Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1. Researchers organize data using
a. inferential statistics.
b. the correlation coefficient.
c. descriptive statistics.
d. measures of variation.
2. Jwa would like to display the descriptive statistics for a study he has just completed.
The simplest and most visual way of this would be for him to construct a
a. normal curve.
b. range.
c. bar graph.
d. skewed distribution.
3. Which measure of central tendency is Dr. Smith likely to use to summarize his data if
his goal is to examine the average scores?
a. median
b. mode
c. standard deviation
d. mean
4. One person in a 10-person group is 10 times older than anyone else in the group. With
respect to age, it is most likely that the majority of group members are younger than the
group's
a. mode.
b. median.
, c. mean.
d. standard deviation.
5. The ________ is a measure of ________.
a. standard deviation; central tendency
b. mean; variation
c. median; central tendency
d. mode; variation
6. Janet has five brothers who are 4, 6, 6, 9, and 15 years of age. The mean age of Janet's
brothers is
a. 6.
b. 7.
c. 8.
d. 9.
7. Which measure of variation is affected most by a few extreme scores?
a. standard deviation
b. mean
c. median
d. range
8. The maximum height of a normal curve corresponds to the ________ of a normal
distribution.
a. range
b. mean
, c. standard deviation
d. statistical significance
9. Mrs. Smith is measuring the height of all the children in her class and notices that the
scores form a symmetrical, bell-shaped distribution. This is also known as the
a. central tendency.
b. range.
c. normal curve.
d. standard deviation.
10. A negative correlation between people's work-related stress and their marital
happiness would indicate that
a. work-related stress has a negative impact on marital happiness.
b. marital unhappiness promotes work-related stress.
c. higher levels of marital happiness are associated with lower levels of work-
related stress.
d. marital happiness has no causal influence on work-related stress.
11. If a negative correlation between two sets of scores is displayed in a scatterplot, the
points are clustered in a pattern that
a. resembles a bell-shaped curve.
b. extends from the lower left to the upper right.
c. resembles a U-shaped curve.
d. extends from the upper left to the lower right.
12. Lee believes that if someone walks under a ladder, they will have bad luck. His belief
is based on his experience with people walking under a ladder and then having bad luck.
Lee's belief is an example of
, a. a negative correlation.
b. illusory correlation.
c. regression toward the mean.
d. a positive correlation.
13. When people's negative moods are at their worst, whatever they do to try to alleviate
the condition is likely to be followed by an improvement in their mood rather than further
worsening. This is best explained in terms of
a. random assignment.
b. illusory correlation.
c. informed consent.
d. regression toward the mean.
14. Random samples provide ________ estimates of population averages if the samples
have small ________.
a. good; means
b. good; variability
c. poor; means
d. poor; variability
1. Researchers organize data using
a. inferential statistics.
b. the correlation coefficient.
c. descriptive statistics.
d. measures of variation.
2. Jwa would like to display the descriptive statistics for a study he has just completed.
The simplest and most visual way of this would be for him to construct a
a. normal curve.
b. range.
c. bar graph.
d. skewed distribution.
3. Which measure of central tendency is Dr. Smith likely to use to summarize his data if
his goal is to examine the average scores?
a. median
b. mode
c. standard deviation
d. mean
4. One person in a 10-person group is 10 times older than anyone else in the group. With
respect to age, it is most likely that the majority of group members are younger than the
group's
a. mode.
b. median.
, c. mean.
d. standard deviation.
5. The ________ is a measure of ________.
a. standard deviation; central tendency
b. mean; variation
c. median; central tendency
d. mode; variation
6. Janet has five brothers who are 4, 6, 6, 9, and 15 years of age. The mean age of Janet's
brothers is
a. 6.
b. 7.
c. 8.
d. 9.
7. Which measure of variation is affected most by a few extreme scores?
a. standard deviation
b. mean
c. median
d. range
8. The maximum height of a normal curve corresponds to the ________ of a normal
distribution.
a. range
b. mean
, c. standard deviation
d. statistical significance
9. Mrs. Smith is measuring the height of all the children in her class and notices that the
scores form a symmetrical, bell-shaped distribution. This is also known as the
a. central tendency.
b. range.
c. normal curve.
d. standard deviation.
10. A negative correlation between people's work-related stress and their marital
happiness would indicate that
a. work-related stress has a negative impact on marital happiness.
b. marital unhappiness promotes work-related stress.
c. higher levels of marital happiness are associated with lower levels of work-
related stress.
d. marital happiness has no causal influence on work-related stress.
11. If a negative correlation between two sets of scores is displayed in a scatterplot, the
points are clustered in a pattern that
a. resembles a bell-shaped curve.
b. extends from the lower left to the upper right.
c. resembles a U-shaped curve.
d. extends from the upper left to the lower right.
12. Lee believes that if someone walks under a ladder, they will have bad luck. His belief
is based on his experience with people walking under a ladder and then having bad luck.
Lee's belief is an example of
, a. a negative correlation.
b. illusory correlation.
c. regression toward the mean.
d. a positive correlation.
13. When people's negative moods are at their worst, whatever they do to try to alleviate
the condition is likely to be followed by an improvement in their mood rather than further
worsening. This is best explained in terms of
a. random assignment.
b. illusory correlation.
c. informed consent.
d. regression toward the mean.
14. Random samples provide ________ estimates of population averages if the samples
have small ________.
a. good; means
b. good; variability
c. poor; means
d. poor; variability
