Question 1: Define reliability in the context of psychological research.

Answer: Reliability refers to the consistency of a research method or measurement, meaning it produces the same results under consistent conditions over time.

Question 2: Explain the difference between internal reliability and test-retest reliability.

Answer: Internal reliability assesses the consistency of results within a test or questionnaire, while test-retest reliability measures the stability of results over time when the same test is administered again.

Question 3: Describe one method that a researcher can use to improve the reliability of their findings.

Answer: A researcher can use standardized procedures and instructions to ensure consistency in how the study is conducted, which improves reliability.

Question 4: Define validity in psychological research.

Answer: Validity refers to the extent to which a test or experiment measures what it claims to measure.

Question 5: Name and briefly describe two types of validity relevant to psychological research.

Answer: Content validity assesses whether a test covers the full range of the concept being measured. Construct validity evaluates whether the test truly measures the theoretical construct it claims to measure.

Question 6: A researcher develops a new questionnaire to measure anxiety. What type of validity should they focus on to ensure the questionnaire accurately measures anxiety?

Answer: Construct validity, as it determines whether the questionnaire effectively measures the theoretical concept of anxiety.

Question 7: Describe a scenario where a psychological test might be considered reliable but not valid.

Answer: A test might consistently produce the same results for a person each time it is taken (reliable), but if it measures something unrelated to anxiety, such as test-taking skills, it would not be valid for assessing anxiety.

Question 8: Sketch a diagram illustrating the concept of test-retest reliability. Label the key components and explain what the diagram shows.

Answer: A correct sketch would show two points representing the same participant’s scores on two different occasions, connected by an arrow indicating consistency. Labels should include 'Time 1', 'Time 2', and 'High correlation' to illustrate stability over time.

Question 9: Explain why high reliability does not necessarily mean high validity.

Answer: Because a test can consistently produce the same results (high reliability) but still measure something unrelated to the intended construct, meaning it lacks validity.

Question 10: Design a brief experiment to test the reliability of a new memory test. Include the key steps involved.

Answer: Select a sample of participants, administer the memory test to all participants, wait a specified period, then administer the same test again under similar conditions. Calculate the correlation between the two sets of scores; a high correlation indicates good test-retest reliability.