Psychology As A Science

Question 1

epistemology

Answer 1

the study of where knowledge comes from

Question 2

methods of knowing

Answer 2

1. authority
2. personal knowledge
3. intuition
4. science
   - rationalism
   - empiricism

Question 3

personal experience

Answer 3

it happened to me

Question 4

intuition

Answer 4

it feels correct

Question 5

authority

Answer 5

a respected source says its true

Question 6

rationalism

Answer 6

based on your hypothesis, using logic to draw a conclusion

Question 7

empiricism

Answer 7

drawing conclusions based on experiments and observations in the world

Question 8

personal experience vs. science

Answer 8

pro:
- personal experiences capture emotions and events beyond numbers
cons:
- personal experiences cannot isolate variables with comparison groups to dictate what causes something to happen
- personal experiences cannot explain what would’ve happened if you did something else at once

science:
- uses systematic comparison
- uses control of variables

Question 9

types of intuition

Answer 9

• availability heuristic
• confirmation bias
• hindsight bias
• bias about bias

Question 10

availability heuristic

Answer 10

the first thing that comes to mind seems more correct/likely to happen
- plane crashes seem more likely to happen because we hear about it more often. in reality, car crashes happen more regularly

Question 11

confirmation bias

Answer 11

searching for information that you personally believe in rather than furthering your research on opposing opinions

Question 12

hindsight bias

Answer 12

the answer seems more obvious after it’s revealed

Question 13

bias about bias

Answer 13

you are right, other people arent

Question 14

authority vs science

Answer 14

claims made by authority figures could be based on
- personal experiences
- intuition
- science

Question 15

the scientific method

Answer 15

theory -> hypothesis -> systematic observation -> interpret observation -> repeat

Question 16

features of good scientific theory

Answer 16

• supported by data
• falsifiable
• parsimonious

Question 17

falsifiability

Answer 17

• when tested, there must be an outcome that proves the theory wrong
• improves credibility

Question 18

parsimony

Answer 18

preferences for the simplest explanation

Question 19

applied research

Answer 19

solving practical problems

Question 20

basic research

Answer 20

goal to enhance society’s knowledge of the world

Question 21

science’s goal is to prove things. true or false

Answer 21

false. scientists evaluate their theories based on the weight of the evidence

Question 22

science is cumulative

Answer 22

• scientists communicate their finding publicly
• scientific knowledge accumulates through replication and synthesis

Question 23

pseudoscience

Answer 23

things that pose as science
- poses hypothesis that aren’t falsifiable
- claims are not directly supported by empirical evidence
- appeals to experience, intuition, and/or authority
- not grounded in past scientific research