A Researcher Is Interested in Examining Whether Offering Children Candy

question 95

Multiple Choice

A researcher is interested in examining whether offering children candy as an incentive to share will increase preschoolers' sharing behaviour. A group of preschoolers is brought into the laboratory to play with some interesting toys. The preschoolers are split into two groups through random assignment. Group A is told that they will get candy each time they share, and Group B is not told anything about candy or sharing. Results indicate that preschoolers in Group A share more than do preschoolers in Group B, and the researcher concludes that offering children candy for sharing caused the children in Group A to share more. Which statement BEST describes a possible limitation of this study?

• A) Children in Group A may have been naturally kinder than children in Group B.
• B) Causation cannot be inferred from this type of study.
• C) These findings may not generalize beyond the laboratory setting.
• D) There may be a third-variable problem.

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Definitions:

Medication Allergy

An immune system reaction that occurs as a response to a specific medication, ranging from mild to severe.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

A potentially fatal condition caused by inhalation of carbon monoxide gas, which prevents oxygen from being utilized properly by the body.

Carotenemia

A condition characterized by yellowing of the skin caused by increased levels of carotene, often resulting from excessive intake of carotene-rich foods.

Polycythemia

A medical condition characterized by an increased number of red blood cells in the bloodstream.