Question 1

A falsifiable theory

Accepted Answer

A falsifiable theory is one that can be proven false through experimentation or observation. It must be able to make clear, testable predictions that can be either confirmed or rejected. Choice A is incorrect because a theory that disagrees with known, replicable data is already proven false and would not be considered falsifiable. Choice C is also incorrect because a theory that is widely debated and disputed does not necessarily make it falsifiable. Choice D is incorrect because for a theory to be falsifiable, it must have been tested and have the possibility of being proven false.

Question 2

The ____________________ is the sum of all the scores divided by the total number of scores.
mean

Accepted Answer

The answer of The ____________________ is the sum of all...

Question 3

Which of the following is a desirable feature of a scientific theory?

Accepted Answer

A desirable feature of a scientific theory is that it is falsifiable, meaning that it can be tested through observation or experimentation and potentially proven false. The other answer choices are undesirable features of a scientific theory: A would make the theory redundant, B would make it based on false or nonexistent connections, and C would make it unnecessarily complicated.

Question 4

"Falsifiability" is considered a desirable characteristic for a scientific theory because a falsifiable theory

Accepted Answer

A theory that is falsifiable makes clear, testable predictions. This means that the theory can be tested and potentially proven false. If a theory cannot be tested or has no potential to be proven false, it cannot be considered scientific because it cannot be tested through empirical evidence.

Question 5

A psychic claims that he can read the minds of people on the planet Zipton,which is millions of light years away.The main scientific objection is that this claim

Accepted Answer

The claim that a psychic can read the minds of people on a planet millions of light years away is not falsifiable, meaning it cannot be proven or disproven through scientific testing or observation. As a result, it falls outside the realm of scientific inquiry and cannot be considered scientifically credible.

Question 6

To say that a theory is falsifiable means that

Accepted Answer

To say that a theory is falsifiable means that it can be tested and potentially contradicted by evidence. The ability to imagine evidence that would contradict the theory is what makes it falsifiable. Evidence that contradicts the theory may or may not already be available, but it is the potential for such evidence that makes the theory falsifiable. Scientists may disagree on the validity of the theory, but this is not what makes it falsifiable. The parsimony of assumptions has nothing to do with the ability to test a theory.

Question 7

After defining the variables involved in a study,scientists have to identify individuals to study.The population is the group of individuals to whom we hope our conclusions will apply.Researchers generally hope that their conclusions will apply to a large population,such as all 5-year-olds or all people with schizophrenia.Because it is not practical to examine everyone in the population,researchers study a sample of people and assume that the results for the sample apply to the whole population.Briefly define the following types of samples and give one example for each;convenience sample,representative sample,random sample,and cross cultural sample.

Accepted Answer

The answer of After defining the variables involved in a...

Question 8

The goal of scientific research is to establish comprehensive explanations of observable events.These explanations are called

Accepted Answer

Theories are explanations that have been extensively tested and supported by multiple lines of evidence. They are the highest level of understanding in scientific research. Facts are individual pieces of information that can be observed and measured. Predictions are educated guesses about future observations based on current knowledge. Hypotheses are proposed explanations that have not yet been extensively tested or supported.

Question 9

A falsifiable theory is one that

Accepted Answer

A falsifiable theory is one that makes clear, easily tested predictions. This means that the theory can be proven false if the predictions are not accurate, and therefore it is a scientific theory that can be tested and potentially rejected based on evidence. False predictions would indicate that the theory is not accurate and requires revision or rejection.

Question 10

A scientist has formed the following hypothesis;individuals who eat a late lunch consume more food than individuals who eat an early lunch.Once she has constructed her hypothesis,what are the three steps that she should follow to complete her experiment? State the steps and give an example of how to complete each step.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A scientist has formed the following hypothesis;individuals...

Question 11

The ____________________ is a measurement of the amount of variation among scores in a normal distribution.
standard deviation

Accepted Answer

The answer of The ____________________ is a measurement of the...

Question 12

Falsifiability,independent variables,dependent variables,blind observers,and demand characteristics are all potential characteristics of an experiment.Which of these would an experimenter try to minimize or avoid and why?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Falsifiability,independent variables,dependent variables,blind observers,and demand characteristics are...

Question 13

A solid theory would be one that

Accepted Answer

A solid theory is one that can make accurate predictions about various phenomena or observations. This requires a thorough understanding of the underlying principles and variables involved. The theory should also avoid unnecessary assumptions that are not supported by evidence. A falsifiable theory is also important, as this means it can be tested and potentially proven wrong if new evidence emerges. Avoiding independent variables is not relevant to the characteristics of a solid theory.

Question 14

Statements about a large population based on an inference from a small sample,is called ____________________.
inferential statistics

Accepted Answer

The answer of Statements about a large population based on...

Question 15

Describe three examples of the following situations: one in which two variables are positively correlated,one in which two variables are negatively correlated,and one in which there is zero correlation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe three examples of the following situations:...

Question 16

Which of the following do researchers generally regard as desirable?

Accepted Answer

Researchers generally regard falsifiable theories as desirable because they can be tested and potentially disproven, allowing for greater scientific understanding and progress. Illusory correlations, selective attrition, and demand characteristics are all problematic because they can lead to biased or inaccurate results.

Question 17

Which of the following would NOT be falsifiable?

Accepted Answer

This statement is more of a theory or belief rather than a testable hypothesis that can be confirmed or refuted through empirical evidence. It is difficult to prove or disprove that dreams are motivated by wish fulfillment or that they are disguised to hide their true meaning.

Question 18

To say that a theory is falsifiable is to say that

Accepted Answer

If a theory is falsifiable, it means that we can imagine results that would contradict it. This is important because if a theory is not falsifiable, it cannot be tested or proven wrong and therefore cannot be considered scientific. Choice A is incorrect because a theory that is not replicable would not be considered a valid scientific theory in the first place. Choice B is incorrect because replacing a theory with a simpler or more accurate theory does not necessarily have anything to do with falsifiability. Choice D is incorrect because a theory that is so vague that it fits any and all possible results would not be considered a scientific theory at all.

Question 19

A mother is attempting to minimize the number of times that her toddler pulls on his kitty's tail.She wants to assess whether different types of discipline have any effect on his behavior.For three weeks during the month,the mother gives the toddler one week of one specific type of discipline.One week the toddler receives time outs,one week he has a toy taken away,and one week he is told to clean the kitty's bowl for each kitty tail pull.At the end of each week,the mother tallies up the number of kitty tail pulls for the week.Identify the independent variable and the dependent variable.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A mother is attempting to minimize the...

Question 20

If a theory is "falsifiable," then it

Accepted Answer

A theory that is falsifiable is one that can be tested by specific, observable data, and makes predictions that can be proven wrong if the data does not support them. This is important in scientific research because it allows for the theory to be objectively tested and potentially refined or discarded if the evidence does not support it.

Quiz 2: Scientific Methods in Psychology