Exam #1

Question 1

What is an independent variable? Dependent variable?

Answer 1

• The independent variable is what is being tested and manipulated.
• The dependent variable is what is being measured.

Question 2

Why is it important to standardize methods and procedures in experimentation?

Answer 2

To minimize differences among the groups.

Question 3

What is the protocol for the scientific method? Why is it important?

Answer 3

• The protocol is: Develop a scientific question, Hypothesis, Experimentation, Data Analysis, and Theory
• Is important because it standardizes the approach taken by scientists to conduct their experiments with

Question 4

What is a confounding variable? What does it do in regard to research efforts?

Answer 4

It influences observations in a study but is not accounted for.

Question 5

What is meant by correlation not causation? Why is it important in guiding research?

Answer 5

• Correlation is not causation because even though things can happen at the same time does not mean they influence each other.
• This is important because it can lead to misleading information.

Question 6

Why is the scientific experiment so crucial to finding true knowledge?

Answer 6

Because it test the cause and effect relations within a phenomenon

Question 7

What is an experimenter bias? How can it alter research findings?

Answer 7

They are errors in reseachers experiment because of behaviors that may change the results of the experiment

Question 8

What is meant by a single blind study? What is a double blind study?

Answer 8

• A single blind study is when the participant does not know what group they are in
• A double blind study is when a participant and experimenter know what group they’re in

Question 9

Why is it sometimes too important to use deception and conceal the subject of the experiment from the participant?

Answer 9

so the results and data are as accurate as possible.

Question 10

What is the difference of a between subjects design and a within subjects design in experimentation?

Answer 10

• Between subjects the variable conditions are split, some to experimental conditions and some to a control condition
• Within subjects both variable conditions are tested within the subject pool

Question 11

What’s a field study?

Answer 11

naturalistic observation

Question 12

Why is behaviorism important to the founding of psychology?

Answer 12

Because Is an objective measure. It can be modified and observed

Question 13

What is validity? Why is it important in terms of the dependent variable?

Answer 13

• If what you studying is appropriate
• Is important because you have to make sure is valid

Question 14

What is reliability? Why is it important in terms of the dependent variable?

Answer 14

• Reliable= is consistent results
• Having the same results

Question 15

Name 3 ways of gathering data to test a hypothesis?

Answer 15

• Survey
• Experiment
• Case studies

Question 16

What is Occom’s Razor? Why is it important in the nature of experiment?

Answer 16

• Philosophy of keeping the experiment simple.
• Effective and easier to measure

Question 17

What does it mean to make your dependent variable operational?

Answer 17

It means to make it a way of being a concrete measure

Question 18

What is the use of deception in research? What must it be followed up with?

Answer 18

Is highly unethical because it can cause harm or stress to your client.

Question 19

How does Reductionism inform the scientific process? What is its general method?

Answer 19

• It isolates and remove variables to test causality
• Understanding the whole by some of its parts, divisive in nature, pulling apart pieces of the whole.

Question 20

How does Determinism inform the scientific process? What does it help researchers do?

Answer 20

Basically if the laws of nature and/or laws of the individual mind are understood (quantifiable) and the initial conditions of the situation are gathered (data), the flow of information falls under the scope of scientific prediction (hypothesizing)