Topic 1

Question 1

Ways of knowing (4)

Answer 1

1. Authority
   - beliefs based on what peers and higher ups have told us
   - can be wrong
2. Reason/ Logic
   - use of reason to come to a consensus
   - hypothesis is test of the logical assumption
   - wrong assumptions
3. Empiricism
   - learning via observation or experience
   - experiences are limited to interpretation
4. Science
   - systematic observation
   - public knowledge
   - data based conclusions
   - falsifiable theories
   - determinism (all events have a cause)
   - discoverability

Question 2

Define pseudoscience

Answer 2

‘Science’ that appears legitimate but sidesteps falsification by overly simplifying anomalies

Question 3

What are the goals of research in psychology

Answer 3

• to describe regularly occurring sequences of psychological events
• to predict psychological events based on the predictable laws followed
• explain event in terms of relationships to other factors
• informs real-world applications of psychological events

Question 4

What is Eleanor Gibson known for?

Answer 4

Visual cliff studies to examine depth perception in infants

Question 5

What is BF Skinner known for?

Answer 5

Operant conditioning (motivation through reward system)

Question 6

Characteristics of science

Answer 6

• systematic
• empirical
• data-driven
• tentative
• falsifiable

Question 7

Characteristics of science

Answer 7

• systematic
• empirical
• data-driven
• tentative
• falsifiable

Question 8

Confirmation bias

Answer 8

The belief we hold is easy to see but we may not always recognize when it doesn’t happen

Question 9

purpose of a research course

Answer 9

Provides a strong foundation for understanding information presented in later courses

Methods courses teach the process of gaining info about psychological phenomena which can be applied to content in other courses