Foundations of Psych Science Flashcards
In determining the cause of behaviour, the principle of _____ considers that when the cause is present, the effect occurs; but, when the cause is not present, the effect does not occur.
a. temporal precedence
b. covariation of cause and effect
c. elimination of alternative explanations
d. illusory correlations
B. covariation of cause and effect
Which of the following is an advantage of the scientific approach over other ways of knowing about the world?
a. Rejecting the idea that numerous cognitive and motivational biases affect our perceptions
b. Eliminating the need for evidence before drawing scientific conclusions
c. Providing an objective set of rules for gathering, evaluating, and reporting information
d. Ruling out intuition and authority as sources of ideas about behaviour
C. Providing an objective set of rules for gathering, evaluating, and reporting information
Which of the following journal article titles represents an example of a basic research study?
a. “The effect of self-awareness on a cognitive reasoning task”
b. “Increasing knowledge of dangers in the home: A tristate phone survey”
c. “A peer tutoring program as a method to increase cultural sensitivity”
d. “Buying behaviour: The influence of item shelf placement in retail grocery stores”
A. “The effect of self-awareness on a cognitive reasoning task”
As Makere becomes familiar with the literature examining the influence of physical attractiveness on judgments of criminal behaviour, she notes inconsistencies in the results. She concludes that this area of study needs to be further investigated. This example best represents ______ as a source of ideas for research.
a. practical problems
b. past research
c. theories
d. observation of the world around us
B. past research
Testing common sense ideas:
a. is valuable because such notions often turn out to be incorrect.
b. are of little value because it consists of things we already know are true.
c. should only be done if a theory has been developed.
d. results in no new knowledge.
A. is valuable because such notions often turn out to be incorrect.
When an interesting discovery, such as Pavlov’s phenomenon of classical conditioning, is a result of an accident or luck, this finding can be attributed to:
a. serendipity.
b. directive research.
c. purposeful research.
d. inquisition.
A. serendipity (the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way)
Which section of a research article is most likely to include the specific expectations of a researcher as formal hypotheses?
a. Bibliography
b. Introduction
c. Method
d. Results
B. Introduction
The statement, “The average IQ score of children in the Wellington School District is 108” helps _____ behaviour.
a. explain
b. predict
c. determine
d. describe
D. to describe
Determining the cause of a behaviour is difficult because:
a. it is difficult to know the true cause or all causes of behaviour.
b. All of these.
c. satisfactory explanations may be discarded or revised as new evidence is gathered.
d. explanations that are initially satisfying may turn out to be inadequate.
B. All of these
The fundamental characteristic of the scientific approach is:
a. falsifiability
b. authority
c. empiricism
d. intuition
empiricism
The tendency to notice evidence that is consistent with our beliefs and ignore evidence that is inconsistent with our beliefs is called _____.
confirmation bias
Two important characteristics of scientists are an attitude of skepticism and _____.
tolerance of uncertainty
Which of the following is NOT an empirical question?
a. Is dieting an effective weight loss strategy?
b. Does remembering a painful memory affect self-esteem?
c. Are women more tolerant of physical pain than men?
d. Does cognitive psychotherapy help depressed people?
e. Should we prohibit cell phone use while driving?
Should we prohibit cell phone use while driving?
Which of the following is most clearly an example of an applied research question?
a. Do people’s scores on a paper-and-pencil measures of empathy predict whether they will help a disabled person cross the street?
b. Is the tendency to take physical risks related to extroversion?
c. Does the colour of a recycling bin affect how much people recycle?
d. How does damage to the amygdala affect people’s experience of fear?
e. Are the biological mechanisms underlying feelings of social exclusion the same as the biological mechanisms underlying physical pain?
Does the colour of a recycling bin affect how much people recycle?
A set of beliefs can be said to be pseudoscientific if it lacks one or more of the three features of science and _____.
a. it refers to phenomena that cannot be directly observed
b. it appears to be a commonsense belief
c. people who believe in it claim or imply that the idea is scientific
d. it has been discredited by scientific research
e. it seems “crazy”
c. people who believe in it claim or imply that the idea is scientific
