets. The rats in Group B are given an identical diet but are also fed an antioxidant supplement each day. Once the rats are elderly, the rats in Group B show significantly better performance on tests of memory than rats in Group A.
• What type of research method is this?
• What conclusions can we make from the results of this study?
7. Oxytocin is a hormone thought to play a role in relationship formation and love. In a study, members of the experimental group receive injections of oxytocin while members of the control group receive injections of saline solution, an inactive substance.
• In this study, the saline solution serves as a ___________.
8. Andrew is asking public school teachers a series of questions about the types of problems they encounter most in their classrooms and about their attitudes and perceptions toward their work and communities.
• What type of research method is he using?
9. Dr. Schrute and his colleagues studied a woman who claimed to have over 16 personalities. After neurological tests and extensive interviews, they discovered that she indeed suffered from a condition known as DID.
• What type of research method is this?
10. Using a descriptive method, a researcher finds a strong negative correlation between emotional stress and immune system functioning.
• What does this mean?
11. Young kids in an experiment watch various types of TV programs. Some of the kids watch a violent TV show while others watch a non-violent show. They are then observed while playing outside with others to determine the number of times they behave aggressively.
• What is the independent variable?
• What is the dependent variable?
12. An experiment is done to determine a new medicine's effect on depression. Half of the patients ingested the new medicine and half of the patients ingested a placebo pill?
• What is the independent variable?
• What is the dependent variable?