Chapter 2

Question 1

Scientific Method

Answer 1

a systematic way to pursuing answers to questions

1) Pose a question
2) Hypothesis
3) Conduct a study/experiment
4) Draw a conclusion - Do results support, or nah?

Question 2

Theory

Answer 2

organized set of assumptions or premises based on logic, observation, and/or a set of facts, that possibly explain a particular phenomenon and how the various assumptions or premises are interrelated; TESTABLE; BASED ON CREDIBLE EVIDENCE; useful for explaining or predicting phenomena

Question 3

Operationally Defined

Answer 3

Process of making variables measurable

Question 4

Variables

Answer 4

Anything that varies!

Question 5

Hindsight

Answer 5

“Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc” - “After the fact” reasoning; logical fallacy; when individuals are told something, and then they reason why - yes - that thing is obviously true

Question 6

Theory of Evolution

Answer 6

idea that “advanced” organisms evolved from “less advanced” organisms - has scientific basis

Question 7

Intelligent Design

Answer 7

Life is too complicated and complex to have happened by chance (or by evolution); some “supreme power” must have caused life to begin, including creation of the universe; BELIEF NOT THEORY

Question 8

5 Methods of Research

Answer 8

1) Correlational
2) Experimental
3) Survey
4) Case Study
5) Naturalistic-Observation

Question 9

Correlational Method

Answer 9

As the values of one variable increase, do the values of the other variable increase (or decrease) as well?
Ex: eating ice cream and drowning.
THIRD VARIABLE present: temperature
Resist making casual conclusions - may be correlated, but not causes of each other

Question 10

Experimental Method

Answer 10

Determine if one variable CAUSES another variable
Independent variable vs. Dependent variable
Experimental Group vs. Control Group
Must be randomly assigned; preferably (to reduce risk of confound variables)

Question 11

Independent Variable

Answer 11

causes something

Question 12

Dependent Variable

Answer 12

DEPENDS on the IV; affected (is caused by…?)

Question 13

Experimental Group

Answer 13

participants in a study receive treatment

Question 14

Control Group

Answer 14

participants receive a placebo, or nothing

Question 15

Randomly Assigned

Answer 15

participants not permitted to select a group in which they would like to be; bias

Question 16

Confound Variables

Answer 16

cause misinterpretation of the meaning of results (e.g. letting participants decide for themselves)

Question 17

Double-Blind Study

Answer 17

1) participants do not know their group (i.e. experimental or control)
2) researchers measuring variables do not know participants’ groups
Goal: NO BIAS

Question 18

Robust

Answer 18

findings of a study are consistent findings; can replicate study

Question 19

Internal validity

Answer 19

degree to which a study’s outcome was due to the independent variable

Question 20

Survey Method

Answer 20

LIMITATIONS:
1) Honesty - people lie
2) Fallible people - faulty memories
3) Q Phrasing - may elicit desired response on survey (e.g. push poll)
HOW?:
1) open-ended Q’s (pro: free to answer; con: how to “score”?)
2) Likert-type rating scale [SD, D, N, A, SA] (pro: easy to quantify; con: force answers into narrow range)

Question 21

Case Study Method

Answer 21

involves studying rather intensely one (or a handful) of individuals on a case by case basis

Question 22

Naturalistic-Observation Method

Answer 22

subjects merely “observed” in their own natural environment; goal: describe and understand behavior - NOT determine causality or correlations between variables;
BUT “reactivity” - subjects do not behave as they otherwise would honestly when being watched