PSY 110 EXAM 1 Midterm Questions and Terms

Reasons offered in support of a claim are referred to as - evidence. Personal experiences, research studies, and statements by experts or authorities are all examples of - information that can be used as evidence Haley said, "Lots of studies support the dual process theory of thinking." Dana replied, "Thinking is thinking. I don't believe there is more than one type of thinking. Anyway, dual process theory is just a theory." Dana does NOT realize that: - some theories are better than others because they are supported by more studies. The idea of critical thinking as reflectively thinking about one's own thinking is MOST related to - metacognition Open-mindedness, fair-mindedness, and a skeptical attitude are examples of - critical thinking dispositions. Lola said, "Scientists have not been able to prove that intelligence design theory is not true, so it is probably correct." Lola is showing the thinking error of - arguing from ignorance or possibility. Consider this statement: "Charles Darwin hypothesized that humans and dogs have evolved similar emotional expressions on the face, as in human and canine displays of anger. He based this hypothesis on observations that anger expressions in humans involve a pulling back of the lips to reveal the teeth, similar to the way dogs show their canine teeth in aggressive displays." The presentation of _____ make(s) this a basic argument. - observations as evidence supporting the hypothesis 8. Kei was talking to her parents about her decision of what to do after college. She said, "I have decided to go to graduate school in counseling psychology because it is the occupation that interests me the most and is prestigious." Did Kei make a basic argument? - Yes, she provided a conclusion with evidence related to interest and prestige. "In 1963, the psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted an important experiment showing that participants were willing to administer high voltage shocks to other people in the study. This could explain why people such as the Nazis in World WarII were willing to hurt other people in obedience to authority." Has a basic argument been made? - Yes, because an experiment is offered as evidence to support a claim. Sharise said: "Research shows that a nerve cell can fire up to about 1,000 times per second. Consequently, the brain has an upper limit on its speed of processing." Sharise presented a basic argument because she included: - a claim with evidence. The general term in the text that refers to mistakes in judgment and reasoning is: - thinking errors Anise usually has a good appetite, but she now eats less and sometimes skips breakfast. Her roommate draws the conclusion that Anise is probably on a diet. This is an example of a(n): - inference. When reasoning proceeds from a general rule or principle to a specific case, it is BEST described as: - deductive reasoning Deductive reasoning is commonly used in science to: - make predictions from theories. A deductive argument expressed in "if-then" form is a(n) _____ argument. - conditional If a scientist studies the changes in organisms over long periods of time due to natural selection, then that scientist is taking an evolutionary approach. Dr. Steven Pinker has studied long-term changes in humans, especially the changes in their behaviors and mental processes. Therefore, Dr. Pinker has taken an evolutionary approach. The argument is sound because: - the antecedent has been asserted. An unwarranted assumption is: - a premise lacking support that is taken for granted and might lead to a different conclusion. The stereotypes that people apply to other individuals often: - Are unwarranted assumptions made about the individuals and their groups.