Introduction, acquiring knowledge, and the scientific method

Question 1

methods of acquiring knowledge

Answer 1

the different ways that people know or the methods that people use to discover answers

Question 2

nonscientific approaches to acquiring knowledge (5)

Answer 2

(1) method of tenacity, (2) method of intuition, (3) the method of authority, (4) the rational method and (5) the method of empiricism (IRATE)

Question 3

method of tenacity

Answer 3

information is accepted as true because it has always been believed or because superstition supports it; habit or superstition (belief perseverance)

Question 4

who successfully uses the method of tenacity

Answer 4

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Question 5

disadvantages of the method of tenacity (2)

Answer 5

(1) information might not be accurate and (2) no method for correcting false ideas

Question 6

method of intuition

Answer 6

information is accepted on the basis of a hunch of gut feeling;

Question 7

disadvantage of the method of intuition

Answer 7

no mechanism for separating accurate from inaccurate knowledge

Question 8

method of authority

Answer 8

a person relies on information or answers form an expert in the subject area

Question 9

ways of using method authority (2)

Answer 9

(1) direct (expert) or (2) indirect (looking it up)

Question 10

disadvantages of the method of authority (4)

Answer 10

(1) not always accurate information (biased experts), (2) could represent subjective views or personal opinion, (3) we often assume that expertise in one area can be generalized to other topics (famous people advertising certain products), (4) we often don’t question expert opinions and (5) not all “experts” are experts

Question 11

method of faith

Answer 11

a variant of the method of authority in which people have unquestioning trust in the authority figure and, therefore, accept information from the authority without doubt or challenge

Question 12

disadvantages to the method of faith (2)

Answer 12

(1) no mechanism to test the accuracy of the information and (2) involves accepting another’s view of the truth without verification

Question 13

rational method (rationalism)

Answer 13

seeks answers by the use of logical reasoning

Question 14

premise statements

Answer 14

describe facts or assumptions that are presumed to be true

Question 15

argument

Answer 15

a set of premise statements that are logically combined to yield a conclusion

Question 16

disadvantages/limitations of the rational method (2)

Answer 16

(1) the conclusion is not necessarily true unless all of the premises are and (2) people are not particularly good at logical reasoning

Question 17

empirical method (empiricism)

Answer 17

uses observation or direct sensory experience to obtain knowledge

Question 18

disadvantages of the empirical method (4)

Answer 18

(1) we cannot necessarily believe everything we see or hear or feel (horizontal-vertical line illusion), (2) your perceptions can be drastically altered by prior knowledge, expectations, feelings or beliefs, (3) we can misinterpret our observations, (4) can be time consuming or dangerous

Question 19

scientific method

Answer 19

an approach to acquiring knowledge that involved formulating specific questions and then systematically finding answers; uses observations to develop a hypothesis and then uses the hypothesis to make logical predictions that can be empirically tested by making additional, systemic observations

Question 20

steps of the scientific method (5)

Answer 20

(1) observe behaviour or phenomena, (2) hypothesis (tentative answer), (3) generate testable prediction(s), (4) evaluate the prediction by making systematic, planned observations and (5) use the observations to support, refute or refine the original hypothesis

Question 21

induction or inductive reasoning

Answer 21

involved using a relatively small set of specific observations as the basis for forming a general statement about a larger set of possible observations

Question 22

variables

Answer 22

characteristics or conditions that change or have different values for different individuals

Question 23

hypothesis

Answer 23

a statement that describes or explains a relationship between or among variables; proposed answer

Question 24

deduction or deductive reasoning

Answer 24

uses a general statement as the basis for reaching a conclusion about specific examples

Question 25

important principles of the scientific method (3)

Answer 25

(1) empirical, (2) public and (3) objective

Question 26

replication

Answer 26

other individuals should be able to repeat the same step-by-step process that led to the observations so that they can be REPLICATED; verification

Question 27

pseudoscience

Answer 27

a system of ideas often presented as science but actually lacking some of the key components that are essential to scientific research

Question 28

differences between science and pseudoscience (4)

Answer 28

(1) testable and refutable hypotheses, (2) objective and unbiased evaluation of all the available evidence, (3) actively tests and challenges its own theories and adapts them when new evidence appears and (4) grounded in past science

Question 29

quantitative research

Answer 29

measuring variables for individual participants to obtain scores, usually numerical values, which are submitted to statistical analysis for summary and interpretation

Question 30

qualitative research

Answer 30

making observations that are summarized and interpreted in a narrative report

Question 31

steps of the research process (10)

Answer 31

(1) research idea, (2) hypothesis, (3) how will you define and measure variables?, (4) participants/ subjects, (5) research strategy, (6) research design, (7) conduct the study, (8) evaluate the data, (9) report the results and (10) refine/ reformulate your research idea

Question 32

research process: step 1

Answer 32

find an idea; general topic and do a lit review

Question 33

research process: step 2

Answer 33

when developing a hypothesis, make sure there is a logical argument, it is testable and it is refutable

Question 34

participants

Answer 34

humans involved in a study

Question 35

subjects

Answer 35

non-human animals involved in a study

Question 36

research process: step 3

Answer 36

picking participants also included how you will recruit them, inclusion criteria and an ethical plan

Question 37

research process: step 9

Answer 37

reporting the results is how you make sure it is public and therefore scientific

Question 38

research process: step 10

Answer 38

two parts of refining and reformulating your research idea are: (1) test the boundaries of the results and (2) refine the original research question