Psy 202 Unit 1

How many and what type (measured or manipulated) of variables are necessary to support each of the claims below? Then provide an example of each and variables that could be used. Frequency claim: Association claim: Causal claim:

1) one measured variable 2) at least two measured variables 3) measured and manipulated variables

What is problematic about being swayed by a good story?

A good story may not be supported by data

Research that is done specifically to solve a practical problem, like increasing memory ability or decreasing symptoms of depression, is known as _______________ research.

Applied research

How are basic and applied research different?

Applied research is searching for a solution for a real-world problem, while basic research is for the purpose of enhancing general knowledge with no regard for direct application to real-world problems

Research that is done specifically to add to our general understanding of psychology, like distinguishing the components of extraversion or predicting the time it takes a person to determine whether an object is a face or another object, is known as _______________ research.

Basic research

Science journalists have argued that cigarette smoking leads to a variety of health problems. What type of claim are they making?

Causal claim

What kind of bias is invoked if a person asks questions only to get the answers that he/she/they want?

Confirmation bias

Provide three examples of causal claims.

Eating 5 pickles a day leads to an increase in dopamine Smoking a cigarette once a month for 6 months can ruin your lung capacity by 40% Family vacations curb teen depression rates

_______________ is the approach of collecting data and using it to develop, support, and/or challenge a theory.

Empiricism

________ validity tends to be higher in experiments than in other types of studies.

External

What are some tips that can help you 'read with a purpose'?

Highlight, annotations, and have a reason for reading

Provide three examples of language that would hint that a person is making an association claim.

May predict, is linked to, at higher risk

What kind of research is it called when a researcher finds all of the studies that have examined this topic, combines the results of all these studies, and calculates an effect size?

Meta-analysis

Provide three examples of frequency claims.

Most people in america eat red meat 65% of people dont fully stop at stop signs 84% of people brush their teeth before breakfast

Scientists often say that more data are needed to draw conclusions about the accuracy of new theories and are reluctant to accept new claims without empirical support. What scientific norm does this illustrate?

Organized skepticism

Why is peer review a useful tool for scientific journals?

Peer review helps prevent flaws in research and also to uphold the quality of the literature and the knowledge base. It is also useful to provide another form of scientific communication between researchers.

Provide as many reasons as you can think of that research studies are superior to personal experience.

Personal experience is very biased, and research studies are based on actual facts that have been researched, tested, and studied. There are always exceptions to research studies. By using personal experience you could be spreading disinformation.

What does it mean that behavioral research is probabilistic?

Science is intended to explain a certain proportion (but not necessarily all) of the possible cases. Based on or adapted to a theory of probability; subject to or involving chance variation.

Provide three examples of association claims.

Smaller cars could lead to more car crashes Driving at night could improve eye sight Countries with more bread have happier citizens

Provide a description of an experimental confound using an everyday example.

Testing whether boys/girls do better on an exam: Sleep the night before, Have they eaten, How much did they study, Stress levels, Age These could be confounding variables in the study of whether boys/girls do better on exams because these variables could all alter the performance of the students taking the exam.

What is the difference between scientific journals and popular magazines?

They have different goals, scientific journals contain original research events while magazines contain current events or interest topics

Describe the kind of information that would be included in each of the following sections of a journal article:

Title page: title Abstract: Summary of the article Introduction: Introduction to the area of research: Method: Description of the way participants were assigned to conditions and the setting used to conduct the study Results: The outcome of the experiment Discussion: you find an authors interpretation of the results in the context of the research area References: List of referenced articles Tables: Presents numbers for comparison Figures: Visual representation of results

Why is it important to adopt the mindset of a scientific reasoner?

To avoid being swayed by personal opinions or a story that is not supported by data

How does research overcome problems related to experimental confounds?

Using careful controls to make sure that they are changing only one factor at a time

Provide three examples of language that would hint that a person is making a causal claim.

Worsens, promotes, affects

Assuming that there is a positive relation between variables X and Y, what should happen to X as higher levels of Y are measured?

X will reach higher levels

Different factors that could account for significant results that are not ruled out by the experimental design are called what?

confounds

Advice that is based on ________ is most likely to be correct.

research

What is a "hypothesis"?

the specific outcome the researcher will observe in a study if the theory is accurate

Name and describe the kinds of biases of intuition discussed in the text.

Being swayed by a good story: Accepting a conclusion just because it makes sense or feels natural Being persuaded by what comes easily to mind: Availability heuristic. Things that pop up easily in our mind tend to guide our thinking Failing to think about what we cannot see: People forget to think about the information that is not put in front of them Focusing on the evidence we like best: Confirmation bias, Seeking and accepting only the evidence that supports what we already think Biased about being biased: The belief that we are unlikely to fall prey to the other biases previously described

Imagine that Dr. Forrest Toegel is talking to himself about biases that might influence a hiring decision. Being an expert in psychology (or at least a specific area of psychology) he exclaims: "I am sure other people might engage in faulty thinking, but I never would!" What is kind of bias described in the chapter is Dr. Toegel experiencing?

Bias blind spot

If a researcher wants to identify results that can apply to the most number of people possible, what kind of validity would they be trying to maximize?

External validity

Provide three examples of language that would hint that a person is making a frequency claim.

Most, percentage, all

According to the text, the bridge between basic and applied research is known as _______________ research.

Translational research Use the information gathered from basic research to develop and test solutions to real-world problems

What is true of variables?

Variables, concepts of interest that vary, form the core of psychological research. A variable has at least two levels. Variables can be measured or manipulated. Variables in a study can be described in two ways: as conceptual variables (elements of a theory) and as operational definitions (specific measures or manipulations in order to study them).