Research Methods Ch 1
As you encounter descriptions of psychological research, you may find that not all research fits neatly into basic or applied categories.
True
It takes many studies conducted in many different contexts that produce results consistent with an explanation of behavior to support it.
True
Observation is really what sets scientific fields apart from other fields of study
True
Research is the foundation of the field of psychology.
True
The applications of basic research may not be obvious when it is initially conducted.
True
A reporter who is writing an article on an important issue may only interview experts that support her or his views on the issue. This is an example of
confirmation bias
Seeking only evidence that supports our beliefs and ignoring evidence that contradicts those beliefs is
confirmation bias
Deciding it must be raining because you hear thunder is an example of which method of knowing?
deduction
When we ask people to complete a survey we are using __________ to learn about behavior.
empiricism
The testability canon of the scientific method states that
explanations of phenomena should be able to be falsified if they are incorrect
Relying on an authority to learn about behavior gives researchers a more accurate understanding of the causes of behaviors than other methods of gaining knowledge.
False
Some behaviors, such as mental processes, can be directly observed.
False
The goal of applied research is to understand the most fundamental processes of behavior and how they operate.
False
The only goal of psychological research is to be able to explain behavior by understanding the causes of different types of behavior.
False
There are six primary facets or canons (i.e., rules or principles that guide a field of study) that define the scientific method.
False
Who was an influential scientist who used observations to understand the world?
Galileo
A study that investigates behavior as it naturally occurs in individuals would have a high degree of
external validity
The parsimony canon of the scientific method states that
the simplest explanation of a phenomenon is most likely to be correct
One reason that Freud's theories of personality have not been more influential in the field of psychology is that
the theories are difficult to falsify
"I want to know how much sleep on average Americans get per night. I determine this by conducting a survey of Americans to learn that most Americans get an average of 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night" is an example of
observation
Deciding it must be raining because you look out the window and see rain falling is an example of which method of knowing?
observation
The method of gaining knowledge that is most likely to yield accurate information is
observation
The scientific method involves gaining new knowledge through
observation
The empiricism canon of the scientific method states that new knowledge is gained from
observations
What helps scientists test their ideas more easily, because it is easier to develop a study that might falsify a simple explanation than to develop a study that might falsify a more complex explanation?
parsimony
The determinism canon of the scientific method states that
phenomena have observable causes
These are all ways to use empiricism to learn about behavior except
relying on common sense
When one encounters reports of research in the media, all but which question should you be asking yourself?
What is the gender of the researcher(s)?
A psychologist investigating the research question "What type of work environment increases productivity of employees?" is most likely conducting __________ research.
applied
A psychologist investigating the research question "Which type of therapy most effectively reduces depressive behaviors?" is most likely conducting __________ research.
applied
Knowledge gained in ________ studies can also help basic researchers refine their theories about how behavior works
applied
External validity is typically more important for ________ research than for _________ research.
applied; basic
"I want to know what my pancreas does. I know that my pancreas produces hormones important for digestion because that is what my high school biology teacher told me." is an example of
authority
Deciding that it must be raining because the weather person said it would rain today is an example of which method of knowing?
authority
Relying on the works of Plato and Aristotle for knowledge about the world is an example of what way of knowing?
authority
A psychologist investigating the research question "How much information can we store in short-term memory?" is most likely conducting __________ research.
basic
A psychologist investigating the research question "Which neurotransmitters affect depressive behaviors?" is most likely conducting __________ research.
basic
Applications of __________ research may not be obvious when it is initially conducted.
basic
Early neuroscientists (e.g., Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Meyers, 2007) conducted _______ research studies to understand how neurons function.
basic
______ research investigates fundamental aspects of behavior, whereas _______ research investigates solutions for real-world problems.
basic; applied
The ____________ provide(s) a general "how to" guide for psychologists designing research studies, because they help us conduct good tests of our explanations of the causes of behaviors and further our understanding of why certain behaviors occur.
cannons of science
"I want to know which direction I am facing. The sun is setting to my right, and I know the sun sets in the west so I know that west is the direction where the sun is setting." is an example of
deduction
"I want to know if my phone is on. I decide that it is because my phone is always on." is an example of
intuition
Deciding it must be raining because you felt it would rain today is an example of which method of knowing?
intuition
External validity is
the degree to which a study's results can be generalized to individuals and situations outside of the study