Chapter 1

Question 1

Methods of acquiring knowledge

Answer 1

Ways in which a person can know things or discover answers to questions

Question 2

The method of tenacity

Answer 2

Information is accepted as true because it has always been believed or because superstition supports it

Question 3

The method of intuition

Answer 3

Information is accepted on the basis of a hunch or a ‘‘gut feeling’’

Question 4

The method of authority

Answer 4

A person relies on information from an expert in the subject area

Question 5

The method of faith

Answer 5

A variant of the method of authority in which people have unquestioning trust in the authority figure and, therefore, accept information from the authority without doubt or challenge

Question 6

The rational method, rationalism

Answer 6

This method seeks answers by the use of logical reasoning. In logical reasoning, premise statements describe facts or assumptions that are presumed to be true. An argument is a set of premise statements that are logically combined to yield a conclusion

Question 7

The empirical method, empiricism

Answer 7

Uses observation or direct sensory experience to obtain knowledge

Question 8

Induction, inductive reasoning

Answer 8

Using a (relatively) small set of specific observations as the basis for forming a general statement about a larger set of possible observations

Question 9

Variables

Answer 9

Characteristics or conditions that change or have different values for different individuals

Question 10

Hypothesis

Answer 10

A statement that describes or explains the relationship between or among variables. A hypothesis is not a final answer but rather a proposal to be tested and evaluated

Question 11

Deduction, deductive reasoning

Answer 11

Uses a general statement as the basis for reaching a conclusion about specific examples

Question 12

The scientific method

Answer 12

A method of acquiring knowledge that uses observations to develop a hypothesis, and then uses the hypothesis to make logical predictions that can be empirically tested by making additional, systematic observations

Question 13

The steps in the scientific method

Answer 13

1. Observe behavior or other phenomena
2. Form a tentative answer or explanation (hypothesis)
3. Use your hypothesis to generate a testable prediction
4. Evaluate the prediction by making systematic, planned observations
5. Use the observations to support, refute, or refine the original hypothesis

Question 14

The steps in the research process

Answer 14

1. Find a research idea: select a topic and search the literature to find an unasnwered question
2. Form a hypothesis
3. Determine how you will define and measure your variables
4. Identify the participants or subjects for the study, decide how they will be selected, and plan for their ethical treatment
5. Select a research strategy
6. Select a research design
7. Conduct the study
8. Evaluate your data
9. Report the results
10. Refine or reformulate your research idea

Question 15

Participants vs. subjects

Answer 15

Individuals who take part in research are called participants if they are human and subjects if they are nonhuman