Ch2 (a) Empirical approach and bias

Question 1

The hindsight bias refers to people’s tendency to

Answer 1

exaggerate their ability to have foreseen the outcome of past events.

Question 2

Giving half the members of a group some purported psychological finding and the other half an opposite result is an easy way to demonstrate the impact of

Answer 2

hindsight bias

Question 3

Professor Smith told one class that alcohol consumption has been found to increase sexual desire. He informed another class that alcohol consumption has been found to reduce sexual appetite. The fact that neither class was surprised by the

Answer 3

hindsight bias

Question 4

The hindsight bias leads people to perceive research findings as

Answer 4

unsurprising

Question 5

Alexandra is told that research supports the value of cosmetic surgery for boosting self-esteem. Belinda is told that the esteem-enhancing value of cosmetic surgery has been refuted by
research. Both women would consider the findings to be common sense. This best illustrates the power of

Answer 5

the hindsight bias

Question 6

According to Emily’s grandfather, Adolf Hitler’s obvious emotional instability made it clear from the beginning days of his international conflicts that Germany would inevitably lose World War II. The grandfather’s claim best illustrates

Answer 6

the hindsight bias

Question 7

Formulating testable hypotheses before conducting research is most directly useful for restraining a thinking error known as

Answer 7

random sampling

Question 8

The scientific attitude of humility is most likely to be undermined by

Answer 8

the hindsight bias

Question 9

When we see certain outcomes as obvious based on what has occurred, we may be experiencing

Answer 9

hindsight bias.

Question 10

Our tendency to believe we know more than we do illustrates

Answer 10

overconfidence

Question 11

Thinking that she had outperformed most of her classmates, Glenda was surprised to receive just an average grade on her psychology test. Glenda’s experience best illustrates

Answer 11

overconfidence

Question 12

When provided with the unscrambled solution to anagrams, people underestimate the difficulty of solving the anagrams by themselves. This best illustrates

Answer 12

overconfidence

Question 13

Which of the following is most likely to inhibit critical thinking?

Answer 13

overconfidence

Question 14

Megan was certain that she would never live far away from her family. However, in order to further her career, she decided to move. Megan’s experience best illustrates

Answer 14

overconfidence.

Question 15

Political officials who have no doubt that their own economic and military predictions will come true most clearly demonstrate

Answer 15

overconfidence

Question 16

Sasha believes that she is a very good driver. Her belief leads her to take unnecessary risks, such as driving too fast and cutting in front of other drivers. Sasha’s driving appears to be affected by

Answer 16

overconfidence

Question 17

Basing decisions or conclusions on observable evidence describes

Answer 17

empirical approach

Question 18

Which of the following questions most likely could be answered using an empirical approach?
 Is human nature basically good or evil?
 What causes aggression?
 What happens after we die?
 How will style choices change in the future?
 What is the basis of faith?

Answer 18

What causes aggression?

Question 19

What is the advantage of researchers using an empirical approach in evaluating the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?

Answer 19

Under controlled conditions, researchers collect evidence that may justify a cause-effect conclusion

Question 20

Dr. Donelian wants to reduce his students’ perception that psychological experiments merely document the obvious. His best strategy would be to ask the students to

Answer 20

predict the outcomes of experiments before they are told the actual results.