CH 4 Quiz Bank Testing and Assessment

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Student: ___________________________________________________________________________
1. Statistical tools are used for

A. describing numbers.
B. making inferences about numbers.
C. drawing conclusions about numbers.
D. All of these
2. In doing research on family therapy, a researcher reports on the number of children in

each family studied. This reporting on the number of children in each family is BEST
described as which type of scale?
A. continuous
B. discrete
C. interval
D. None of these
3. Which is the most common type of scale used in psychological tests?

A. continuous
B. discrete
C. contiguous
D. None of these
4. In a scale used in a psychology experiment, a value of "1" is assigned to subjects with

black hair, and a value of "2" is assigned to subjects with blonde hair. The type of scale
used in this experiment is:
A. ordinal.
B. ratio.
C. interval.
D. nominal.
5. Measuring temperature with a Fahrenheit thermometer entails the use of which type
of scale?
A. ratio.
B. ordinal.
C. interval.
D. nominal.
6. Numbers are assigned to each player on the university basketball team. This use of
numbers could BEST be characterized as
A. a nominal scale.
B. an ordinal scale.
C. an interval scale.
D. a ratio scale.
7. An instructor rank-orders students in her measurement class based on their

performance on a quiz of Chapter 3 in the textbook. In this instance, the instructor is
using which type of scale?
A. nominal
B. interval
C. ordinal
D. comparative
8. Yards gained by running backs during a football game is an example of which type of
scale?
A. nominal
B. ordinal
C. interval
D. ratio
9. Miles-per-hour is an example of which type of scale?

A. nominal
B. ordinal
C. ratio
D. interval
10. Which is the only type of scale that has an absolute zero point?
A. nominal
B. ordinal
C. ratio
D. interval
11. Alfred Binet conceived the assignment of numbers to the results of a person's
response to questions on an intelligence test to be what type of scale?
A. nominal
B. ordinal
C. interval
D. ratio
12. The data from most psychological tests could BEST be characterized as which level of
measurement?
A. nominal
B. ordinal
C. interval
D. ratio
13. The French word for "black" is a convenient acronym for

A. five factors measured by Binet's test.
B. four levels of measurement.
C. four parts of the partitioned normal curve.
D. five families of frequency distributions.
14. A frequency distribution typically includes

A. the average score and a measure of diversion around it.
B. each possible score and how often it occurs.
C. an estimate of how spread out the scores are.
D. an index of how "popular" a particular frequency is.
15. Which is the MOST common factor influencing a decision as to the size of class
interval in a grouped frequency distribution?
A. the number of scores above the mean
B. the size of the mean
C. convenience
D. the size of the mean and the standard deviation
16. Frequency distributions may be illustrated in a variety of ways. Which of the following
illustrations is the MOST popular of illustrating a frequency distribution?
A. a histogram
B. a scatterplot
C. a pie chart
D. a radio dial
17. In a grouped frequency distribution

A. the total of the frequency column is equal to the total number of scores in the
distribution.
B. test-score intervals replace the actual test scores.
C. each test score must fall in only one test-score interval.
D. All of these
18. Measures of central tendency refer to which part of the frequency distribution?
A. the high end of the distribution
B. the middle of the distribution
C. the low end of the distribution
D. the very end of the distribution
19. In calculating the mean of a distribution of test scores, the person analyzing the data
takes account of:
A. only the extreme scores in the distribution.
B. only the middle scores in the distribution.
C. every score in the distribution.
D. the standard scores in the distribution.
20. The mean, the median, and the mode are all
A. measures of central tendency.
B. measures of variability.
C. measures of dispersion.
D. standard scores.
21. A 100-item achievement test is administered to 30 students. Students earn 1 point
for each correct answer. In the test results there are three scores of 95. All of the other
students score between 10 and 30. What measure of central tendency would be MOST
representative of this set of scores?
A. average deviation
B. the median
C. the mode
D. the standard deviation
22. What is the formula for the arithmetic mean as calculated from a frequency
distribution?
A. "summation of fx" divided by N
B. "summation of the absolute deviations" divided by N
C. "summation of x" divided by N
D. None of these
23. For the distribution of test scores 85, 76, 71, 86, and 92, the arithmetic mean is
equal to
A. 71.
B. 85.
C. 82.
D. 80.
24. A distribution of test scores has a three-way tie for the most frequently occurring
score. This distribution could be described as
A. trimedial.
B. kurtotic.
C. trimodal.
D. skewed.
25. When graphing ratio data, why is it preferable to set the ordinate of the y-axis at 0?
A. It is simply the traditional way of doing things, and has no inherent benefit.
B. Setting the ordinate to other values may yield an exaggerated impression of the
changes in the variable.
C. Doing so is the best protection against statistic-based challenges regarding
methodology, findings, and conclusions.
D. Ratio-level data has a theoretical range from 0 to plus or minus infinity.
26. Which of the following statistics is the preferred measure of central tendency for a
skewed distribution?
A. the mean
B. the median
C. the mode
D. None of these
27. For which type of distribution of scores is the mean the preferred measure of central
tendency?
A. a symmetrical distribution
B. a skewed distribution
C. a flat distribution
D. a curved distribution
28. The mean for the set of scores 8, 9, and 7 is

A. 7.
B. 8.
C. 9.
D. 24.
29. T score is to 50 as:

A. z score is to 10.
B. percentile is to 100.
C. stanine is to 5.
D. stanine is to 9.
30. A distribution of test scores is: 75, 92, 96, 88, 75, 62, and 88. This distribution can be
characterized as:
A. unimodal with a mode of 75.
B. bimodal with the modes of 75 and 88.
C. unimodal with a mode of 88.
D. trimodal with the modes of 96, 92, and 62.
31. Which statistic describes the most frequently occurring test score?
A. the mean
B. the median
C. the mode
D. the range
32. For which type of data is the mode most frequently used?
A. nominal data
B. ordinal data
C. interval data
D. ratio data
33. Which is the only measure of central tendency that can be used for all nominal,
ordinal, interval, and ratio scales of measurement?
A. the mode
B. the median
C. the mean
34. Which statement is TRUE regarding this distribution of scores:
0, 11, 10, 0, 0, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1?
A. There is no mode.
B. The mode is 0.
C. The mode is 1.
D. There are two modes, 0 and 1.
1, 2, 2, 3?
A. The arithmetic mean is not an integer value.
B. The distribution is bimodal.
C. There is no mode.
D. The arithmetic mean is equal to the mode.
36. If a distribution of scores has a few extremely low scores and no corresponding high
scores, which of the following would be TRUE?
A. The mean would be smaller than the median.
B. The mean would be larger than the median.
C. The mean and the median would be equal.
D. The mean, median, and mode would all be the same.
37. Which statistic conveys the LEAST precise measure of dispersion?
A. the range
B. the variance
C. the standard deviation
D. the semi-interquartile range
38. Which quartile may also be referred to as the median?

A. the first quartile
B. the second quartile
C. the third quartile
D. the fourth quartile
39. The median and the interquartile range are __________ in nature.
A. reciprocal
B. ordinal
C. interval
D. opposite
40. If the standard deviation of a set of test scores is equal to 25, the variance is equal
to
A. 625.
B. 5.
C. 50.
D. 12.5.
41. If all scores in a set of test scores were the same, the variance would be equal to
A. zero.
B. one.
C. two.
D. None of these
42. Users of psychological tests are frequently tempted to treat ordinal data as if it were
interval data. This is the case because of the
A. difficulties that would be encountered if the data were treated as ratio data.
B. frequent need to do more than simply rank order test scores.
C. data manipulation capabilities given the equal intervals between points measured.
D. added flexibility of interval level data for statistical manipulation.
43. Test users who treat ordinal data as if they were interval data must be constantly
alert to the possibility of
A. a highly skewed standard error.
B. gross inequality of intervals.
C. extreme kurtosis in a graphed distribution of test scores.
D. legal challenges from the ACLU.
44. To make data more manageable, it is sometimes converted to graphs or tables.

Graphs or tables can be created from
A. nominal level data.
B. ordinal level data.
C. ratio level data.
D. All of these
45. A raw score is so called because it is

A. a straightforward, unmodified accounting of performance, usually numerical in nature.
B. an untreated estimate of performance on a test prior to placement in a frequency
distribution.
C. ratio level measurement that has not yet been converted into any sort of graphic
form.
D. None of these
46. A simple frequency distribution is labeled as such to indicate that the data in it
A. occurs with no particular frequency.
B. have not been grouped.
C. are not particularly complex.
D. have only been averaged using the arithmetic mean.
47. In a grouped frequency distribution, test-score intervals are also referred to as

A. class intervals.
B. bandwidth intervals.
C. range intervals.
D. group intervals.
48. X is to abscissa as Y is to
A. oblongata.
B. kudos.
C. kurtotic.
D. ordinate.
49. A histogram is a
A. graph with vertical lines drawn at each class interval.
B. frequency distribution with horizontal lines at each class interval.
C. a graphic illustration from history with ratio level data.
D. surgical procedure once performed on women to treat depression.
50. On a bar graph comparing men to women with regard to test scores, one would
expect to find the gender variable listed on the
A. abscissa.
B. ordinate.
C. frequency polygon.
D. appendix.
51. A distribution of test scores can be described by

A. a measure of central tendency
B. a measure of deviation
C. a graph
D. All of these
52. In summation notation, the Greek uppercase letter sigma is used to signify:
A. some.
B. sum.
C. don't sum.
D. dim sum.
53. One general statement that can be made with regard to the use of statistics in
analyzing test data is that the choice of statistic frequently depends on
A. the "school of statistics" learned by the person doing the analysis.
B. the degree of precision in measurement that is required.
C. the importance of the findings in the grand scheme of things.
D. the attention to detail that the project requires.
54. Unlike the arithmetic mean of scores in a distribution, the mode

A. may be totally atypical of other scores in the distribution.
B. may lie at the extreme end of the distribution.
C. is determined by counting the scores and determining which occurs most frequently.
D. All of these
55. Mode is to nominal statistic as median is to:
A. nominal statistic.
B. ordinal statistic.
C. interval statistic.
D. ratio statistic.
56. The range is a measure of variation that is simple enough to calculate, but its value
is
A. greatly affected by extreme scores in the distribution.
B. not affected enough by extreme scores in the distribution.
C. extremely limited when a distribution is relatively platykurtic.
D. too exaggerated for use with a normal distribution.
57. There are 100 scores in a distribution of test scores and the average deviation (AD) is
12. The AD of 12 tells us that the 100 scores in this distribution varied, on average
A. 12 points from the mean.
B. 12 points from each other.
C. 12 points from 100.
D. None of these
58. The U.S. Navy is highly selective when it comes to applications for Navy Seal
training. A distribution of test scores on a Navy Seal Qualifying and Screening
Examination administered to a class of high school seniors would be expected to yield
A. a normal distribution of test scores.
B. a negatively skewed distribution of test scores.
C. a positively skewed distribution of test scores.
D. a trimodal distribution.
59. Considering all of the people throughout history who are credited with the
development of what is now called "the normal curve," which name does NOT belong?
A. Abraham DeMoivre
B. Marquis de Laplace
C. W. A. McCall
D. Karl Friedrich Gauss
60. In theory, the distribution of the normal curve ranges from
A. +3 to -3.
B. 0 to 100.
C. 0 to infinity.
D. negative infinity to positive infinity.
61. The tail portion of a normal curve is the area of the curve between
A. 2 and 3 standard deviations above the mean.
B. -2 and -3 standard deviations below the mean.
C. Both a and b
D. None of these
62. Raw scores may be converted to standard scores

A. because raw scores are more readily interpretable than standard scores.
B. to better understand a test-taker's performance relative to others
C. Both a and b
D. None of these
63. A z score scale has sometimes been referred to as a "zero plus or minus one" scale
because a z score scale
A. has a mean set at 0 and a standard deviation set at 1.
B. has a mean set at 0 and a standard deviation set at -1.
C. has a standard deviation set at 0, and a mean set at 1.
D. None of these
64. The T in T-scores came about because this variety of standard score was named
after
A. Thurstone.
B. Titchener
C. Thorndike.
D. Terman
65. Today, when someone tells you what their recently measured "IQ" is, the value
quoted is most likely
A. a standard score.
B. a z-score.
C. a T-score.
D. a quotient.
66. A standard score obtained by a linear transformation is one in which
A. a direct numerical relationship to the original score is retained.
B. only the directionality of the relationship to the original score is retained.
C. the relationship to the original score has been completely erased.
D. None of these
67. A nonlinear transformation of test scores into standard scores may be required when
the test data under consideration:
A. are normally distributed.
B. are not normally distributed.
C. were originally converted into A scores.
D. were not obtained under standardized conditions.
68. A student received a z score of 1 on a test of English as a Second Language and the
distribution of test scores on that test was normal. This same student received a z score
of 1 on another test of English as Second Language and the distribution of test scores on
this second test were highly skewed. In all probability,
A. these two standard scores mean the same thing.
B. the T-scores on both test would be equal to 80.
C. the student speaks English better than many native-born Americans.
D. these two standard scores do not mean the same thing.
69. Which is NOT a part of the formula for calculating a standard deviation?
A. each test score
B. the total number of items in the test
C. the mean of the distribution
D. the total number of test scores
70. If the results of an examination are positively skewed, the exam questions were
likely
A. easy.
B. difficult.
C. biased.
D. part of a make-up examination.
71. If the results of an examination are negatively skewed, the exam questions were
likely:
A. easy.
B. difficult.
C. biased.
D. quite novel in many respects.
72. In a positively skewed distribution, which of the following is true?

A. Q3-Q2 will be greater than the distance of Q2-Q1.
B. Q3-Q2 will be less than the distance of Q2-Q1.
C. Q4-Q2 will be greater than the distance of Q2-Q1.
D. Q4-Q2 will be less than the distance of Q2-Q1.
73. In a distribution that is positively skewed, what is the relationship between the
measures of central tendency?
A. The mean, the median, and the mode are equal.
B. The mean is greater than the median, which is greater than the mode.
C. The mean is greater than the mode, which is greater than the median.
D. The standard deviation is larger than the variance, which is larger than the range.
74. In a distribution that is symmetrical, which of the following is true?

A. The distances from Q1 and Q4 to the median are the same.
B. The distances from Q1 and Q2 to the median are the same.
C. The distances from Q1 and Q3 to the median are the same.
D. The distances from Q2 and Q3 to the median are the same.
75. Arithmetic mean is to ________ as median is to ________.

A. semi-interquartile range; standard deviation
B. standard deviation; semi-interquartile range
C. variance; standard deviation
D. dispersion; variance
76. If few scores fall on the negative side of the distribution, the distribution is ________
skewed.
A. positively
B. negatively
C. symmetrically
D. asymmetrically
77. Kurtosis refers to steepness in the ________ of the distribution.
A. center
B. positive end
C. negative end
D. outliers
78. Which of the following is TRUE of kurtosis?

A. Computer programs provide an index of skewness that ranges from -3 to +3.
B. Computer program provide an index of skewness that ranges from -1 to +1.
C. No widely accepted definition of this concept exists.
D. It was first conceived and named by a Swedish statistician named Kurt.
79. Which of the following describes the shape of the normal curve?
A. positively skewed
B. negatively skewed
C. symmetrical
D. bimodal
80. The distribution of scores from a "Citywide Math Test" scores results in a mean of 70
and a standard deviation of 12. Here, a score equal to 2 standard deviations above the
mean would be:
A. 72.
B. 82.
C. 84.
D. 94.
81. What is the relationship between the mean, the median, and the mode for a
distribution of scores that is normally distributed?
A. The mean and the median are larger than the mode.
B. The mean and the median are smaller than the mode.
C. The mean and the mode are larger than the median.
D. The mean, the median, and the mode are equal.
82. Approximately what percentage of scores in a normal distribution falls between the
mean and 1 standard deviation above and below the mean?
A. 34%
B. 68%
C. 95%
D. less than 1%
83. What does the "tail" of a normal distribution refer to?
A. the area of the normal curve between 2 and 3 standard deviations above the mean
B. the area of the normal curve between 2 and 3 standard deviations below the mean
C. the extremes of the distribution
D. the bottom of the distribution
84. A raw score of 82 coming from a distribution of scores with a mean of 76 and a
standard of 4 is equal to a z score of:
A. +1.5.
B. -1.5.
C. +4.
D. -2.
85. What is an advantage of T scores over z scores?

A. z scores have no negative numbers
B. T scores have no negative numbers
C. T scores are more precise
D. a T score has greater statistical flexibility
86. T scores have a mean of ________ and a standard deviation of ________.

A. 20; 10
B. 50; 10
C. 100; 15
D. 100; 10
87. What standard score has a mean of 5 and a standard deviation of approximately 2?
A. decile
B. T
C. stanine
D. z
88. What is the primary advantage of normalization of a skewed distribution?

A. greater validity
B. easier comparability to other scales
C. greater reliability
D. eliminates negative numbers
89. If a particular measure yields scores that are normally distributed, this may be
characterized as a desirable feature of that measure. A normal distribution of scores is
desirable because
A. it provides evidence that the measure is valid, reliable, and psychometrically sound.
B. it shows that both the testtakers and the test users were quite diligent in completing
their respective tasks.
C. the proportion of testtakers having scores in specific ranges can be estimated
accurately.
D. it reflects a good sampling procedure used in selecting the normative group.
90. Psychologists often treat data from _______________ scales as though they were from
_______________ scales because the latter are more versatile statistically.
A. nominal; ratio
B. interval; nominal
C. ratio; ordinal
D. ordinal; interval
91. The amount of time that passes between the presentation of a word on a computer
screen and the reading of a word by a testtaker involves measurement on which type of
scale?
A. ordinal
B. ratio
C. interval
D. nominal
92. When test scores are found to be normally distributed, they take on the shape of the
familiar "bell curve." In these kinds of graphs, which variable is on the y (vertical) axis?
A. the test score
B. the frequency
C. the deviation from the mean
93. Which of the following values could be a stanine score?

A. 0
B. 6
C. 7.6
D. All of these
94. If a person scores at the median on a test, and if the scores on the test are normally
distributed, the individual will be in which stanine?
A. the first
B. the fifth
C. the ninth
D. the fifteenth
95. How wide is the interval encompassed by a stanine?

A. 10 points
B. It depends on the particular test that was administered
C. 1/4 standard error unit
D. 1/2 standard deviation unit
96. The nominal scale is a type of measurement that uses

A. an absolute zero point.
B. continuous variables.
C. rank-ordering.
D. None of these
97. What do ordinal and nominal scales have in common?

A. Both contain continuous variables.
B. Both contain equal units of measurement.
C. Both permit classifications.
D. Both contain mutually exclusive variables.
98. Psychological assessment instruments often employ an ordinal scale because

A. it can quantify categories such as ethnicity, sex, and medical diagnoses.
B. it contains equal intervals between numbers.
C. it has an absolute zero point.
D. it permits rank-ordering of scores.
99. Which of the following is NOT typical of an interval scale?

A. an absolute zero point
B. continuous variables
C. rank-orderings
D. an interval
100. If the mean of a distribution is 7 and the standard deviation is 2, what is the z score
that is equivalent to a raw score of 3?
A. 2
B. -2
C. 3
D. 6
101. Which of the following is always located between the first quartile (Q1) and the third
quartile (Q3)?
A. the mean
B. the range
C. the median
D. None of these
102. John received a z score of 0.5 on an exam. Peter received a T score of 60 on that
same exam. What can be said about their relative performance on the exam?
A. There is not enough information to compare John's and Peter's exam scores.
B. Peter received a higher raw score than John on the exam.
C. John received a higher raw score than Peter on the exam.
D. The two test-takers actually received the same score on the exam.
103. Kate received a z score of 1 on a reading test. What do we know about Kate's
performance, assuming that the reading test scores are distributed normally?
A. She scored better than 84% of other students.
B. She scored better than only 2/3 of the other students.
C. She scored worse than only 2/3 of other students.
D. She scored worse than 84% of other students.
A. 2
B. -2
C. 55
D. 4
105. Most scores on tests that measure psychological variables
A. are continuous.
B. are discrete.
C. are error-free.
D. lack discretion.
106. The DSM-IV classification "3.18 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" is an

example of:
A. a nominal scale.
D. a ratio scale.
107. Rank-ordering individuals on the variable of leadership ability is an example of

which type of scale?
A. nominal
B. ordinal
C. interval
D. ratio
108. In a normal distribution of scores, approximately what percentage of test scores

falls between +1 and -1 standard deviations from the mean?
A. 50%
B. 66%
C. 75%
D. less than 1%
109. A difference between a ratio and an interval scale is that a ratio scale
A. is considered a unit of measurement.
B. has an absolute zero point.
C. is the most common scale used in psychological measurement.
D. has an absolute freezing point.
110. Which of the following is the equivalent T score for an IQ score of 115 on an IQ test
that has a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15?
A. 40
B. 50
C. 60
D. 70
111. Approximately what percentage of scores falls below an IQ score of 130 if the mean
of the IQ test is 100 and the standard deviation is 15?
A. 50
B. 30
C. 85
D. None of these
112. Which of the following is an advantage of the stanine score over other standard
scores?
A. It has greater reliability because it is a single digit.
B. It has greater validity because of its three decimal places.
C. It is easily manipulated because it is a single digit.
D. It has greater precision because of its three decimal places.
113. A testtaker who scores at the 5th stanine is scoring

A. above average.
B. below average.
C. within the average range.
D. in an unspecifiable range; it depends on the test.
114. The main purpose of using statistics is

A. to conduct experiments in a replicable fashion.
B. to put data into an interpretable form.
C. to rank-order data.
D. to predict experimental outcomes.
115. The mean should be chosen as the measure of central tendency when the
distribution is
A. skewed in a generally positive direction.
B. skewed in a generally negative direction.
C. approximately j-shaped in nature.
D. approximately symmetrical in nature.
116. The median is not an appropriate measure of central tendency for

A. ratio data.
B. interval data.
C. nominal data.
D. ordinal data.
117. Which of the following statistics is derived by calculating the difference between the
highest and lowest scores in a distribution?
B. variance
C. standard deviation
D. range
118. The purpose of deriving a standard deviation of a distribution is

A. to average all the scores in a distribution.
B. to determine the central value of the scores in a distribution.
C. to determine the dispersion of scores around the mean of a distribution.
D. to determine the range of scores in each of the quartiles of a distribution.
119. Skewness provides an indication of the extent to which the shape of the distribution
is
A. curved.
B. symmetrical.
C. flat.
D. peaked.
120. Q3-Q2 will be greater than the distance of Q2-Q1 in a distribution of scores that is
A. normal.
B. positively skewed.
C. negatively skewed.
D. symmetrical.
121. Kurtosis refers to this characteristic of a graphed distribution. The characteristic is

A. dispersion.
B. smoothness.
C. symmetry.
D. steepness.
122. A graphed distribution that is relatively flat is referred to as

A. leptokurtic.
B. mesokurtic.
C. platykurtic.
D. microkurtic.
123. Which of the following is NOT true of the normal curve?
A. The sides taper and touch the x-axis.
B. The mean, the median, and the mode have the same value.
C. The highest point is the center.
D. It is perfectly symmetrical, with no skewness.
124. In a normal curve, approximately 68% of all scores fall

A. above the mean.
B. below the mean.
C. between the mean and 1 standard deviation below the mean.
D. None of these
125. If a test-taker earns a z score of +2 on a test, approximately how many other

testtakers obtained higher scores, assuming the distribution of test scores is normal?
A. 2.5%
B. 14%
C. 16%
D. 25%
126. A normalized standard score scale is usually derived from a distribution that was
previously
A. bell-shaped.
B. platykurtic.
C. symmetrical.
D. skewed.
127. A nonlinear transformation is used to convert a raw score to

A. an IQ score.
B. a z score.
C. a normalized score.
D. None of these
128. The fact that a test score has a normal distribution
A. suggests that the test is biased.
B. makes it relatively harder to assume that the test measures what it was intended to
measure.
C. makes it unlikely that the test is suitable for use with populations with psychological
disturbances.
D. makes the interpretation of tests scores simpler than would be the case if the test
score had a non-normal distribution.
129. Correlation coefficients range from -1 to:

A. +1
B. 0
C. + infinity
D. +10
130. Which statement is TRUE concerning a coefficient of correlation?

A. A correlation coefficient is an index of the causal relationship between two variables.
B. A correlation coefficient may be useful in prediction.
C. It covaries with the standard deviation.
D. It came about as a result of someone asking Francis Galton what his "sign" was.
131. Generally, what type of correlation exists between hours of study time spent
studying for an achievement test and the student's performance on the test?
A. it depends what the subject of the test is
B. a negative correlation
C. a positive correlation
D. zero correlation
132. Generally, which correlation coefficient best reflects the relationship between the
number of calories consumed and body weight?
A. +1.00
B. -1.00
C. +.8
D. -.8
133. A perfect correlation is indicated by
A. +1.00.
B. -1.00.
C. 0.
D. Both a and b
134. A correlation coefficient equal to -.98 would indicate

A. a weak inverse relationship between the two variables.
B. a weak direct relationship between the two variables.
C. a strong inverse relationship between the two variables.
D. a strong direct relationship between the two variables.
135. Charles Spearman is credited with

A. developing a type of correlation coefficient.
B. developing a way to predict the accuracy of a test.
C. developing factor analysis.
D. All of these
136. Which of the following is TRUE of the Pearson r?

A. It has a distribution that approximates the tetrachoric r if the data are not linear.
B. It is legitimately used only when the two variables are linear.
C. Pearson actually had very little to do with its development.
D. It can never be larger than the Spearman rho if the data represent two true
dichotomies.
137. To calculate a Pearson r using one of the formulas presented in the text, it is
necessary to know
A. the standard scores for both variables.
B. the standard score for only one variable.
C. percentiles for both variables.
D. raw scores for each variable.
138. A correlation coefficient that is significant at the p < .01 level

A. has a 99% chance of being accurate.
B. could have been expected to occur by chance alone one time or less in 100.
C. could have been expected to occur by chance alone 99 times or more in 100.
D. accounts for about 1% of the variance.
139. If the correlation coefficient is equal to .30, the coefficient of determination is equal
to
A. .90
B. .999
C. 9
D. None of these
140. The coefficient of determination is calculated by

A. multiplying the correlation coefficient by 100.
B. squaring the correlation coefficient and multiplying by 100.
C. multiplying the correlation coefficient by the sample size.
D. squaring the mean of each of the variables and then summing them.
141. What is the relationship between the coefficient of determination and the
correlation coefficient?
A. The larger the correlation coefficient, the larger the coefficient of determination.
B. The larger the correlation coefficient, the smaller the coefficient of determination.
C. The relationship between them would have a correlation coefficient of zero exactly.
D. The larger the correlation coefficient, the more variance can be attributed to error or
chance.
142. The correlation coefficient of choice when both sets of measurements are in rank-
order form and when fewer than 30 pairs of measurements are involved is
A. the Pearson r.
B. the tetrachoric r.
C. the Spearman rho.
D. the ROTC.
143. What is the correlation coefficient of choice when two variables are ordinal?
A. the Spearman rho
B. the Mooney-O
C. the Anna-O
D. None of these
144. Which of the following is most directly associated with the process of predicting
scores using regression techniques?
A. a standard error of the estimate
B. a standard error of the mean
C. a standard error of measurement
D. a standard error of the difference
145. Graphed data details the relationship of time spent studying for a midterm
examination and final grade on that test. An outlier indicates that one student spent
many hours spent studying but failed the examination. This leaves the professor
wondering:
A. how effective the student's study habits are.
B. what else is going on in the life of the student.
C. whether the student has a natural aptitude for the subject matter.
D. Both a and b
146. If an outlier exists in graphed test-related data it may signal

A. a problem in the wording of one of the test questions.
B. the need to re-administer the test.
C. a fatal flaw in the test's design.
D. Both a and c
147. Outliers can be useful in identifying testtakers who

A. failed to understand the test instructions.
B. failed to follow the test instructions.
C. Both a and b
D. None of these
148. If the calculated value of the correlation coefficient for two variables is 0, what
would the resulting scatterplot look like?
A. upward, sloping to the left
B. downward, sloping to the right
C. upward, sloping to the right
D. None of these
149. A scatterplot of the relationship between two variables is graphed upward and
sloping to the right. This is indicative of
A. a strong positive relationship.
B. a strong negative relationship.
C. a weak inverse relationship.
D. a purely Platonic relationship.
150. Which of the following is a term for the graphed representation of an extremely
atypical score that can sometimes provide a hint regarding some deficiency in the
testing or scoring procedures?
A. a nonlinear plot point
B. a standard error
C. an outlier
D. an error
151. What is the relationship between the correlation coefficient and the standard error
of estimate?
A. It is a positive relationship.
B. It is an inverse relationship.
C. No relationship exists.
D. None of these
152. Which of the following statements is TRUE concerning a correlation coefficient?

A. A restricted range in either correlated variable makes the correlation lower.
B. A correlation coefficient provides information regarding causation.
C. No meaning is attached to the sign of a correlation coefficient, since the coefficient is
ultimately squared.
D. Restriction of range is now illegal in the 48 contiguous states.
153. Among school-age children, as age increases, so do reading skills. This relationship
between two variables illustrates
A. a positive correlation between two variables.
B. a negative correlation correlations between two variables.
C. a zero correlation.
D. None of these
154. A correlation coefficient is equal to .30. Using the concept of coefficient of
determination, the variance accounted for by chance, error, and other unexplained
factors would be:
A. approximately 91%.
B. approximately 30%.
C. approximately 3%.
D. None of these
155. The statistical combination of information across studies is referred to as

A. reliability.
B. meta-analysis.
C. regression.
D. incremental validity.
156. A key advantage of meta-analysis over simply reporting a range of findings is that
A. in meta-analysis the "art" of the meta-analyst comes into play and allows for
knowledgeable manipulation of data.
B. simply reporting a range of findings can become very confusing when there are more
than two studies to report on.
C. in meta-analysis more weight can be given to studies that have larger numbers of
subjects.
D. Both a and b
157. A meta-analytic study of the Asch line judgment paradigm concluded that
A. individualistic cultures evidenced higher levels of conformity than collectivistic
cultures.
B. collectivistic cultures evidenced higher levels of conformity than individualistic
cultures.
C. holistic cultures evidenced higher levels of conformity than both individualistic and
collectivistic cultures.
D. subjects from the Republic of Yugoslavia were most impulsive in their judgments and
most likely to conform to the wrong choice.
c3 Key
1. Statistical tools are used for

A. describing numbers.
B. making inferences about numbers.
C. drawing conclusions about numbers.
D. All of these
Cohen - Chapter 03 #1
2. In doing research on family therapy, a researcher reports on the number of children in

each family studied. This reporting on the number of children in each family is BEST
described as which type of scale?
A. continuous
B. discrete
C. interval
D. None of these
3. Which is the most common type of scale used in psychological tests?

A. continuous
B. discrete
C. contiguous
D. None of these
4. In a scale used in a psychology experiment, a value of "1" is assigned to subjects with

black hair, and a value of "2" is assigned to subjects with blonde hair. The type of scale
used in this experiment is:
A. ordinal.
B. ratio.
C. interval.
D. nominal.
5. Measuring temperature with a Fahrenheit thermometer entails the use of which type
of scale?
A. ratio.
B. ordinal.
C. interval.
D. nominal.
6. Numbers are assigned to each player on the university basketball team. This use of
numbers could BEST be characterized as
A. a nominal scale.
D. a ratio scale.
7. An instructor rank-orders students in her measurement class based on their

performance on a quiz of Chapter 3 in the textbook. In this instance, the instructor is
using which type of scale?
A. nominal
B. interval
C. ordinal
D. comparative
8. Yards gained by running backs during a football game is an example of which type of
scale?
A. nominal
B. ordinal
C. interval
D. ratio
9. Miles-per-hour is an example of which type of scale?
A. nominal
B. ordinal
C. ratio
D. interval
10. Which is the only type of scale that has an absolute zero point?
A. nominal
B. ordinal
C. ratio
D. interval
11. Alfred Binet conceived the assignment of numbers to the results of a person's
response to questions on an intelligence test to be what type of scale?
A. nominal
B. ordinal
C. interval
D. ratio
12. The data from most psychological tests could BEST be characterized as which level of
measurement?
A. nominal
B. ordinal
C. interval
D. ratio

13. The French word for "black" is a convenient acronym for
A. five factors measured by Binet's test.
B. four levels of measurement.
C. four parts of the partitioned normal curve.
D. five families of frequency distributions.
14. A frequency distribution typically includes

A. the average score and a measure of diversion around it.
B. each possible score and how often it occurs.
C. an estimate of how spread out the scores are.
D. an index of how "popular" a particular frequency is.
15. Which is the MOST common factor influencing a decision as to the size of class
interval in a grouped frequency distribution?
A. the number of scores above the mean
B. the size of the mean
C. convenience
D. the size of the mean and the standard deviation
16. Frequency distributions may be illustrated in a variety of ways. Which of the following
illustrations is the MOST popular of illustrating a frequency distribution?
A. a histogram
B. a scatterplot
C. a pie chart
D. a radio dial

17. In a grouped frequency distribution
A. the total of the frequency column is equal to the total number of scores in the
distribution.
B. test-score intervals replace the actual test scores.
C. each test score must fall in only one test-score interval.
D. All of these
18. Measures of central tendency refer to which part of the frequency distribution?
A. the high end of the distribution
B. the middle of the distribution
C. the low end of the distribution
D. the very end of the distribution
19. In calculating the mean of a distribution of test scores, the person analyzing the data
takes account of:
A. only the extreme scores in the distribution.
B. only the middle scores in the distribution.
C. every score in the distribution.
D. the standard scores in the distribution.
20. The mean, the median, and the mode are all
A. measures of central tendency.
B. measures of variability.
C. measures of dispersion.
D. standard scores.

21. A 100-item achievement test is administered to 30 students. Students earn 1 point
for each correct answer. In the test results there are three scores of 95. All of the other
students score between 10 and 30. What measure of central tendency would be MOST
representative of this set of scores?
B. the median
C. the mode
22. What is the formula for the arithmetic mean as calculated from a frequency
distribution?
A. "summation of fx" divided by N
B. "summation of the absolute deviations" divided by N
C. "summation of x" divided by N
D. None of these
23. For the distribution of test scores 85, 76, 71, 86, and 92, the arithmetic mean is
equal to
A. 71.
B. 85.
C. 82.
D. 80.
24. A distribution of test scores has a three-way tie for the most frequently occurring
score. This distribution could be described as
A. trimedial.
B. kurtotic.
C. trimodal.
D. skewed.

25. When graphing ratio data, why is it preferable to set the ordinate of the y-axis at 0?
A. It is simply the traditional way of doing things, and has no inherent benefit.
B. Setting the ordinate to other values may yield an exaggerated impression of the
changes in the variable.
C. Doing so is the best protection against statistic-based challenges regarding
methodology, findings, and conclusions.
D. Ratio-level data has a theoretical range from 0 to plus or minus infinity.
26. Which of the following statistics is the preferred measure of central tendency for a
skewed distribution?
A. the mean
B. the median
C. the mode
D. None of these
27. For which type of distribution of scores is the mean the preferred measure of central
tendency?
A. a symmetrical distribution
B. a skewed distribution
C. a flat distribution
D. a curved distribution
28. The mean for the set of scores 8, 9, and 7 is

A. 7.
B. 8.
C. 9.
D. 24.

29. T score is to 50 as:
A. z score is to 10.
B. percentile is to 100.
C. stanine is to 5.
D. stanine is to 9.
30. A distribution of test scores is: 75, 92, 96, 88, 75, 62, and 88. This distribution can be
characterized as:
A. unimodal with a mode of 75.
B. bimodal with the modes of 75 and 88.
C. unimodal with a mode of 88.
D. trimodal with the modes of 96, 92, and 62.
31. Which statistic describes the most frequently occurring test score?
A. the mean
B. the median
C. the mode
D. the range
32. For which type of data is the mode most frequently used?
A. nominal data
B. ordinal data
C. interval data
D. ratio data

33. Which is the only measure of central tendency that can be used for all nominal,
ordinal, interval, and ratio scales of measurement?
A. the mode
B. the median
C. the mean
0, 11, 10, 0, 0, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1?
A. There is no mode.
B. The mode is 0.
C. The mode is 1.
D. There are two modes, 0 and 1.
1, 2, 2, 3?
A. The arithmetic mean is not an integer value.
B. The distribution is bimodal.
C. There is no mode.
D. The arithmetic mean is equal to the mode.
36. If a distribution of scores has a few extremely low scores and no corresponding high
scores, which of the following would be TRUE?
A. The mean would be smaller than the median.
B. The mean would be larger than the median.
C. The mean and the median would be equal.
D. The mean, median, and mode would all be the same.

37. Which statistic conveys the LEAST precise measure of dispersion?
A. the range
B. the variance
C. the standard deviation
D. the semi-interquartile range
38. Which quartile may also be referred to as the median?

A. the first quartile
B. the second quartile
C. the third quartile
D. the fourth quartile
39. The median and the interquartile range are __________ in nature.
A. reciprocal
B. ordinal
C. interval
D. opposite
40. If the standard deviation of a set of test scores is equal to 25, the variance is equal
to
A. 625.
B. 5.
C. 50.
D. 12.5.

41. If all scores in a set of test scores were the same, the variance would be equal to
A. zero.
B. one.
C. two.
D. None of these
42. Users of psychological tests are frequently tempted to treat ordinal data as if it were
interval data. This is the case because of the
A. difficulties that would be encountered if the data were treated as ratio data.
B. frequent need to do more than simply rank order test scores.
C. data manipulation capabilities given the equal intervals between points measured.
D. added flexibility of interval level data for statistical manipulation.
43. Test users who treat ordinal data as if they were interval data must be constantly
alert to the possibility of
A. a highly skewed standard error.
B. gross inequality of intervals.
C. extreme kurtosis in a graphed distribution of test scores.
D. legal challenges from the ACLU.
44. To make data more manageable, it is sometimes converted to graphs or tables.

Graphs or tables can be created from
A. nominal level data.
B. ordinal level data.
C. ratio level data.
D. All of these

45. A raw score is so called because it is
A. a straightforward, unmodified accounting of performance, usually numerical in nature.
B. an untreated estimate of performance on a test prior to placement in a frequency
distribution.
C. ratio level measurement that has not yet been converted into any sort of graphic
form.
D. None of these
46. A simple frequency distribution is labeled as such to indicate that the data in it
A. occurs with no particular frequency.
B. have not been grouped.
C. are not particularly complex.
D. have only been averaged using the arithmetic mean.
47. In a grouped frequency distribution, test-score intervals are also referred to as

A. class intervals.
B. bandwidth intervals.
C. range intervals.
D. group intervals.
48. X is to abscissa as Y is to
A. oblongata.
B. kudos.
C. kurtotic.
D. ordinate.

49. A histogram is a
A. graph with vertical lines drawn at each class interval.
B. frequency distribution with horizontal lines at each class interval.
C. a graphic illustration from history with ratio level data.
D. surgical procedure once performed on women to treat depression.
50. On a bar graph comparing men to women with regard to test scores, one would
expect to find the gender variable listed on the
A. abscissa.
B. ordinate.
C. frequency polygon.
D. appendix.
51. A distribution of test scores can be described by

A. a measure of central tendency
B. a measure of deviation
C. a graph
D. All of these
52. In summation notation, the Greek uppercase letter sigma is used to signify:
A. some.
B. sum.
C. don't sum.
D. dim sum.

53. One general statement that can be made with regard to the use of statistics in
analyzing test data is that the choice of statistic frequently depends on
A. the "school of statistics" learned by the person doing the analysis.
B. the degree of precision in measurement that is required.
C. the importance of the findings in the grand scheme of things.
D. the attention to detail that the project requires.
54. Unlike the arithmetic mean of scores in a distribution, the mode

A. may be totally atypical of other scores in the distribution.
B. may lie at the extreme end of the distribution.
C. is determined by counting the scores and determining which occurs most frequently.
D. All of these
55. Mode is to nominal statistic as median is to:

A. nominal statistic.
B. ordinal statistic.
C. interval statistic.
D. ratio statistic.
56. The range is a measure of variation that is simple enough to calculate, but its value
is
A. greatly affected by extreme scores in the distribution.
B. not affected enough by extreme scores in the distribution.
C. extremely limited when a distribution is relatively platykurtic.
D. too exaggerated for use with a normal distribution.

57. There are 100 scores in a distribution of test scores and the average deviation (AD) is
12. The AD of 12 tells us that the 100 scores in this distribution varied, on average
A. 12 points from the mean.
B. 12 points from each other.
C. 12 points from 100.
D. None of these
58. The U.S. Navy is highly selective when it comes to applications for Navy Seal
training. A distribution of test scores on a Navy Seal Qualifying and Screening
Examination administered to a class of high school seniors would be expected to yield
A. a normal distribution of test scores.
B. a negatively skewed distribution of test scores.
C. a positively skewed distribution of test scores.
D. a trimodal distribution.
59. Considering all of the people throughout history who are credited with the
development of what is now called "the normal curve," which name does NOT belong?
A. Abraham DeMoivre
B. Marquis de Laplace
C. W. A. McCall
D. Karl Friedrich Gauss
60. In theory, the distribution of the normal curve ranges from

A. +3 to -3.
B. 0 to 100.
C. 0 to infinity.
D. negative infinity to positive infinity.

61. The tail portion of a normal curve is the area of the curve between
A. 2 and 3 standard deviations above the mean.
B. -2 and -3 standard deviations below the mean.
C. Both a and b
D. None of these
62. Raw scores may be converted to standard scores

A. because raw scores are more readily interpretable than standard scores.
B. to better understand a test-taker's performance relative to others
C. Both a and b
D. None of these
63. A z score scale has sometimes been referred to as a "zero plus or minus one" scale
because a z score scale
A. has a mean set at 0 and a standard deviation set at 1.
B. has a mean set at 0 and a standard deviation set at -1.
C. has a standard deviation set at 0, and a mean set at 1.
D. None of these
64. The T in T-scores came about because this variety of standard score was named
after
A. Thurstone.
B. Titchener
C. Thorndike.
D. Terman

65. Today, when someone tells you what their recently measured "IQ" is, the value
quoted is most likely
A. a standard score.
B. a z-score.
C. a T-score.
D. a quotient.
66. A standard score obtained by a linear transformation is one in which

A. a direct numerical relationship to the original score is retained.
B. only the directionality of the relationship to the original score is retained.
C. the relationship to the original score has been completely erased.
D. None of these
67. A nonlinear transformation of test scores into standard scores may be required when
the test data under consideration:
A. are normally distributed.
B. are not normally distributed.
C. were originally converted into A scores.
D. were not obtained under standardized conditions.
68. A student received a z score of 1 on a test of English as a Second Language and the
distribution of test scores on that test was normal. This same student received a z score
of 1 on another test of English as Second Language and the distribution of test scores on
this second test were highly skewed. In all probability,
A. these two standard scores mean the same thing.
B. the T-scores on both test would be equal to 80.
C. the student speaks English better than many native-born Americans.
D. these two standard scores do not mean the same thing.

69. Which is NOT a part of the formula for calculating a standard deviation?
A. each test score
B. the total number of items in the test
C. the mean of the distribution
D. the total number of test scores
70. If the results of an examination are positively skewed, the exam questions were
likely
A. easy.
B. difficult.
C. biased.
D. part of a make-up examination.
71. If the results of an examination are negatively skewed, the exam questions were
likely:
A. easy.
B. difficult.
C. biased.
D. quite novel in many respects.
72. In a positively skewed distribution, which of the following is true?

A. Q3-Q2 will be greater than the distance of Q2-Q1.
B. Q3-Q2 will be less than the distance of Q2-Q1.
C. Q4-Q2 will be greater than the distance of Q2-Q1.
D. Q4-Q2 will be less than the distance of Q2-Q1.

73. In a distribution that is positively skewed, what is the relationship between the
measures of central tendency?
A. The mean, the median, and the mode are equal.
B. The mean is greater than the median, which is greater than the mode.
C. The mean is greater than the mode, which is greater than the median.
D. The standard deviation is larger than the variance, which is larger than the range.
74. In a distribution that is symmetrical, which of the following is true?

A. The distances from Q1 and Q4 to the median are the same.
B. The distances from Q1 and Q2 to the median are the same.
C. The distances from Q1 and Q3 to the median are the same.
D. The distances from Q2 and Q3 to the median are the same.
75. Arithmetic mean is to ________ as median is to ________.

A. semi-interquartile range; standard deviation
B. standard deviation; semi-interquartile range
C. variance; standard deviation
D. dispersion; variance
76. If few scores fall on the negative side of the distribution, the distribution is ________
skewed.
A. positively
B. negatively
C. symmetrically
D. asymmetrically

77. Kurtosis refers to steepness in the ________ of the distribution.
A. center
B. positive end
C. negative end
D. outliers
78. Which of the following is TRUE of kurtosis?

A. Computer programs provide an index of skewness that ranges from -3 to +3.
B. Computer program provide an index of skewness that ranges from -1 to +1.
C. No widely accepted definition of this concept exists.
D. It was first conceived and named by a Swedish statistician named Kurt.
79. Which of the following describes the shape of the normal curve?
A. positively skewed
B. negatively skewed
C. symmetrical
D. bimodal
80. The distribution of scores from a "Citywide Math Test" scores results in a mean of 70
and a standard deviation of 12. Here, a score equal to 2 standard deviations above the
mean would be:
A. 72.
B. 82.
C. 84.
D. 94.

81. What is the relationship between the mean, the median, and the mode for a
distribution of scores that is normally distributed?
A. The mean and the median are larger than the mode.
B. The mean and the median are smaller than the mode.
C. The mean and the mode are larger than the median.
D. The mean, the median, and the mode are equal.
82. Approximately what percentage of scores in a normal distribution falls between the
mean and 1 standard deviation above and below the mean?
A. 34%
B. 68%
C. 95%
D. less than 1%
83. What does the "tail" of a normal distribution refer to?

A. the area of the normal curve between 2 and 3 standard deviations above the mean
B. the area of the normal curve between 2 and 3 standard deviations below the mean
C. the extremes of the distribution
D. the bottom of the distribution
84. A raw score of 82 coming from a distribution of scores with a mean of 76 and a
standard of 4 is equal to a z score of:
A. +1.5.
B. -1.5.
C. +4.
D. -2.

85. What is an advantage of T scores over z scores?
A. z scores have no negative numbers
B. T scores have no negative numbers
C. T scores are more precise
D. a T score has greater statistical flexibility
86. T scores have a mean of ________ and a standard deviation of ________.

A. 20; 10
B. 50; 10
C. 100; 15
D. 100; 10
87. What standard score has a mean of 5 and a standard deviation of approximately 2?
A. decile
B. T
C. stanine
D. z
88. What is the primary advantage of normalization of a skewed distribution?

A. greater validity
B. easier comparability to other scales
C. greater reliability
D. eliminates negative numbers

89. If a particular measure yields scores that are normally distributed, this may be
characterized as a desirable feature of that measure. A normal distribution of scores is
desirable because
A. it provides evidence that the measure is valid, reliable, and psychometrically sound.
B. it shows that both the testtakers and the test users were quite diligent in completing
their respective tasks.
C. the proportion of testtakers having scores in specific ranges can be estimated
accurately.
D. it reflects a good sampling procedure used in selecting the normative group.
90. Psychologists often treat data from _______________ scales as though they were from
_______________ scales because the latter are more versatile statistically.
A. nominal; ratio
B. interval; nominal
C. ratio; ordinal
D. ordinal; interval
91. The amount of time that passes between the presentation of a word on a computer
screen and the reading of a word by a testtaker involves measurement on which type of
scale?
A. ordinal
B. ratio
C. interval
D. nominal
92. When test scores are found to be normally distributed, they take on the shape of the
familiar "bell curve." In these kinds of graphs, which variable is on the y (vertical) axis?
A. the test score
B. the frequency
C. the deviation from the mean

93. Which of the following values could be a stanine score?
A. 0
B. 6
C. 7.6
D. All of these
94. If a person scores at the median on a test, and if the scores on the test are normally
distributed, the individual will be in which stanine?
A. the first
B. the fifth
C. the ninth
D. the fifteenth
95. How wide is the interval encompassed by a stanine?

A. 10 points
B. It depends on the particular test that was administered
C. 1/4 standard error unit
D. 1/2 standard deviation unit
96. The nominal scale is a type of measurement that uses

A. an absolute zero point.
B. continuous variables.
C. rank-ordering.
D. None of these

97. What do ordinal and nominal scales have in common?
A. Both contain continuous variables.
B. Both contain equal units of measurement.
C. Both permit classifications.
D. Both contain mutually exclusive variables.
98. Psychological assessment instruments often employ an ordinal scale because

A. it can quantify categories such as ethnicity, sex, and medical diagnoses.
B. it contains equal intervals between numbers.
C. it has an absolute zero point.
D. it permits rank-ordering of scores.
99. Which of the following is NOT typical of an interval scale?

A. an absolute zero point
B. continuous variables
C. rank-orderings
D. an interval
A. 2
B. -2
C. 3
D. 6

101. Which of the following is always located between the first quartile (Q1) and the third
quartile (Q3)?
A. the mean
B. the range
C. the median
D. None of these
102. John received a z score of 0.5 on an exam. Peter received a T score of 60 on that
same exam. What can be said about their relative performance on the exam?
A. There is not enough information to compare John's and Peter's exam scores.
B. Peter received a higher raw score than John on the exam.
C. John received a higher raw score than Peter on the exam.
D. The two test-takers actually received the same score on the exam.
103. Kate received a z score of 1 on a reading test. What do we know about Kate's
performance, assuming that the reading test scores are distributed normally?
A. She scored better than 84% of other students.
B. She scored better than only 2/3 of the other students.
C. She scored worse than only 2/3 of other students.
D. She scored worse than 84% of other students.
A. 2
B. -2
C. 55
D. 4

105. Most scores on tests that measure psychological variables
A. are continuous.
B. are discrete.
C. are error-free.
D. lack discretion.
106. The DSM-IV classification "3.18 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" is an

example of:
A. a nominal scale.
D. a ratio scale.
107. Rank-ordering individuals on the variable of leadership ability is an example of

which type of scale?
A. nominal
B. ordinal
C. interval
D. ratio
108. In a normal distribution of scores, approximately what percentage of test scores

falls between +1 and -1 standard deviations from the mean?
A. 50%
B. 66%
C. 75%
D. less than 1%

109. A difference between a ratio and an interval scale is that a ratio scale
A. is considered a unit of measurement.
B. has an absolute zero point.
C. is the most common scale used in psychological measurement.
D. has an absolute freezing point.
110. Which of the following is the equivalent T score for an IQ score of 115 on an IQ test
that has a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15?
A. 40
B. 50
C. 60
D. 70
111. Approximately what percentage of scores falls below an IQ score of 130 if the mean
of the IQ test is 100 and the standard deviation is 15?
A. 50
B. 30
C. 85
D. None of these
112. Which of the following is an advantage of the stanine score over other standard
scores?
A. It has greater reliability because it is a single digit.
B. It has greater validity because of its three decimal places.
C. It is easily manipulated because it is a single digit.
D. It has greater precision because of its three decimal places.

113. A testtaker who scores at the 5
th
stanine is scoring
A. above average.
B. below average.
C. within the average range.
D. in an unspecifiable range; it depends on the test.
114. The main purpose of using statistics is

A. to conduct experiments in a replicable fashion.
B. to put data into an interpretable form.
C. to rank-order data.
D. to predict experimental outcomes.
115. The mean should be chosen as the measure of central tendency when the
distribution is
A. skewed in a generally positive direction.
B. skewed in a generally negative direction.
C. approximately j-shaped in nature.
D. approximately symmetrical in nature.
116. The median is not an appropriate measure of central tendency for

A. ratio data.
B. interval data.
C. nominal data.
D. ordinal data.

117. Which of the following statistics is derived by calculating the difference between the
highest and lowest scores in a distribution?
B. variance
C. standard deviation
D. range
118. The purpose of deriving a standard deviation of a distribution is

A. to average all the scores in a distribution.
B. to determine the central value of the scores in a distribution.
C. to determine the dispersion of scores around the mean of a distribution.
D. to determine the range of scores in each of the quartiles of a distribution.
119. Skewness provides an indication of the extent to which the shape of the distribution
is
A. curved.
B. symmetrical.
C. flat.
D. peaked.
120. Q3-Q2 will be greater than the distance of Q2-Q1 in a distribution of scores that is
A. normal.
B. positively skewed.
C. negatively skewed.
D. symmetrical.

121. Kurtosis refers to this characteristic of a graphed distribution. The characteristic is
A. dispersion.
B. smoothness.
C. symmetry.
D. steepness.
122. A graphed distribution that is relatively flat is referred to as

A. leptokurtic.
B. mesokurtic.
C. platykurtic.
D. microkurtic.
123. Which of the following is NOT true of the normal curve?

A. The sides taper and touch the x-axis.
B. The mean, the median, and the mode have the same value.
C. The highest point is the center.
D. It is perfectly symmetrical, with no skewness.
124. In a normal curve, approximately 68% of all scores fall

A. above the mean.
B. below the mean.
C. between the mean and 1 standard deviation below the mean.
D. None of these

125. If a test-taker earns a z score of +2 on a test, approximately how many other
testtakers obtained higher scores, assuming the distribution of test scores is normal?
A. 2.5%
B. 14%
C. 16%
D. 25%
126. A normalized standard score scale is usually derived from a distribution that was
previously
A. bell-shaped.
B. platykurtic.
C. symmetrical.
D. skewed.
127. A nonlinear transformation is used to convert a raw score to

A. an IQ score.
B. a z score.
C. a normalized score.
D. None of these
128. The fact that a test score has a normal distribution

A. suggests that the test is biased.
B. makes it relatively harder to assume that the test measures what it was intended to
measure.
C. makes it unlikely that the test is suitable for use with populations with psychological
disturbances.
D. makes the interpretation of tests scores simpler than would be the case if the test
score had a non-normal distribution.

129. Correlation coefficients range from -1 to:
A. +1
B. 0
C. + infinity
D. +10
130. Which statement is TRUE concerning a coefficient of correlation?

A. A correlation coefficient is an index of the causal relationship between two variables.
B. A correlation coefficient may be useful in prediction.
C. It covaries with the standard deviation.
D. It came about as a result of someone asking Francis Galton what his "sign" was.
131. Generally, what type of correlation exists between hours of study time spent
studying for an achievement test and the student's performance on the test?
A. it depends what the subject of the test is
B. a negative correlation
C. a positive correlation
D. zero correlation
132. Generally, which correlation coefficient best reflects the relationship between the
number of calories consumed and body weight?
A. +1.00
B. -1.00
C. +.8
D. -.8

133. A perfect correlation is indicated by
A. +1.00.
B. -1.00.
C. 0.
D. Both a and b
134. A correlation coefficient equal to -.98 would indicate

A. a weak inverse relationship between the two variables.
B. a weak direct relationship between the two variables.
C. a strong inverse relationship between the two variables.
D. a strong direct relationship between the two variables.
135. Charles Spearman is credited with

A. developing a type of correlation coefficient.
B. developing a way to predict the accuracy of a test.
C. developing factor analysis.
D. All of these
136. Which of the following is TRUE of the Pearson r?

A. It has a distribution that approximates the tetrachoric r if the data are not linear.
B. It is legitimately used only when the two variables are linear.
C. Pearson actually had very little to do with its development.
D. It can never be larger than the Spearman rho if the data represent two true
dichotomies.

137. To calculate a Pearson r using one of the formulas presented in the text, it is
necessary to know
A. the standard scores for both variables.
B. the standard score for only one variable.
C. percentiles for both variables.
D. raw scores for each variable.
138. A correlation coefficient that is significant at the p < .01 level

A. has a 99% chance of being accurate.
B. could have been expected to occur by chance alone one time or less in 100.
C. could have been expected to occur by chance alone 99 times or more in 100.
D. accounts for about 1% of the variance.
139. If the correlation coefficient is equal to .30, the coefficient of determination is equal
to
A. .90
B. .999
C. 9
D. None of these
140. The coefficient of determination is calculated by

A. multiplying the correlation coefficient by 100.
B. squaring the correlation coefficient and multiplying by 100.
C. multiplying the correlation coefficient by the sample size.
D. squaring the mean of each of the variables and then summing them.

141. What is the relationship between the coefficient of determination and the
correlation coefficient?
A. The larger the correlation coefficient, the larger the coefficient of determination.
B. The larger the correlation coefficient, the smaller the coefficient of determination.
C. The relationship between them would have a correlation coefficient of zero exactly.
D. The larger the correlation coefficient, the more variance can be attributed to error or
chance.
142. The correlation coefficient of choice when both sets of measurements are in rank-
order form and when fewer than 30 pairs of measurements are involved is
A. the Pearson r.
B. the tetrachoric r.
C. the Spearman rho.
D. the ROTC.
143. What is the correlation coefficient of choice when two variables are ordinal?
A. the Spearman rho
B. the Mooney-O
C. the Anna-O
D. None of these
144. Which of the following is most directly associated with the process of predicting
scores using regression techniques?
A. a standard error of the estimate
B. a standard error of the mean
C. a standard error of measurement
D. a standard error of the difference

145. Graphed data details the relationship of time spent studying for a midterm
examination and final grade on that test. An outlier indicates that one student spent
many hours spent studying but failed the examination. This leaves the professor
wondering:
A. how effective the student's study habits are.
B. what else is going on in the life of the student.
C. whether the student has a natural aptitude for the subject matter.
D. Both a and b
146. If an outlier exists in graphed test-related data it may signal

A. a problem in the wording of one of the test questions.
B. the need to re-administer the test.
C. a fatal flaw in the test's design.
D. Both a and c
147. Outliers can be useful in identifying testtakers who

A. failed to understand the test instructions.
B. failed to follow the test instructions.
C. Both a and b
D. None of these
148. If the calculated value of the correlation coefficient for two variables is 0, what
would the resulting scatterplot look like?
A. upward, sloping to the left
B. downward, sloping to the right
C. upward, sloping to the right
D. None of these

149. A scatterplot of the relationship between two variables is graphed upward and
sloping to the right. This is indicative of
A. a strong positive relationship.
B. a strong negative relationship.
C. a weak inverse relationship.
D. a purely Platonic relationship.
150. Which of the following is a term for the graphed representation of an extremely
atypical score that can sometimes provide a hint regarding some deficiency in the
testing or scoring procedures?
A. a nonlinear plot point
B. a standard error
C. an outlier
D. an error
151. What is the relationship between the correlation coefficient and the standard error
of estimate?
A. It is a positive relationship.
B. It is an inverse relationship.
C. No relationship exists.
D. None of these
152. Which of the following statements is TRUE concerning a correlation coefficient?

A. A restricted range in either correlated variable makes the correlation lower.
B. A correlation coefficient provides information regarding causation.
C. No meaning is attached to the sign of a correlation coefficient, since the coefficient is
ultimately squared.
D. Restriction of range is now illegal in the 48 contiguous states.

153. Among school-age children, as age increases, so do reading skills. This relationship
between two variables illustrates
A. a positive correlation between two variables.
B. a negative correlation correlations between two variables.
C. a zero correlation.
D. None of these
154. A correlation coefficient is equal to .30. Using the concept of coefficient of

determination, the variance accounted for by chance, error, and other unexplained
factors would be:
A. approximately 91%.
B. approximately 30%.
C. approximately 3%.
D. None of these
155. The statistical combination of information across studies is referred to as

A. reliability.
B. meta-analysis.
C. regression.
D. incremental validity.
156. A key advantage of meta-analysis over simply reporting a range of findings is that
A. in meta-analysis the "art" of the meta-analyst comes into play and allows for
knowledgeable manipulation of data.
B. simply reporting a range of findings can become very confusing when there are more
than two studies to report on.
C. in meta-analysis more weight can be given to studies that have larger numbers of
subjects.
D. Both a and b

157. A meta-analytic study of the Asch line judgment paradigm concluded that
A. individualistic cultures evidenced higher levels of conformity than collectivistic
cultures.
B. collectivistic cultures evidenced higher levels of conformity than individualistic
cultures.
C. holistic cultures evidenced higher levels of conformity than both individualistic and
collectivistic cultures.
D. subjects from the Republic of Yugoslavia were most impulsive in their judgments and
most likely to conform to the wrong choice.

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Cohen - Chapte 157
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CH 4 Quiz Bank Testing and Assessment

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c3

1. Statistical tools are used for

2. In doing research on family therapy, a researcher reports on the number of children in

3. Which is the most common type of scale used in psychological tests?

4. In a scale used in a psychology experiment, a value of "1" is assigned to subjects with

7. An instructor rank-orders students in her measurement class based on their

9. Miles-per-hour is an example of which type of scale?

13. The French word for "black" is a convenient acronym for

14. A frequency distribution typically includes

17. In a grouped frequency distribution

28. The mean for the set of scores 8, 9, and 7 is

29. T score is to 50 as:

34. Which statement is TRUE regarding this distribution of scores:

35. Which statement is TRUE regarding this distribution of scores:

38. Which quartile may also be referred to as the median?

44. To make data more manageable, it is sometimes converted to graphs or tables.

45. A raw score is so called because it is

47. In a grouped frequency distribution, test-score intervals are also referred to as

51. A distribution of test scores can be described by

54. Unlike the arithmetic mean of scores in a distribution, the mode

62. Raw scores may be converted to standard scores

72. In a positively skewed distribution, which of the following is true?

74. In a distribution that is symmetrical, which of the following is true?

75. Arithmetic mean is to ________ as median is to ________.

78. Which of the following is TRUE of kurtosis?

85. What is an advantage of T scores over z scores?

86. T scores have a mean of ________ and a standard deviation of ________.

88. What is the primary advantage of normalization of a skewed distribution?

93. Which of the following values could be a stanine score?

95. How wide is the interval encompassed by a stanine?

96. The nominal scale is a type of measurement that uses

97. What do ordinal and nominal scales have in common?

98. Psychological assessment instruments often employ an ordinal scale because

99. Which of the following is NOT typical of an interval scale?

106. The DSM-IV classification "3.18 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" is an

107. Rank-ordering individuals on the variable of leadership ability is an example of

108. In a normal distribution of scores, approximately what percentage of test scores

113. A testtaker who scores at the 5th stanine is scoring

114. The main purpose of using statistics is

116. The median is not an appropriate measure of central tendency for

118. The purpose of deriving a standard deviation of a distribution is

121. Kurtosis refers to this characteristic of a graphed distribution. The characteristic is

122. A graphed distribution that is relatively flat is referred to as

124. In a normal curve, approximately 68% of all scores fall

125. If a test-taker earns a z score of +2 on a test, approximately how many other

127. A nonlinear transformation is used to convert a raw score to

129. Correlation coefficients range from -1 to:

130. Which statement is TRUE concerning a coefficient of correlation?

134. A correlation coefficient equal to -.98 would indicate

135. Charles Spearman is credited with

136. Which of the following is TRUE of the Pearson r?

138. A correlation coefficient that is significant at the p < .01 level

140. The coefficient of determination is calculated by

146. If an outlier exists in graphed test-related data it may signal

147. Outliers can be useful in identifying testtakers who

152. Which of the following statements is TRUE concerning a correlation coefficient?

155. The statistical combination of information across studies is referred to as

1. Statistical tools are used for

2. In doing research on family therapy, a researcher reports on the number of children in

3. Which is the most common type of scale used in psychological tests?

4. In a scale used in a psychology experiment, a value of "1" is assigned to subjects with

7. An instructor rank-orders students in her measurement class based on their

Cohen - Chapter 03 #10

75. Arithmetic mean is to as median is to .

86. T scores have a mean of and a standard deviation of .