AP Psych – Oldknow

Directions: Read the following experiment scenarios and circle the correct answer.
Two groups of rats were run through a maze. The time it took for each rat to reach the
finish line was recorded. One group of rats was deprived food 24 hours before running
the maze; the other group was fed one hour before. All other conditions for the two
groups were the same. It was found the rats who were deprived of food 24 hours
before the trials ran the maze at a faster rate than those fed one hour before.
1. The hypothesis is If … then …
a. running through the maze … more deprived of food.
b. time of day is the factor … speed will be influenced.
c. deprived of food … run faster.
d. well-fed … will eat more.
e. trials are restricted …time will not be a factor.

2. The independent variable is the…

a. food deprivation.
b. morning is evening hours.
c. contented rats.
d. quality of the food.
e. running ability of the rats.

3. The dependent variable is the …

a. food that is consumed.
b. time for each rat to run the maze.
c. food deprivation.
d. jumping ability of the rats.
e. one hour rats vs. 24 hour rats.

4. The control group is the…

a. rats deprived of food for 24 hours.
b. same conditions for both groups.
c. rats who died before the experiment began.
d. rats who were fed one hour before running the maze.
e. one hour rats vs. 24 hour rats.

5. The experimental group is the…

a. rats deprived of food for 24 hours.
b. same conditions for both groups.
c. rats who died before the experiment began.
d. rats who were fed one hour before running the maze.
e. one hour rats vs. 24 rats.

1
A psychology teacher allowed her third period class to eat snacks while taking an exam.
Her fourth period class was not allowed to eat snacks while taking the same exam. She
found that the class which snacked during the test scored better than the class who was
not allowed to eat snacks. Prior to this, both classes averaged comparable exam scores.

1. The hypothesis is If … then …

a. a class does not eat snacks … it will do better on the test.
b. a teacher eats snacks … then students will do better on their tests.
c. a class is allowed to eat snacks during a test … it will do better than a class
without snacks.
d. a class eats snacks during a test … it will do worse than a class without snacks.
e. snacks given to all students before or during tests … all the students will score
better than without snacks.

2. The independent variable is the…

a. not eating snacks.
b. third period.
c. taking of an exam.
d. comparable exam scores.
e. ability to snack while taking a test.

3. The dependent variable is the…

a. comparable scores.
b. test scores of the experimental group.
c. test scores of the control group.
d. different exams.
e. peanut butter and jelly.

4. The control group is…

a. the students able to snack while testing.
b. exactly the same test conditions.
c. students unable to snack while testing.
d. scores of the students unable to snack during tests.
e. comparable test scores.

5. The experimental group is the…

a. the students able to snack while testing.
b. exactly the same test conditions.
c. students unable to snack while testing.
d. scores of the students unable to snack during tests.
e. comparable test scores.

2
Four groups of rats were being conditioned to elicit an escape-avoidance response.
Groups 1, 2, and 3 were given 10, 15, and 20 volts of shock respectively. Group 4 was
given no shock. All other conditions were the same for each group. The time it took for
each rat to illicit an escape-avoidance response was recorded. It was found that the
more shock the rats received, the less time it took for them to learn the escape-
avoidance response.

1. The hypothesis is If … then…

a. groups of rats are treated to varying levels of shock … they will all learn escape-
avoidance at approximately the same speed.
b. groups of rats are treated to varying levels of shock … they will all become
anxiety-ridden rats.
c. rats have learned escape-avoidance behavior … they have been treated with
shock.
d. groups of rats are treated to varying levels of shock … the ones treated to the
greatest will earn escape-avoidance behavior quicker than the rats treated with
less chock, and the more shock the faster the learning, the less shock, the
slower the learning.
e. rats are not treated with electric shock … they will be happy rats.

2. The independent variable is the…

a. absence of shock.
b. four groups of rats.
c. speed of learning escape-avoidance behavior.
d. personality of each rat.
e. varying levels of electric shock.

3. The dependent variable is the…

a. speed of learning escape-avoidance behavior.
b. extraneous variable.
c. four groups of rats.
d. amount of electric shock given to rats.
e. amount of anxiety in the rats.

4. The control group(s) is (are)…

a. the fourth group, the ones with no shock given.
b. all four groups.
c. none of the groups.
d. the first three groups, the ones treated with shock.
e. the rats with a lot of self-control.

5. The experimental group(s) is (are)…

a. the fourth group, the ones with no shock given.
b. all four groups.
c. none of the groups.
d. the first three groups, the ones treated with shock.
e. the rats with a lot of self-control.

3
The leading producer of paper products wanted to increase their sales of paper cups.
They set up a test program in local supermarkets. Identical 8 oz paper cups were
packaged in two ways: half of the stock was packaged in the recent plain boxes while
the other half of the stock was packed in bright, cheery, pastel-colored packages. Sales
volume for each type of package was recorded over a period of six months. At the
conclusion of the study, it was found that more paper cups were brought when
packaged in the bright, pastel-colored boxes.

1. The hypothesis is If … then …

a. cleaner store … more customers.
b. bright-colored packages … more customers.
c. more packages on shelf … more sales.
d. larger cups … less sales.
e. bright-colored packages … less sales.

2. The independent variable is the…

a. cup size.
b. plain boxes.
c. quality of cups.
d. colorful packages.
e. location of stores.

3. The dependent variable is…

a. Fewer sales.
b. quality of cups.
c. more sales.
d. brighter-looking store.
e. bright-colored packages.

4. The control group is the…

a. plain boxes condition.
b. colored boxes condition.
c. local supermarket location.
d. third leading producer of paper products.
e. paper plates.

5. The experimental group is the…

a. plain boxes condition.
b. colored boxes condition.
c. local supermarket location.
d. third leading producer of paper products.
e. paper plates.

4
Mrs. Benson bought some ivy plants and placed them on her living room window sills
which face the north. Within a few weeks they started to wither. She decided to try
something to revive the plants. She left half of the plants on the living room window sills
and took the other half to her bedroom window sills which face the south. Within a
week, the ivy plants that were moved to the bedroom windows revived and began to
flourish. The plants in the living room continued to do poorly and grew less than those
in the bedroom. Mrs. Benson concluded that her plants were not getting enough
sunlight when placed on her living room window sills.

1. They hypothesis is If … then …

a. plants put in the bedroom … plants get more water.
b. plants put in the bedroom … better looking room.
c. plants put in the living room … better growing plants.
d. plants put in the bedroom … better growing plants.
e. plants put in the living room … not enough sunlight in the living room.

2. The independent variable is the…

a. amount of light plants get.
b. rate of plant growth.
c. appearance of room.
d. plants put in living room.
e. plants put in bedroom.

3. The dependent variable is the…

a. growth of plants.
b. more company in the house.
c. new species of plant.
d. sunny day.
e. more attractive house.

4. The control group is the…

a. sunlight through the window.
b. plants in the bedroom.
c. plants in the living room.
d. cactus plants.
e. plants in the neighbor’s house.

5. The experimental group is the…

a. sunlight through the window.
b. plants in the bedroom.
c. plants in the living room.
d. cactus plants.
e. plants in the neighbor’s house.

5
Bob just had his car tuned, but he was still dissatisfied with his gas mileage. Therefore,
he decided to try a different gasoline and assess the gas mileage. For two weeks he
purchased his present gasoline, Cheap-O, and noted the miles per gallon that he
received. The following two weeks, Bob purchased a better brand of gas, Shell, and
noted those miles per gallon. Bob determined that he received better gas mileage with
Shell gasoline. In the long-run, it was actually more economical for Bob to buy the
slightly higher priced gas, Shell, because he received considerable better miles per
gallon with Shell than with the lower priced gas, Cheap-O.

1. The hypothesis is If … then …

a. buy Shell gas … better engine.
b. buy Cheap-O gas … better gas mileage.
c. tune car … need to use Shell gas.
d. use Cheap-O gas … buy new car.
e. use Shell gas … more miles per gallon.

2. The independent variable is the…

a. Cheap-O gas.
b. Shell gas.
c. Texaco gas.
d. tune up.
e. Bob’s car’s gas mileage.

3. The dependent variable is the…

a. more money to pay.
b. use Cheap-O more often.
c. worse gas mileage.
d. Bob goes broke.
e. better gas mileage.

4. The control group is the…

a. tune up.
b. John’s car.
c. better gas mileage.
d. use of Cheap-O gas.
e. use of Shell gas.

5. The experimental group is the…

a. use of Shell gas.
b. use of Cheap-O gas.
c. car with no tune up.
d. car without gas.
e. Bob’s friend’s car.