Chapter 2: Research in I/O Psychology

Question 1

Why conduct research?

Answer 1

1. Answering questions and making decisions
2. Research and everyday life
3. Common sense is often wrong

Question 2

First consideration in conducting research:

Answer 2

Decide what to research.

(Example: “I wonder why some of my employees can’t get to work on time”)

Question 3

An educated prediction about the answer to a question.

Answer 3

Hypothesis.

Question 4

Literature reviews can be conducted in many ways such as:

Answer 4

1. Online/Electronic Database
2. Internet
3. Periodicals

Question 5

A written collection of articles describing the methods and results of new research.

Answer 5

Journals.

Question 6

Consist of articles written by researchers directly reporting the results of a study.

Answer 6

Journals.

Question 7

The best source of unbiased and accurate information about a topic.

Answer 7

Journals.

Question 8

A collection of articles about related professional topics, seldom directly reporting the methods and results of new research.

Answer 8

Trade magazines.

Question 9

Contain articles usually written by professional writers who have developed expertise in a given field.

Answer 9

Trade magazines.

Question 10

An unscientific collection of articles about a wide range of topics.

Answer 10

Magazines.

Question 11

Contains a wealth of information on just about every topic, but can never be certain if the information is accurate.

Answer 11

Internet.

Question 12

This is conducted under controlled conditions, in which the researcher manipulates the independent variable (IV) to measure the effect on the dependent variable (DV).

Answer 12

Laboratory Research.

Question 13

Disadvantages of laboratory research:

Answer 13

1. External validity
2. Generalizability

Question 14

The extent to which research results can be expected to hold true outside the specific setting in which they were obtained.

Answer 14

External validity.

Question 15

The extent to which research results hold true outside the specific setting in which they were obtained.

Answer 15

Generalizability.

Question 16

Research conducted in a natural setting as opposed to a laboratory.

Answer 16

Field research.

Question 17

The formal process by which subjects give permission to be included in a study.

Answer 17

Informed consent.

Question 18

Types of research method to use:

Answer 18

1. Experiments
2. Quasi-experiments
3. Archival research
4. Observations
5. Surveys
6. Meta-analyses

Question 19

The most powerful of all research methods because it is the only one that can determine cause-and-effect relationships.

Answer 19

Experiments.

Question 20

Two characteristics that define an experiment:

Answer 20

1. Manipulation of one or more independent variables.
2. Random assignment of subjects to experimental and control conditions.

Question 21

The manipulated variable in an experiment.

Answer 21

Independent variable.

Question 22

The measure of behavior that is expected to change as a result of changes in the independent variable.

Answer 22

Dependent variable.

Question 23

In an experiment, the group of subjects that receives the experimental treatment of interest to the experimenter.

Answer 23

Experimental group.

Question 24

A group of subjects/employees who do not receive a particular type of treatment.

Answer 24

Control group.

Question 25

Research method in which the experimenter either does not manipulate the independent variable or in which subjects are not randomly assigned to conditions.

Answer 25

Quasi-experiments.

Question 26

Are often used to evaluate the results of a new program implemented by an organization.

Answer 26

Quasi-experiments.

Question 27

Research that involves the use of previously collected data.

Answer 27

Archival research.

Question 28

Drawbacks of archival research.

Answer 28

1. Records in files are not always accurate and are not always kept up-to-date.
2. The type of data needed by a researcher may not be in the archives because the data were never recorded in the first place.

Question 29

Research method where people are asked for their opinion on some topic.

Answer 29

Surveys.

Question 30

Can be conducted in a variety of methods such as mail, personal interviews, phone, email, and the Internet.

Answer 30

Surveys.

Question 31

Important considerations when selecting a survey method.

Answer 31

1. Whether the intended population can access the medium of the survey.
2. Whether they will agree to complete the survey.
3. The extent to which the person will provide honest and accurate answers.

Question 32

Characteristics of well-designed survey questions.

Answer 32

1. Easy to understand
2. Use simple language
3. Do not ask about hypothetical situations
4. Keep the questions relatively short in length

Question 33

Statistical method of reaching conclusions based on previous research.

Answer 33

Meta-analyses.

Question 34

Indicates the effectiveness of some variable.

Answer 34

Mean effect size.

Question 35

A statistic that indicates the amount of change caused by an experimental manipulation.

Answer 35

Effect size.

Question 36

A statistic that is the average of the effect sizes for all studies included in the analysis.

Answer 36

Mean effect size.

Question 37

Used as the effect size when researchers are interested in the relationship between two variables. The majority of studies use correlation as their statistical test.

Answer 37

Correlation coefficients (r)

Question 38

Used as the effect size when researchers are looking at the difference between two groups.

Answer 38

Difference score (d)