PSYC 306 midterm questions & answers
graded A+
5 sources of knowledge - correct answer ✔✔tenacity
intuition
authority
rational method
method of empiricism
Method of Tenacity - correct answer ✔✔information is accepted as true because it has always been
believed or because superstition supports it
beliefs based on this method are deeply rooted and difficult to change
Method of Intuition - correct answer ✔✔Information is accepted on the basis of a hunch or "gut feeling"
Method of Authority - correct answer ✔✔a person relies on information or answers from an expert in
the subject area
quickest and easiest way to finding answers
method of faith - correct answer ✔✔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
rational method - correct answer ✔✔seeks answers by the use of logical reasoning
people are bad at it + premises must be true
Method of Empiricism - correct answer ✔✔uses observation or direct sensory experience to obtain
knowledge
issues with method of empiricism - correct answer ✔✔Observations can be misinterpreted
,Sensory experience can be swayed by beliefs
Time-consuming and sometimes dangerous
strength and vulnerability of scientific method - correct answer ✔✔we can never say we have proven
something we can put forth our best answer based on the evidence before us
there is always more for us to learn
3 fundamental assumptions of the scientific method - correct answer ✔✔The world is orderly and
governed by natural laws
There are links between events - Cause and effect relationships
The scientific method allows us to uncover these laws
Steps of the Scientific Method - correct answer ✔✔Observe behavior or other phenomena
Form a tentative answer or explanation (a hypothesis)
Use your hypothesis to generate a testable prediction
Evaluate the prediction by making systematic, planned observations
Use the observations to support, refute, or refine the original hypothesis
3 principles of the scientific method - correct answer ✔✔empirical, public, objective
theory - correct answer ✔✔organize our observations and ideas
explain our observations (explains the cause and effect relationship)
predict events not yet observed
theory 3 conditions - correct answer ✔✔parsimony, precision, testability
parsimony - correct answer ✔✔Theories gain power when they explain many results with few concepts
Precision - correct answer ✔✔A theory must be precise enough so that different investigators can agree
about its predictions
, Testability - correct answer ✔✔A theory must make predictions that can be tested empirically
(falsifiability)
effect of disconfirming finding on a theory - correct answer ✔✔it will not dismiss the theory, instead it
will lead to further testing, or to an adjustment of the theory
dependent variable other term - correct answer ✔✔outcome/criterion variable
independent variable - correct answer ✔✔predictor variable
inductive reasoning - correct answer ✔✔inductive reasoning involves reaching a general conclusion
based on a few specific examples
this process of generalization is often used to start research/come up with hypotheses
Process of Scientific Inquiry - correct answer ✔✔inductive reasoning involves reaching a general
conclusion based on a few specific examples
4 diffs between science and pseudo science - correct answer ✔✔testable and refutable hypotheses
objective and unbiased evidence (not subjective like testimonials)
pseudoscience tends to ignore nonsupporting evidence and treats criticism as a personal attack
science is rooted in past science
hypothesis 4 prediction conditions - correct answer ✔✔logical (must be founded in established theories
or previous research)
testable (must be possible to observe and measure all the variables involved)
refutable (must be falsifiable)
positive (must make a positive statement about the existence of something)
subjects - correct answer ✔✔Experimental units that are nonhuman.
graded A+
5 sources of knowledge - correct answer ✔✔tenacity
intuition
authority
rational method
method of empiricism
Method of Tenacity - correct answer ✔✔information is accepted as true because it has always been
believed or because superstition supports it
beliefs based on this method are deeply rooted and difficult to change
Method of Intuition - correct answer ✔✔Information is accepted on the basis of a hunch or "gut feeling"
Method of Authority - correct answer ✔✔a person relies on information or answers from an expert in
the subject area
quickest and easiest way to finding answers
method of faith - correct answer ✔✔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
rational method - correct answer ✔✔seeks answers by the use of logical reasoning
people are bad at it + premises must be true
Method of Empiricism - correct answer ✔✔uses observation or direct sensory experience to obtain
knowledge
issues with method of empiricism - correct answer ✔✔Observations can be misinterpreted
,Sensory experience can be swayed by beliefs
Time-consuming and sometimes dangerous
strength and vulnerability of scientific method - correct answer ✔✔we can never say we have proven
something we can put forth our best answer based on the evidence before us
there is always more for us to learn
3 fundamental assumptions of the scientific method - correct answer ✔✔The world is orderly and
governed by natural laws
There are links between events - Cause and effect relationships
The scientific method allows us to uncover these laws
Steps of the Scientific Method - correct answer ✔✔Observe behavior or other phenomena
Form a tentative answer or explanation (a hypothesis)
Use your hypothesis to generate a testable prediction
Evaluate the prediction by making systematic, planned observations
Use the observations to support, refute, or refine the original hypothesis
3 principles of the scientific method - correct answer ✔✔empirical, public, objective
theory - correct answer ✔✔organize our observations and ideas
explain our observations (explains the cause and effect relationship)
predict events not yet observed
theory 3 conditions - correct answer ✔✔parsimony, precision, testability
parsimony - correct answer ✔✔Theories gain power when they explain many results with few concepts
Precision - correct answer ✔✔A theory must be precise enough so that different investigators can agree
about its predictions
, Testability - correct answer ✔✔A theory must make predictions that can be tested empirically
(falsifiability)
effect of disconfirming finding on a theory - correct answer ✔✔it will not dismiss the theory, instead it
will lead to further testing, or to an adjustment of the theory
dependent variable other term - correct answer ✔✔outcome/criterion variable
independent variable - correct answer ✔✔predictor variable
inductive reasoning - correct answer ✔✔inductive reasoning involves reaching a general conclusion
based on a few specific examples
this process of generalization is often used to start research/come up with hypotheses
Process of Scientific Inquiry - correct answer ✔✔inductive reasoning involves reaching a general
conclusion based on a few specific examples
4 diffs between science and pseudo science - correct answer ✔✔testable and refutable hypotheses
objective and unbiased evidence (not subjective like testimonials)
pseudoscience tends to ignore nonsupporting evidence and treats criticism as a personal attack
science is rooted in past science
hypothesis 4 prediction conditions - correct answer ✔✔logical (must be founded in established theories
or previous research)
testable (must be possible to observe and measure all the variables involved)
refutable (must be falsifiable)
positive (must make a positive statement about the existence of something)
subjects - correct answer ✔✔Experimental units that are nonhuman.
