PSYC 510
HOMEWORK 1 (60 )POINTS
Introduction to Research Methods
When submitting this file, be sure the filename includes your full name, course and section. Example:
HW1_JohnDoe_510B01
Be sure you have reviewed this module/week’s lesson and presentations before proceeding to the homework
exercises. Fill in the blanks within this homework document. Review the “Helpful Hints for Success” document
for an example of how homework assignments must look.
Part I: General Concepts
These questions are based on the Jackson text as well as any
presentations in the course content during the current module.
Fill in the blank with the appropriate word or words. Each question is worth 2 points.
1. If a scientific theory is not stated in a way that it is possible to refute or disconfirm it (typically because it is
too vague or flexible), then it violates the principle of falsifiability.
2. Ethical Standards are obligations that form the basis for imposing sanctions whereas General Principles are
aspirational in nature.
3. Which main section of an article (Introduction, Method, Results, or Discussion) would you read to find out
the interpretation of results and implications for future research? Discussion
4. As discussed in this week’s Introduction presentation, rationale typically boils down to one of two problem
statements. State one of the most common problems here: results are contradictory
What type of research method (descriptive, predictive, or explanatory) would you recommend for the
following scenarios?
5. Is there a relationship between worker productivity
and life satisfaction?
Answer: predictive
6. What percentage of people complete surveys sent
via email?
Answer: descriptive
Answer the following questions related to its associated scenario. (Helpful hint: the “Additional
Practice” for this week covers these topics!).
Scenario 1: Gerontologists interested in the effects of aging on reaction time have two groups of
subjects take a test in which they must indicate as quickly as possible whether a probe word was a
member of a previous set of words. One group of subjects is between the ages of 25 and 45, and
the other group is between the ages of 65 and 85.
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PSYC 510
7. What is the independent variable in this study? Answer: age of the subjects
8. What is the dependent variable in this study? Answer: reaction time
9. Is the independent variable manipulated or is it a
subject variable?
Answer: subject
Scenario 2: Employee state engagement is defined as “how much employees feel engaged on a
day-to-day basis” (SIOP). It is highly malleable, a researcher wanted to examine how receiving
feedback from a boss impacts state engagement. A group of randomly selected employees agreed
to participate in this study, who were then randomly assigned to one of two groups. The boss
agreed to provide daily feedback to one group of employees, and weekly feedback to another
group of employees. The study continued for four weeks. At the end of this period, state
engagement was assessed using a survey.
10. What type of research method best describes this
scenario (descriptive, predictive, quasi-
experimental, or experimental)?
Answer: experimental
11. What is the dependent variable in this scenario? Answer: state engagement
12. What is the independent variable in this scenario? Answer: frequency of the feedback
13. Is the independent variable a subject variable or a
true manipulated variable?
Answer: true manipulated
Scenario 3: Is there a relationship between gender and number of fights on a playground in 5 year
olds enrolled in kindergarten?
14. What type of research method best describes this
scenario (descriptive, predictive, quasi-
experimental, or experimental)?
Answer: predictive
15. What is one of the variables of interest in this
scenario?
Answer: number of fights
16. What is a potential confounding variable in this scenario? Justify your answer.
Answer: a possible confounding variable could be the child’s home environment. Certain things
that they are exposed to or how they are treated (be it aggressively or overwhelmed with love
and support) may have some bearing on their behavior on the playground regardless of their
gender
Ethics is the foundation to research integrity. Answer the following questions related to research
ethics as covered in your assigned readings/presentations.
17. List ONE of the layers of regulations / policies to
protect child research subjects, as outlined in the
“Research with Children” CITI module.
Answer: HHS regulations subpart D
18. Which basic principle from the Belmont Report
embodies the need for informed consent?
Answer: respect for persons
19. With children, typically informed consent must be Answer: assent
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PSYC 510
obtained from the parents or legal guardians
whereas the child provides an affirmative
agreement to participate in the research that is
provided at an age appropriate level referred to as
what?
20. An Institutional Review Board provides oversight
for human research whereas institutions have
committees known as _________ to provide
oversight for animal research.
Answer: Institutional Animal Care and
Use Committees (IACUCs)
21. The last 20 points of this assignment are awarded for successful completion of the CITI Social &
Behavioral Researchers Basic Course (note a minimum of 80% is required to pass the course and
receive the certificate). Directions on how to enroll in this course is provided in the CITI Guided Notes
document in this week’s Reading & Study folder. You must paste your certificate in the space below
to earn full credit.
INSERT CITI Certificate of Completion:
Submit Homework 1 by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of Module/Week 1. Remember to name file appropriately.
Done!
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