Introductory Psychology CLEP Prep Practice Exam

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Prepare for the CLEP Psychology Exam with flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question comes with hints and explanations to help you succeed. Master the content and pass your exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

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What is the purpose of descriptive research?

o explain the underlying mechanisms of behavior
o predict behavior in a given situation
o describe behavior in a given situation
o manipulate the environment to alter behavior

The correct answer is: o describe behavior in a given situation

Descriptive research is used to describe and document a behavior or phenomenon as it naturally occurs. It focuses on gathering information about a situation or behavior without seeking to explain or predict it. Option A is incorrect because explanatory research, not descriptive research, seeks to understand the mechanisms behind a behavior. Option B is incorrect because predictive research aims to forecast or anticipate behavior, rather than just simply describing it. Option D is incorrect because manipulative research involves actively changing variables in order to observe the effects on behavior, while descriptive research simply observes and describes behavior without manipulation. Therefore, the correct answer is C.