Study Guide – Examination #2
Experimental Psychology
Fall 2009
Chapter 4:
1. Discuss each of the sampling techniques (e.g., systematic time sampling, random time
sampling, event sampling, situation sampling, subject sampling). Discuss the purpose of
sampling behavior.
2. Discuss the descriptive method of naturalistic observational without intervention research.
Discuss its advantages and disadvantages.
3. Define the descriptive method of naturalistic observation with intervention. Discuss the three
methods of intervention. Discuss any advantages and disadvantages of EACH method. (This is a
LONG answer.)
4. Perform the Stretching Exercise on page 110.
5. Discuss methods of recording behavior. Be sure to include in your answer a description of
PDAs, ESMs, and the Internet Daily Diary Methodology.
6. Define data reduction, coding, mean, median, mode, variance, standard deviation.
7. Discuss/define interobserver reliability or agreement (also called inter-rater reliability). Be
able to calculate interobserver reliability for nominal and interval level data.
8. Discuss the procedures to avoid and control reactivity in observational studies (e.g.,
concealing observers).
9. Discuss some of the ethical issues when performing observational studies.
10. Discuss observer bias and ways to reduce it. Be sure to define expectancy effects in your
answer.
11. Review Questions (p. 131): 1, 7, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16
Chapter 5
12. Define population, sampling frame, sample, element, and representativeness of a sample.
Explain why it is important to have a representative sample.
13. Define biased samples. Discuss selection bias and response bias.
14. Discuss nonprobability and probability sampling. Include in your answer descriptions of
accidental, purposive, simple random, and stratified sampling.
15. Discuss the survey method of mail surveys. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
mail surveys.
16. Discuss the decision points in designing the questionnaire (i.e., generating questions,
wording questions, response forms, order of questions, and pilot testing). Discuss the four ways
bias can be introduced into a questionnaire. Discuss the seven common wording errors in
questionnaires.
17. Discuss personal interviews. Discuss advantages and disadvantages of the interview method.
18. Discuss the telephone interview. Discuss advantages and disadvantages of the telephone
interview method.
19. Discuss internet surveys. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this method.
20. Discuss each of the survey-research designs. State the advantages and disadvantages of each
design. (Note: This is a long answer.)
21. Discuss the techniques of test-retest, alternate form, and split-half reliability. Discuss the
advantages and disadvantages of each.
22. Define the six measures of validity presented in class: (1) face validity, (2) content validity,
(3) predictive validity, (4) construct validity, (5) convergent validity, and (6) discriminant
validity.
23. Discuss the correspondence between reported and actual behavior.
24. Discuss why one cannot imply causation from correlational data. Define spurious
relationship, mediator variable, and moderator variable.
25. Review Questions (p. 176 - 177): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 13
Chapter 6
26. Discuss the characteristics of the summary sheet or coding format the experimenter uses
when gathering archival data.
27. Discuss the ethical issues in using unobtrusive measures.
28. Review Questions (p. 200): 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, and 9