Deck 2: Explanation in Scientific Psychology

Question 1

An approach to science whereby observations are gathered in the hopes of testing theoretical explanations is called:

A) precise
B) inductive
C) deductive
D) data oriented

Answer 1

deductive

Question 2

Which of the following represents an intervening variable?

A) social loafing
B) reaction time
C) violence
D) the relationship between color names and color ink in the Stroop phenomenon

Answer 2

social loafing

Question 3

The two major functions of a theory are:

A) organization and testability
B) organization and prediction
C) prediction and precision
D) induction and organization

Answer 3

organization and prediction

Question 4

The inductive scientist emphasizes ____ whereas the deductive scientist emphasizes ____.

A) data; theory
B) data; observations
C) theory; analyses
D) theory; data

Question 5

The a priori method:

A) includes an empirical basis for fixing belief
B) offers no way of determining the superiority of one belief over another
C) generates beliefs that do not seem intuitively plausible
D) is a belief system that is held even if there is contradictory evidence

Question 6

Social loafing refers to the observation that people:

A) become unsociable when tired
B) often work less when in a group
C) are apathetic when socializing in a group
D) lose interest in meeting people

Question 7

Choosing to believe some material in this course because your instructor told you that it is correct information most likely represents which system for the fixation of beliefs?

A) tenacity
B) faith
C) a priori
D) scientific method

Question 8

Complete the following analogy: induction : specific information :: deduction : ____.

A) theory
B) probability
C) interpretation
D) precision
E) data

Question 9

A theory that explains a wide variety of occurrences with very few explanatory constructs is said to:

A) be correct
B) be heuristic
C) be parsimonious
D) lack precision

Question 10

You believe that you may have trouble getting a phone call through to a distant city following a hurricane,because it seems likely that some lines may have been damaged by the storm.Your belief is based on the:

A) scientific method
B) method of authority
C) a priori method
D) empirical method

Question 11

Some individuals continue to believe that all people's intentions are good despite contrary evidence,perhaps because it is less stressful than the alternative belief.This represents an example of which system for the fixation of beliefs?

A) faith
B) a priori
C) tenacity
D) scientific method

Question 12

The inductive scientist:

A) believes that patterns of explanation will become obvious once enough data are collected
B) is a strong proponent of using theories
C) is never concerned with testing between conflicting predictions made by different theories
D) begins with a theory and then collects supporting data

Question 13

The scientific method:

A) relies on systematic observation
B) has no mechanism for discarding outdated theories
C) emphasizes the importance of theory over data
D) relies on reason in the absence of experience

Question 14

The deductive scientist:

A) is most interested in gathering data on a phenomenon for which no theoretical explanation has been offered
B) emphasizes the empirical rather than the theoretical approach
C) gathers data only within a guiding theoretical framework
D) would rather collect data than generate theories

Question 15

NBC evening news reports that a Soviet diplomat is defecting to the U.S..Your belief in this report is based on the:

A) scientific method
B) method of authority
C) a priori method
D) empirical method

Question 16

Science needs and uses:

A) empirical observations
B) a priori methods
C) tenacity
D) authority

Question 17

According to the falsifiability view,____.

A) if a prediction is supported by the data,the theory is true
B) theoretical predictions are always false
C) positive support for theories is more important than negative support
D) good theories must be falsifiable

Question 18

Which of the following is false concerning inductive and deductive scientists?

A) Inductive scientists provide basic data upon which to build theories.
B) Deductive scientists try to bring order out of the mass of data collected by the empiricists.
C) Most psychologists take both an inductive and deductive approach.
D) Theories arrived at by induction tend to contain assumptions that are invalid.

Question 19

Which of the following describes the possible effect of data on theories?

A) Data that are completely consistent with a theory can cause the theory to be modified.
B) Data that are inconsistent with a theory can lead to a rejection of that theory.
C) Data that are consistent with a theory can prove the theory
D) The best theories are never altered by data.

Question 20

Data are:

A) only useful to a deductive scientist
B) only useful to an inductive scientist
C) information resulting from systematic observation
D) interesting but must be interpreted in light of a theory

Question 21

Measuring individual effort of group members tends to reduce diffusion of responsibility.

Question 22

A theory whose predictions are misinterpreted by different researchers is said to:

A) be testable
B) be parsimonious
C) lack precision
D) be provable

Question 23

Induction and deduction work together to produce scientific understanding.

Question 24

One difficulty with a purely inductive approach is that observations are tied to the circumstances under which they are made.

Question 25

Research in the hard sciences (e.g.,physics and chemistry):

A) relies on more rigorous methods than the soft sciences (e.g.,psychology)
B) leads to conclusions that are stated as probabilities
C) is more ecologically valid than research in the soft sciences (e.g.,psychology)
D) reflects none of the above tendencies

Question 26

The process of strong inference refers to the elimination of competing explanations through falsification.

Question 27

According to Peirce,a racial bigot is likely to use the method of tenacity to develop understanding.

Question 28

Explanation and description are better ways to refer to the function of theories than are prediction and organization.

Question 29

When experimental psychologists do basic research in laboratory settings they:

A) build a reservoir of data from which to build theories
B) are generally interested in addressing applied problems
C) cannot make predictions about what should happen in the real world
D) generally obtain evidence of strong effects because of additional control

Question 30

Theories are rarely revised when contradictory evidence arises.

Question 31

Good theories:

A) explain a wide variety of occurrences with only a few statements
B) bear little relation to observed patterns of data
C) have high explanatory power but little predictive power
D) are easy to prove

Question 32

Basic research:

A) is entirely different from applied research
B) is less important than applied research
C) has no elements in common with the real world
D) can lead to improvements outside the laboratory

Question 33

Which statement is true regarding basic research?

A) Its utility is significantly reduced because it takes place in an artificial setting.
B) It is constructed to directly address an existing problem in the world.
C) It may be decades before it produces a useful application.
D) It is not as effective as applied research in revealing limits of human behavior.

Question 34

Intervening variables connect theoretical concepts to independent and dependent variables.

Question 35

One possible example of a basic (rather than an applied)research project is to:

A) design a better remote control
B) improve the effectiveness of art therapy treatment in a local mental health facility
C) evaluate the depth of existing teaching methods in research methods courses
D) evaluate the accuracy of computer programs in automatically recognizing human speech
E) determine whether or not an automatic process can interfere with a more resource-demanding,controlled process

Question 36

In order for an experimental result to reflect a particular process that occurs in the real world,the experiment must be:

A) conducted in the laboratory
B) conducted in the field
C) conducted in natural surroundings
D) carefully controlled to eliminate other potential contributing factors

Question 37

One disadvantage of intervening variables is that they are always less efficient than direct connections between variables.

Question 38

Of the following,which is the least important characteristic of a useful theory?

A) It is simple.
B) It is precise (for example,a mathematical model).
C) It is testable.
D) It is later demonstrated to be correct.

Question 39

If a theory can be potentially disproved,____.

A) it is useless to scientists
B) it is said to be testable
C) it is said to lack precision
D) evaluation is postponed until testing is feasible

Question 40

Social loafing research has not been demonstrated outside of the laboratory.

Question 41

Many aspects of Freud's theory of personality cannot be disproved; therefore,it is a good theory.

Question 42

There often is a long time lag between obtaining basic research findings and the development of real-world applications from those findings.

Question 43

Just because the laboratory setting may be far from real life,it does not mean that experiments cannot study psychological processes.

Question 44

Good theories are frequently determined to be false.

Question 45

A satisfactory theory is any theory that has empirical confirmation.