Chapter 1: Scientific Understanding of Behavior

Accumulation of Studies

"Have other researchers found similar results?" - We can be more confident in a study if other studies have found the same thing.

Internal Validity

"How do they know one thing caused another?" - There will be the claim that one thing causes another.

External Validity

"To what or whom can we generalize the results?" - Particularly in popular media-- there will be the claim that one thing cuses another.

What are the primary implications of being able to predict behavior through scientific research? (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. One can make untestable claims. One can make better decisions. One can ignore the causes of behavior. One can anticipate events.

- One can make better decisions. - One can anticipate events.

Empiricism

- Use of objective, verifiable observations to answer questions and draw conclusions. - The idea that knowledge comes from observations.

A background in research methods will help people do which of the following? Multiple select question. Evaluate research reports Help evaluate public policy decisions Satisfy native curiosity Negate the need to employ the scientific method Assess the effectiveness of programs designed to achieve certain goals

Evaluate research reports Help evaluate public policy decisions Satisfy native curiosity Assess the effectiveness of programs designed to achieve certain goals

True or false: Basic research is considered more important than and superior to applied research. True false question.TrueReason: This is false. Both basic and applied research are important, and neither can be considered superior to the other. In fact, progress in science is dependent on an interconnection between basic and applied research. False

False

True or false: In what he describes as an "evolved theory of science," Goldstein (2000) states that scientists will accept the findings and observations of other scientists unquestioningly.

False

Identify an advantage of using the scientific approach over other ways of knowing about the world. Multiple choice question. It is an open system that allows ideas to be refuted or supported by others. It is a closed system that is based on the perceptions of scientists regarding causal relationships. It is a system specifically based on cognitive and motivational biases. It accepts personal judgments and personal experiences unquestioningly.

It is an open system that allows ideas to be refuted or supported by others.

In the context of the primary ways of knowing, identify an accurate statement about relying on intuition to make conclusions about human behavior. Multiple choice question. It leads to finding substantial explanations for others' behaviors. It leads to an unquestioned acceptance of personal judgments or personal experiences. It rarely involves finding an explanation for one's own behavior or others' behaviors. It involves a scientific approach for studying human behavior.

It leads to an unquestioned acceptance of personal judgments or personal experiences.

Identify an accurate statement about the category of behavioral research called basic research.

It tries to answer fundamental questions about the nature of behavior.

According to the "evolved theory of science" described by Goldstein (2000), which of the following is a characteristic of scientific inquiry? Multiple choice question. Good scientific ideas cannot be argued against and are untestable. Scientific inquiry is purely theoretical and concerned with abstract concepts. Scientific inquiry is not revealed to the scientific community or to the public. Observations made by scientists are accurately reported to other scientists and the public.

Observations made by scientists are accurately reported to other scientists and the public.

According to the "evolved theory of science" described by Goldstein (2000), which of the following is a characteristic of scientific inquiry? Multiple choice question. Observations made by scientists are accurately reported to other scientists and the public. Scientific inquiry is purely theoretical and concerned with abstract concepts. Good scientific ideas cannot be argued against and are untestable. Scientific inquiry is not revealed to the scientific community or to the public.

Observations made by scientists are accurately reported to other scientists and the public.

alternative explanation

Part of causal inference; a potential alternative cause of an observed relationship between variables.

covariation of cause and effect

Part of causal inference; observing that a change in one variable is accompanied by a change in a second variable.

A pharmaceutical company claims that substantial scientific research has proven that its product guarantees a permanent cure for obesity. However, researchers find that the company's claim has no valid basis in scientific research. In this scenario, which of the following is most likely used by the company to substantiate its claims? Multiple choice question. pseudoscience applied science physical science medical science

Pseudoscience

______ is the use of seemingly scientific terms and demonstrations to substantiate claims that have no basis in scientific research. Multiple choice question. PEER science Astronomical science Pseudoscience Normative science

Pseudoscience

basic research

Research that addresses fundamental questions about behavior.

Applied Research

Research that addresses questions that have immediate practical implications. Guided by the theories and findings of basic research investigations.

A background in research methods will help people do which of the following? Multiple select question. Satisfy native curiosity Assess the effectiveness of programs designed to achieve certain goals Help evaluate public policy decisions Negate the need to employ the scientific method Evaluate research reports

Satisfy native curiosity Assess the effectiveness of programs designed to achieve certain goals Help evaluate public policy decisions Evaluate research reports

Which of the following are characteristics of scientific inquiry, according to Goodstein's "evolved theory of science"? (Choose every correct answer.) Scientists are not alone. Scientific evidence is peer reviewed. Intuition is central. Faith is centered in illusory correlation. Science is adversarial. Data play a central role.

Science is adversarial, Scientific evidence is peer reviewed, Data play a central role, Scientists are not alone

Identify an accurate statement about the characteristics of scientific inquiry that are defined by an "evolved theory of science," as described by Goodstein (2000).

Science is adversial

Which of the following are characteristics of scientific inquiry, according to Goodstein's "evolved theory of science"? (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. Scientific evidence is peer reviewed. Scientists are not alone. Intuition is central. Science is adversarial. Faith is centered in illusory correlation. Data play a central role.

Scientific evidence is peer reviewed. Scientists are not alone. Science is adversarial. Data play a central role.

In the context of determining the causes of behavior, a temporal order of events in which the cause precedes the effect is known as ______ ______.

Temporal precedence

In the context of the primary ways of knowing, identify a problem associated with accepting on faith the statements of any authority. Multiple choice question. The statements may not be true. The statements are based on time-consuming research. The statements are always factual and require a lot of data. The statements are based on expensive research and surveys.

The statements may not be true.

Psuedoscience

The use of seemingly scientific terms and demonstrations to substantiate claims that have no basis in scientific research

A skilled consumer of research would ask which of the following questions about any research study? (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. Select all that apply. To what or who can we generalize the results? Have other researchers found similar results? How do they know that one thing caused another? Can it be accepted on blind faith? What was measured? What does my intuition tell me?

To what or who can we generalize the results? Have other researchers found similar results? How do they know that one thing caused another? What was measured?

True or false: It is important to learn research methods, because research findings influence political positions, legislation, and judicial decisions. True/False

True

When determining the causes of behavior, nothing other than a causal variable could be responsible for the observed effect. According to Cook and Campbell (1979), this type of evidence is called elimination of ______ _______.

alternative explanations

In behavioral research, which of the following is conducted to address issues in which there are practical problems and potential solutions? Multiple choice question. pseudoscience research applied research basic research physical research

applied research

Studies that are often designed to address theoretical issues concerning phenomena such as cognition, emotion, motivation, learning, personality, development, and social behavior are examples of ______. Multiple choice question. pseudoscientific research basic research applied research physical research

basic research

The data from a study on the effect of team sports on social relationships showed that people who play team sports have better social relationships. It also showed that people who did not play team sports had less successful social interactions. In the context of types of evidence described by Cook and Campbell (1979), the type of evidence used in this study is called ______. illusory correlation covariation of cause and effect normative influence elimination of alternative explanations

covariation of cause and effect

When the cause is present, the effect occurs; when the cause is not present, the effect does not occur. According to Cook and Campbell (1979), this type of evidence used to identify the cause of a behavior is called ______. Multiple choice question. temporal precedence covariation of cause and effect stimulus generalization elimination of alternative explanations

covariation of cause and effect

In the context of the scientific approach, the role of ______ is central and fundamental when scientists search for observations that will verify or reject their ideas about the world. Multiple choice question. data intuition faith authority

data

A researcher studying food habits among adolescents makes notes about the kinds of food the sample group eats, which brands they buy, what their preferences are, etc. This fulfills the first goal of science, which is to ______. Multiple choice question. describe behavior use covariation of cause and effect to identify the causes of behavior use temporal precedence to determine the causes of behavior predict behavior

describe behavior

A researcher studying food habits among adolescents makes notes about the kinds of food the sample group eats, which brands they buy, what their preferences are, etc. This fulfills the first goal of science, which is to ______. Multiple choice question. use temporal precedence to determine the causes of behavior describe behavior use covariation of cause and effect to identify the causes of behavior predict behavior

describe behavior

In scientific research, a scientist begins with careful observation because the first goal of science is to ______. Multiple choice question. predict behavior make theoretical claims about behavior describe behavior draw causal relationships between events

describe behavior

The first goal of scientific research on behavior is to ______. Multiple choice question. determine the causes of behavior determine the evolutionary pattern of behavior describe behavior understand behavior

describe behavior 1. To describe behavior 2. To predict behavior 3. To determine the causes of behavior 4. To understand or explain behavior

The idea that knowledge comes from observations is referred to as ______. authoritarianism realism empiricism dogmatism

empiricism

A final goal of behavioral science is to ______. Multiple choice question. explain the events described in a study maintain scientific knowledge as a closed market that is exclusive to researchers modify people's behaviors to suit certain goals of society predict the behavior observed in a study in future cases

explain the events described in a study

The concept of ______ indicates that good scientific ideas are testable and can be supported or falsified by data. anecdotal evidence empiricism falsifiability authority

falsifiability

Construct Validity

identifying the important concepts to be studied, and figuring out how to measure them. - "What was measured?"

In the context of behavioral research, it is accurate to say that applied research is concerned with ______. Multiple choice question. fundamental questions about the nature of behavior basic processes of behavior immediate practical implications basic processes of cognition

immediate practical implications

As a type of evidence used in determining the cause of a behavior, an accurate statement about the elimination of alternative explanations is that ______. Multiple choice question. there is an inverse relationship between the cause of a behavior and its effect nothing other than a causal variable could be responsible for the observed effect the cause of a behavior must be stated in scientific-sounding jargon the cause of a behavior must be coherent, with a theoretical explanation

nothing other than a causal variable could be responsible for the observed effect.

In the context of the primary ways of knowing, a problem with intuition is that ______. it is a scientific approach of knowing that requires substantial evidence numerous cognitive and motivational biases affect our perceptions drawing conclusions requires the opinions of different people our personal judgments and personal experiences are questioned

numerous cognitive and motivational biases affect our perceptions

In the context of the characteristics of scientific inquiry, for scientists, knowledge is primarily based on ______. Multiple choice question. authorities perceptions intuitions observations

observations

In the context of basic and applied research, progress in science is dependent ______. Multiple choice question. only on basic research on the solutions that are used to eliminate temporal precedence only on the theories and findings of applied research on an interconnection between the two

on an interconnection between the two

In the context of the primary ways of knowing, the scientific approach rejects the notion that ______. evidence other than statements from authority is necessary one can accept on faith the statements of any authority scientific skepticism is effective the statements of authority are always false

one can accept on faith the statements of any authority

After a researcher has written a report, other scientists review it before it is published in a top-quality scientific journal. This process is known as ________ review.

peer

An advantage of the scientific approach over other ways of knowing about the world is that it ______. Multiple choice question. follows the notion that the statements of authorities can be accepted on faith accepts only intuition and authority as sources of ideas about behavior rejects the idea that cognitive and motivational biases affect our perceptions provides an objective set of rules for gathering, evaluating, and reporting information

provides an objective set of rules for gathering, evaluating, and reporting information.

The role of scientists who review a scientific study or research in a peer review is to ______. Multiple choice question. make sure that the study is untestable and cannot be countered agree with any idea that the research contains ensure that science is a closed market of ideas where a study is exclusive to the researcher recommend whether the research should be published

recommend whether the research should be published

In behavioral science, it is possible to make predictions when it is observed with some regularity that two events are ______. Multiple choice question. indirectly observable related to one another independent of each other directly observable

related to one another

If a scientific idea is falsified by data when it is tested, science is thereby advanced because this result will ______. Multiple choice question. spur research on mythological concepts encourage research based on intuition encourage ideas based on cognitive or motivational biases spur the development of new and better ideas

spur the development of new and better ideas

A research study found that the cause of aggressiveness in teenagers was excessive viewing of violent content on television. During this study, the researchers found that aggressive behavior was observed whenever violent content was viewed by young people. In the context of determining the causes of behavior, this scenario best exemplifies ______. Multiple choice question. variations of effect temporal dogma alternative explanations temporal precedence

temporal precedence

Goodstein's "evolved theory of science" describes ______. Multiple choice question. alternative explanations to scientific inquiry the need to place faith in authority the characteristics of scientific inquiry the importance of intuition in scientific inquiry

the characteristics of scientific inquiry

An accurate statement about empiricism is that it is ______. Multiple choice question. the approach of accepting ideas unquestioningly based on the notion of accepting statements on faith and belief related to intuition and blind acceptance of authority the fundamental characteristic of scientific methods

the fundamental characteristic of scientific methods

Identify the general goals of scientific research on behavior. (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. to determine the causes of behavior to identify morality in behavior to describe behavior to prevent socially undesirable behavior to understand or explain behavior to predict behavior

to determine the causes of behavior to describe behavior to understand or explain behavior to predict behavior

When explaining a behavior in a research study, a scientist seeks to understand ______. Multiple choice question. the time when the behavior occurs why the behavior occurs the consequences of the behavior the frequency of the behavior's occurrence

why the behavior occurs