Question 1: Define the term 'scientific method' as it relates to psychology.

Answer: The scientific method is a systematic process involving making observations, forming hypotheses, conducting experiments, collecting data, and drawing conclusions to understand psychological phenomena.

Question 2: Explain why psychologists often use experiments in their research.

Answer: Psychologists use experiments to investigate cause-and-effect relationships by controlling variables and observing the effects, which helps establish scientific evidence.

Question 3: Describe one advantage and one limitation of using surveys in psychological research.

Answer: Advantage: Surveys can collect data from a large number of people quickly. Limitation: Responses may be biased or inaccurate due to self-reporting.

Question 4: Imagine a psychologist wants to test if sleep affects memory. Outline a simple experimental design they could use.

Answer: The psychologist could have two groups: one that sleeps normally and another that stays awake. Both groups would then perform a memory task. The results would compare the memory performance between groups to see if sleep influences memory.

Question 5: What is the purpose of a control variable in an experiment?

Answer: A control variable is kept constant to ensure that only the independent variable affects the dependent variable, helping to keep the experiment fair and valid.

Question 6: Explain the difference between qualitative and quantitative data in research.

Answer: Quantitative data involves numbers and measurable data, such as test scores. Qualitative data involves descriptive information, such as opinions or feelings.

Question 7: Draw a simple diagram showing the basic structure of a psychological experiment, including at least three components.

Answer: A correct sketch would show a start point (hypothesis), two groups (experimental and control), a procedure (manipulating variables), and data collection (results). It should be presented as boxes connected with arrows.

Question 8: Describe what makes a research method 'scientific' in psychology.

Answer: A scientific research method in psychology involves systematic observation, controlled experiments, objective data collection, and analysis to produce reliable and valid results.

Question 9: Why is it important for psychologists to replicate studies?

Answer: Replication confirms the reliability of findings, ensuring that results are consistent and not due to chance or errors.

Question 10: Identify one ethical consideration psychologists must follow when conducting research with human participants.

Answer: Psychologists must ensure participants give informed consent and are protected from harm or discomfort.

Question 11: Sketch a basic graph that could be used to present the results of an experiment measuring reaction times under two different conditions.

Answer: A suitable graph would be a bar graph with two bars representing each condition's average reaction time, labeled clearly on the axes. The x-axis shows the conditions, and the y-axis measures reaction time.