Chapter 3: Thinking like a.. Flashcards
Genetics and Evolution
Data
In research, information systematically collected for analysis and interpretation.
Induction
To draw general conclusions from specific observations.
Sample
In research, a number of people selected from a population to serve as an example of that
population.
Pseudoscience:
Beliefs or practices that are presented as being scientific, or which are mistaken for
being scientific, but which are not scientific. Ex: Astrology
Inductive Reasoning
A form of reasoning in which a general conclusion is inferred from a set of
observations. Ex: Dark sky means it is going to rain.
Deductive Reasoning
General principles that are applied to specific instances. Ex: All birds have
feathers, a duck has feathers, a duck must be a bird.
Representative
In research, the degree to which a sample is a typical example of the population from
which it is drawn.
Anecdotal Evidence
A piece of biased evidence, usually drawn from personal experience, used to
support a conclusion that may or may not be correct.
Correlation
In statistics, the measure of relatedness of two or more variables.
Distribution
In statistics, the relative frequency that a particular value occurs for each possible value of
a given variable.
Null-Hypothesis Significance Testing (NHST)
assesses the probability that the collected data (the
observations) would be the same if there were no relationship between the variables in the study.
Type 1 Error
When the researcher concludes that there is a correlation, when in reality there is not.
Type 2 Error
When the researcher concludes no correlation, when in reality there is
Probability Values
The established threshold for determining whether a given value occurs by chance.
Scientific Theory
An explanation for observed phenomena that is empirically well-supported,
consistent, and fruitful (predictive).
Empirically
key component of good theories is that they describe, explain, and predict in a way that can
be empirically tested and potentially falsified.
Objective
Being free of personal bias.
Facts
Information about the world.
Values
Beliefs about the way the world ought to be
Features of Good Scientific Theories
Falsifiability, Testability, Parsimony, Predictive Power, Consistency
Falsifiability
A claim can be conceivably demonstrated to be untrue.
Testability
A claim can be tested and evaluated through experimentation and observation
Parsimony
A theory should be as simple and straightforward as possible
Predictive power
A theory should be able to make accurate predictions about future events
