M1L3: The Scientific Approach and Psychology

Question 1

The scientific method involves invoking an attitude of __________.

Answer 1

skepticism

Question 2

A skeptic is a person who questions the validity, authenticity, or truth of something purporting to be factual.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

In our society, being described as a skeptic is typically thought of as a compliment. However, for a scientist, it is not a compliment.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Being skeptic means that you blindly accept any new idea that comes along.

Answer 4

False

Question 5

The skeptic needs data to support an idea and insists on proper testing procedures when the data were collected.

Answer 5

True

Question 6

Being a skeptic and using the scientific method involve applying three important criteria that help define science:
1)
2)
3)

Answer 6

systematic empiricism, publicly verifiable knowledge, and empirically solvable problems

Question 7

is the practice of relying on observation to draw conclusions

Answer 7

Empiricism

Question 8

Most people today probably agree that the best way to learn about something is to observe it. However, empiricism alone is not enough.

Answer 8

True

Question 9

Simply observing a series of events does not lead to scientific knowledge. The observations must be made in a systematic manner to test a hypothesis and develop or refute a theory (in other words, empiricism, and rationalism).

Answer 9

True

Question 10

By using this approach, researchers can draw more reliable and valid conclusions than they can from observation alone.

Answer 10

Systematic empiricism

Question 11

This means that the research is presented to the public in such a way that it can be observed, replicated, criticized, and tested for veracity by others.

Answer 11

Publicly Verifiable Knowledge

Question 12

Most commonly, this involves submitting the research to a scientific journal for possible publication.

Answer 12

Publicly Verifiable Knowledge

Question 13

Most journals are ____-________—other scientists critique the research to decide whether it meets the standards for publication.
If a study is published, other researchers can read about the findings, attempt to replicate them, and through this process demonstrate that the results are reliable.

Answer 13

peer-reviewed

Question 14

You should not be suspicious of any claims made without the support of public verification.

Answer 14

False

Question 15

questions that are potentially answerable by means of currently available research techniques

Answer 15

Empirically Solvable Problems

Question 16

If a theory cannot be tested using empirical techniques, then scientists are not interested in it.

Answer 16

True

Question 17

When empirically solvable problems are studied, they are not always open to the principle of falsifiability.

Answer 17

False

Question 18

the idea that a scientific theory must be stated in such a way that it is possible to refute or disconfirm it

Answer 18

Falsifiability

Question 19

A theory must predict not only what will happen but also what will not happen.

Answer 19

True

Question 20

A theory is not scientific if it is irrefutable.

*This may sound counterintuitive, and you may be thinking that if a theory is irrefutable, it must be really good.

Answer 20

True

Question 21

claims that appear to be scientific but that actually violate the criteria of science

Answer 21

Pseudoscience

Question 22

is usually irrefutable and is also often confused with science

Answer 22

Pseudoscience

Question 23

Those who believe in extrasensory perception (ESP, a pseudoscience) have set up a situation in which they claim falsifying data are not valid, the theory of ESP violates the principle of falsifiability.

Answer 23

True