Research Methods in Psychology CH1

Pseudoscience

A field of inquiry that attempts to associate with true science, relies exclusively on selective anecdotal evidence, and is deliberately too vague to be adequately tested.

Prediction

A goal of psych. science in which statements about the future occurrence of a behavioral event are made, usually with some probability

Description

A goal of psychological science in which behaviors are accurately classified or sequences of environmental stimuli and behavioral events are accurately listed.

Application

A goal of science in which basic principles discovered through scientific methods are applied to solve problems

Explanation

A goal of science in which the causes of events are sought

Empirical Questions

A question that can be answered by making objective observations

Theory

A set of statements that summarizes and organizes existing info about a phenomenon, provides an explanation for it, and serves as a basis for making predictions to be tested empirically.

Empiricism

A way of knowing that relies on direct observation or experience

When Sergio accepts an explanation because it comes from an expert, he is using ______ as a basis for his belief. A) authority B) intuition C) empiricism D) authority and intuition

A) Authority

Researchers studying children and attempting to develop a classification system for children's play are illustrating which of psychology's goals? A) description B) prediction C) explanation D) control

A) Description

What is the advantage of the scientific approach over other ways of knowing the world around us? A) The scientific approach provides an objective set of rules for gathering, evaluating, and reporting information. B) The scientific approach provides a method of generating ideas, observing biases, and supporting knowledge. C) The scientific approach provides a set of ethical rules that tests all beliefs and shares results with other scientists. D) The scientific approach provides an objective environment to discuss science with others and remove all biases and fraud.

A) The scientific approach provides an objective set of rules for gathering, evaluating, and reporting information

To be data driven is to A) insist on empirical support for assertions B) use scientific methods even when they are inappropriate C) collect more data than is really necessary in order to answer an empirical question D) insist that the only valid question is an empirical question

A) insist on empirical support for assertions

Effort Justification

After expending a large amount of time/effort to obtain some goal, people giving the effort feel pressured to convince themselves the effort was worthwhile, even if the resulting outcome is less positive than expected.

Statistical Determinsm

An assumption made by research psychologists that behavioral events can be predicted with a probability greater than chance

Do student who are test-anxious finish an exam sooner than non-anxious students? This questions addresses which goal of scientific research? A) Prediction of behavior B) Describe events C) Determine the causes of behavior D) Elimination of alternative explanations

B) Describe events

The fundamental characteristic of the scientific method is A) theories B) empiricism C) replication D) evaluating data

B) Empiricism

Jeremy clings to his personal explanation of behavior because it seems so obvious. He is using ________ to draw his conclusions. A) authority B) intuition C) empiricism D) authority and intuition

B) Intuition

Sally doesn't care if there isn't any scientific evidence that people can learn while they sleep. She listens to language tapes each night solely because she feels they work. A) authority B) intuition C) empiricism D) authority and intuition

B) Intuition

Questions that can be answered through systematic observation and data collection are called A) introspective questions B) authoritative questions C) empirical questions D) nonempirical questions

C) Empirical questions

A major characteristic of psychological science is its objectivity, which means that A) science is free from human biases B) psychologists assume that people are essentially machines C) observations can be verified by more than a single observer D) results of research are always reported in terms of numbers (statistics.

C) Observations can be verified by more than a single observer

If our experiences include some unforgettable events, we might overestimate how often those kinds of events occur. This is called A) belief perseverance B) a confirmation bias C) the availability heuristic D) the a priori heuristic

C) the availability heuristic

The four general goals of scientific research are _______ A) to explain, examine, predict, and manipulate behavior B) to report, describe, explain, and understand behavior C) to describe, predict, determine the causes of, and understand or explain behavior D) to observe, understand, predict, and determine changes in behavior

C) to describe, predict, determine the causes of, and understand or explain behavior

A background in research methods will help people A) read research reports critically B) evaluate the methods used in research studies C) decide whether research conclusions are reasonable D) all of the above

D) All of the above

When psychologists use the various principles that have been established through research to help people, they are meeting the goal of: A) description B) prediction C) explanation D) application

D) Application

Data-Driven

Describes the belief of research psychologists that conclusions about behavior should be supported by data collected scientifically.

Anecdotal Evidence

Evidence from a single case that illustrates a phenomenon; when relied on exclusively, faulty conclusions can easily be drawn.

Authority

In which a person develops a belief by agreeing with someone perceived to be an expert.

A priori method

In which a person develops a belief by reasoning and reaching agreement with others who are convinced of the merits of the reasoned argument.

Introspection

Method used in the early years of psychological science in which an individual completed a task and then described the events occurring in consciousness while performing the task

Laws

Regular, predictable relationships between events

Falsificaiton

Research strategy that emphasizes putting theories to the test by trying to disprove or falsify them.

Objectivity

Said to exist when observations can be verified by more than one observer

Confirmation Bias

Social cognition bias in which evens that confirm a strongly held belief are more readily perceived and remembered; disconfirming events are ignored or forgotten.

Availability Heuristic

Social cognition bias in which vivid or memorable events lead people to overestimate the frequency of occurrence of these events

Determinism

The assumption made by scientists that all events have causes

Discoverability

The assumption made my scientists that the causes of events can be discovered by applying scientific methods

Belief Perseverance

Unwillingness to consider evidence that contradicts a strongly held view