Frågor från boken Flashcards
What is the essence of science?
The scientists way of thinking
How can a scientist practice science while sitting under a tree?
You can think scientifically anywhere
What is meant by “a prepared mind” in science?
To recognize and react to unexpected findings, with a background in understanding the phenomena
What do art and science have in common?
Curiosity, creativity, skepticism, and hard work
What are some of the major characteristics of a scientists?
Scientists are pervasive skeptics who challenge accepted wisdom
What is the orderliness belief, and what does it have to do with science?
The idea that the universe operates in a lawful manner
What are the common methods of acquiring knowledge?
Authority, tenacity, intuition, rationalism and empiricism
Which two methods does science incorporate?
Rationalism and empiricism
What are the limitations of rationalism?
The premises must be correct for the conclusion to be correct
What are the limitations of empiricism?
Only collects facts, needs rational processes
What are the facts of science?
Empirical observations
The more influential schools of psychology?
Structuralism, functionalism, psychoanalysis, behaviorism
What is the nature of mainstream modern psychology?
Its’ theories and ideas cut across several perspectives
Why is it critical that psychology be scientific and objective?
Because people are biased
What are the data in psychology?
Facts collected from empirical observation
How do facts and constructs differ?
Facts you can directly observe, constructs are inferred ideas
What is reification of a construct?
Confusing a construct for a fact
In which to ways do constructs relate to facts?
Constructs are based on facts and are used to predict new facts
What are the basic assumptions that scientists accepts about the universe?
A physical universe exists, there is randomness and unpredictability, knowledge of the universe is always incomplete, everything is tentative
What is a theory?
A formalized set of concepts that summarizes and organizes observations and provides explanations
What is the difference between a deductive and an inductive theory?
Deductive theory = beyond observations
Inductive theory = empirical data
What is a model?
A miniature representation of reality, a mini-theory
What is the difference between observation and inference?
Observation = facts Inference = inductive leaps beyond observations
Why should theories be judged on both their usefulness and accuracy?
Incorrect theories can be useful
What are the two dimensions of the model of research?
Phases of research and levels of constraint
Define levels of constraint
The level of control used during the phase of observation
What is the difference between differential and experimental research?
The way that the researcher assigns participants into groups
What are the main sources of research questions?
Our everyday lives
What is the difference between basic and applied science?
The intent of using the results in the real world
What is a variable?
A set of events with different values
How can basic research be valuable in solving practical problems?
Basic research is an important foundation for later applied research
Why do extraneous variables have to be controlled in research?
Because it affects the dependent measure
What are the moral dilemma in research concerning individuals and society?
Society needs scientific solutions but searching for solutions may violate individuals’ right to privacy
What is informed consent?
Participants must be provided with enough information so that they can make a reasonable, informed decision about participating
What are institutional review boards?
An advisory group that advise researchers, suggests improvements and assists in solving potential ethical issues
What is meant by diversity issues?
The need to include a broad representation of people so that results will generalize to broader populations
What is a measurement?
Assigning numbers to represent the level of a variable
Why is accurate measurement so critical?
Because even the smallest mistake can invalidate an entire project
What are the important properties of the abstract number system?
Identity, magnitude, equal intervals, true zero
List the four scales of measurement
Nominal, orinal, interval, ratio
What are the properties of each scale of measurement?
N = categorical data O = ordered data I = score data R = score data
What is the concept of a true zero?
Zero on a scale represents zero level of what is being measured
What is the best way to reduce measurement error in research?
Operational definition
How do operational definitions transform theoretical concepts into concrete events?
By stating how to measure them
What is social desirability bias in science?
The tendency to respond in a socially acceptable way
What is meant by convergent validity?
When multiple studies using different operational definitions produce a common finding
Reliability
Consistent results
What is the difference between reliability and validity?
Reliability refers to how consistently something is measured, validity refers to if the scale measures what it is supposed to measure
