Research fundamentals: meaning, purpose, problem formulation, variables, operational definitions, hypothesis, sampling and research ethics. - Question Bank

1. The process of ensuring that research participants are treated with dignity and respect, and that their autonomy is upheld, is a core component of:
A) Statistical analysis
B) Data interpretation
C) Research ethics
D) Methodological design
2. A researcher is studying the effects of a new therapy on depression. They measure depression levels before and after the therapy. The therapy is the:
A) Dependent variable
B) Independent variable
C) Control group
D) Confounding variable
3. Which of the following is an example of a qualitative variable?
A) Age
B) Height
C) Eye color
D) Temperature
4. A research problem needs to be specific enough to guide the research process. This relates to:
A) The purpose of the research
B) The formulation of the research problem
C) The ethical considerations
D) The sampling strategy
5. When a researcher uses a sample that does not accurately represent the population from which it was drawn, this is referred to as:
A) Sampling error
B) Sampling bias
C) Measurement error
D) Statistical significance
6. The ethical principle of 'respect for persons' is most directly related to:
A) Ensuring data accuracy
B) Protecting confidentiality
C) The requirement for informed consent
D) Maximizing benefits
7. Which sampling method is most likely to introduce selection bias?
A) Simple random sampling
B) Stratified random sampling
C) Convenience sampling
D) Systematic sampling
8. A researcher suspects that a participant's mood might influence their performance on a memory task. If mood is not controlled or measured, it becomes a:
A) Dependent variable
B) Independent variable
C) Confounding variable
D) Operational definition
9. Which of the following is a key characteristic of a valid research problem?
A) It should be easily solvable with existing knowledge
B) It should be broad and vague
C) It should be researchable within practical constraints
D) It should focus on personal opinions rather than empirical data
10. A researcher defines 'intelligence' as a score on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. This is an operational definition of:
A) Anxiety
B) Aggression
C) Intelligence
D) Motivation
11. In the caffeine and memory study, 'memory performance' is the:
A) Independent variable
B) Dependent variable
C) Mediating variable
D) Extraneous variable
12. A researcher is interested in the effect of caffeine on memory. They assign participants to two groups: one receives a caffeinated beverage, the other a placebo. Memory performance is then measured. The 'caffeine' is the:
A) Dependent variable
B) Independent variable
C) Control variable
D) Confounding variable
13. What is the purpose of a research proposal?
A) To present the final research findings
B) To outline the research plan, including problem, objectives, methodology, and ethical considerations, for approval and funding
C) To analyze the data collected
D) To recruit participants for the study
14. If a researcher fails to protect the privacy of their participants, they are violating the ethical principle of:
A) Beneficence
B) Confidentiality
C) Fidelity and Responsibility
D) Integrity
15. The principle of 'do no harm' is central to which ethical consideration in research?
A) Confidentiality
B) Informed consent
C) Non-maleficence
D) Justice
16. Which of the following is a potential ethical issue when studying vulnerable populations (e.g., children, individuals with cognitive impairments)?
A) Ensuring adequate sample size
B) Obtaining informed consent and assent
C) Defining operational variables
D) Choosing the correct statistical test
17. A researcher wants to study the experiences of Olympic athletes. They start by interviewing one athlete and then ask that athlete to recommend others. This is an example of:
A) Random sampling
B) Stratified sampling
C) Snowball sampling
D) Cluster sampling
18. Systematic sampling involves:
A) Selecting every k-th individual from a list after a random start
B) Randomly selecting individuals from pre-defined groups
C) Selecting participants based on ease of access
D) Ensuring equal representation of all population segments
19. When a researcher uses every member of a target population in their study, this is known as:
A) Census
B) Random sampling
C) Convenience sampling
D) Purposive sampling
20. A null hypothesis typically states:
A) A significant difference or relationship exists
B) There is no significant difference or relationship between variables
C) The independent variable will cause a change in the dependent variable
D) The results will be statistically significant
21. The statement 'Children exposed to violent video games will exhibit more aggressive behavior than children not exposed' is an example of a:
A) Research problem
B) Null hypothesis
C) Directional hypothesis
D) Operational definition
22. A variable that influences the relationship between the independent and dependent variables but is not controlled by the researcher is called a:
A) Mediating variable
B) Moderating variable
C) Confounding variable
D) Control variable
23. A researcher defines 'anxiety' as a score above 20 on the Beck Anxiety Inventory. This is an example of:
A) A theoretical definition
B) An operational definition
C) A research hypothesis
D) A sampling method
24. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a good research problem?
A) Feasible
B) Ethical
C) Uninteresting to the researcher
D) Relevant
25. An Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee is responsible for:
A) Conducting the research itself
B) Reviewing and approving research proposals to ensure ethical standards are met
C) Recruiting participants for studies
D) Analyzing the statistical data from research
26. Justice in research ethics refers to:
A) Ensuring all participants receive the same treatment
B) Fair distribution of the burdens and benefits of research
C) The researcher's personal sense of fairness
D) Legal compliance in all research procedures
27. The principle of beneficence in research ethics means that researchers should:
A) Maximize potential benefits and minimize potential risks to participants
B) Only conduct research that is guaranteed to produce positive outcomes
C) Prioritize the researcher's interests over participant welfare
D) Avoid any form of risk to participants
28. Debriefing in research involves:
A) Obtaining consent before the study begins
B) Explaining the true purpose of the study to participants after data collection, especially if deception was used
C) Summarizing the research findings to participants
D) Ensuring participants are not harmed during the study
29. Deception in research is permissible only when:
A) It is the only way to obtain valid data and participants are debriefed afterward
B) The researcher believes it will lead to more interesting results
C) Participants are not aware of the study's true nature
D) It is approved by the participants themselves without full disclosure
30. Confidentiality in research ensures that:
A) All research data is made public immediately
B) Participants' identities and the data collected from them are kept private
C) The researcher's findings are kept secret
D) Only the principal investigator can access the data
31. Informed consent in research means that participants must:
A) Be paid for their participation
B) Be fully informed about the study's purpose, risks, and benefits before agreeing to participate
C) Participate regardless of their willingness
D) Sign a waiver of all rights
32. What are research ethics primarily concerned with?
A) Ensuring the research is statistically significant
B) Protecting the rights and welfare of research participants
C) Maximizing the researcher's personal gain
D) Developing new research methodologies
33. Snowball sampling is often used in research involving:
A) General population surveys
B) Hard-to-reach or hidden populations
C) Experimental studies with large sample sizes
D) Studies requiring random selection
34. Purposive sampling is used when researchers want to:
A) Obtain a representative sample of the entire population
B) Select participants who have specific characteristics relevant to the study
C) Gather data from the most accessible individuals
D) Ensure all members of the population have an equal chance of selection
35. Convenience sampling is a type of non-probability sampling where participants are selected based on:
A) Random selection from the entire population
B) Their willingness to participate and ease of access
C) Specific research criteria
D) Proportional representation of subgroups
36. Cluster sampling involves:
A) Selecting participants based on their availability
B) Dividing the population into clusters and randomly selecting entire clusters to sample
C) Selecting participants based on specific criteria
D) Ensuring equal representation from all subgroups
37. In stratified random sampling, the population is divided into subgroups (strata) based on shared characteristics, and then:
A) Participants are randomly selected from the entire population
B) Participants are selected based on convenience from each stratum
C) Random samples are drawn from each stratum
D) The entire population is surveyed
38. Which type of sampling involves selecting participants in such a way that every member of the population has an equal chance of being included?
A) Non-probability sampling
B) Convenience sampling
C) Random sampling
D) Purposive sampling
39. What is sampling in research?
A) The process of analyzing data
B) The selection of a subset of individuals from a larger population to participate in a study
C) The development of research questions
D) The final interpretation of results
40. A non-directional hypothesis states that:
A) A specific direction of the relationship between variables
B) There is a relationship between variables, but the direction is not specified
C) There is no relationship between variables
D) The independent variable will cause a change in the dependent variable
41. Which of the following is an example of a directional hypothesis?
A) There is a relationship between sleep deprivation and test performance.
B) Students who study for more hours will achieve higher test scores.
C) There is a difference in anxiety levels between two groups.
D) Personality traits are associated with career choices.
42. A hypothesis is best defined as:
A) A proven fact about a phenomenon
B) A tentative, testable statement about the relationship between two or more variables
C) A broad research question
D) A summary of research results
43. What is an operational definition?
A) A broad, theoretical description of a concept
B) A precise statement of how a variable will be measured or manipulated
C) The expected outcome of a research study
D) A summary of previous research findings
44. The variable that is measured and is expected to change in response to the manipulation of the independent variable is called the:
A) Independent variable
B) Control variable
C) Dependent variable
D) Confounding variable
45. Which type of variable is manipulated by the researcher in an experiment?
A) Dependent variable
B) Independent variable
C) Mediating variable
D) Extraneous variable
46. In research, what is a variable?
A) A constant factor that remains unchanged throughout a study
B) A characteristic or attribute that can assume different values
C) The conclusion drawn from a research study
D) A specific type of hypothesis
47. Which of the following best describes a research problem?
A) A confirmed theory supported by evidence
B) A statement of the desired outcome of a study
C) An area of concern, a condition to be improved, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or in practice that points to the need for meaningful understanding and potential solutions
D) A list of all possible variables in a study
48. What is the primary purpose of research in psychology?
A) To prove pre-existing theories
B) To describe, explain, predict, and control behavior and mental processes
C) To gather personal opinions on psychological phenomena
D) To entertain the public with psychological facts
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