Question 1

Which reason is NOT listed by the textbook as one that makes people especially difficult to study?

Accepted Answer

The textbook lists complexity, variability, and reactivity as reasons that make people especially difficult to study, but it does not list emotionality as one of those reasons.

Question 2

Anna's research yielded results that are consistent with a hypothesis derived from a behavioral theory of substance abuse.Which conclusion is CORRECT regarding the theory?

Accepted Answer

Anna's research yielding results consistent with the behavioral theory of substance abuse indicates that the theory is supported, meaning that the evidence gathered is in line with the predictions and assumptions made by the theory. However, it does not necessarily prove the theory, nor does it provide statistical significance or falsification.

Question 3

Sofia's research yielded results that are consistent with a hypothesis derived from a cognitive account of classical conditioning.Which conclusion is CORRECT regarding the theory?

Accepted Answer

The fact that Sofia's results are consistent with the hypothesis derived from a cognitive account of classical conditioning does not mean that the theory is proven, unfalsified, or statistically significant. It suggests that the hypothesis may be a valid explanation for the observed phenomena, but subsequent research could still refute it, thus proving it incorrect. Therefore, option B, the theory may be disproven by subsequent research, is the most appropriate.

Question 4

Which statement is an unfalsifiable psychological claim?

Accepted Answer

The id is a concept in psychoanalytic theory that cannot be directly observed or measured, therefore it is unfalsifiable.

Question 5

The theory that God created the universe is:

Accepted Answer

The theory that God created the universe is not based on empirical evidence and cannot be proven or disproven through scientific methods, making it unfalsifiable. Therefore, it falls within the realm of faith and belief rather than scientific inquiry.

Question 6

Carolina wants to determine if preschoolers are more or less likely to initiate play with same or opposite gender peers.She is trying to devise a plan in which the children will not know that they are being observed.Carolina seeks a(n):

Accepted Answer

Carolina is looking for an empirical method, which involves collecting data through observation or experimentation, to observe the children's behavior without them knowing.

Question 7

A set of rules and techniques for observation is termed an empirical:

Accepted Answer

A set of rules and techniques for observation is best defined as a method. A method is a systematic approach to conducting research or performing any other type of investigation that involves observation, measurement, and analysis. Empirical methods refer specifically to techniques that are based on observation and experience rather than speculation or theory.

Question 8

Angela wants to determine if male or female college students are more likely to pay with cash versus a credit card while at a restaurant.She is undecided if she should observe their actions at a restaurant or rather questions to participants about this topic using a survey.Angela is trying to decide on the best _____ to address her research question.

Accepted Answer

The empirical method involves collecting data through observation or experimentation, which would be necessary to determine whether male or female college students are more likely to pay with cash versus a credit card while at a restaurant. Surveys would provide a way to collect data through questioning participants. Therefore, D is the best choice.

Question 9

Which statement is TRUE regarding the principle of parsimony?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which statement is TRUE regarding the principle...

Question 10

According to the textbook,what three things make people especially difficult to study?

Accepted Answer

The textbook states that the three things that make people especially difficult to study are variability (individual differences in behavior), reactivity (how people react to situations and the presence of researchers), and complexity (the presence of multiple factors that can influence behavior).

Question 11

The theory that ancient aliens seeded the planet with life millions of years ago and then disappeared is:

Accepted Answer

The theory of ancient aliens seeding the planet with life and disappearing is unfalsifiable because there is no way to demonstrate or prove that the aliens did not exist or were not responsible for the origins of life on Earth. It cannot be tested or proven false through scientific methods.

Question 12

Cruella would not describe herself as the type of person who cares about animal rights,but she says that she does when filling out a survey for a psychologist.This illustrates that people can be highly _____ when studied.

Accepted Answer

Cruella's behavior illustrates that people can be highly reactive when studied, meaning their responses or actions might change due to the awareness of being observed or assessed, rather than reflecting their true beliefs or behaviors.

Question 13

Drugs of abuse activate the reward pathway in the brain.This pathway consists of multiple brain structures,many neurotransmitters,and millions of interconnected neurons.Determining the brain changes that underlie the transition from casual drug use to addiction is a difficult process due to the _____ of the system.

Accepted Answer

The sentence directly states that the difficulty in determining the brain changes that underlie the transition from casual drug use to addiction is due to the complexity of the reward pathway in the brain.

Question 14

People are difficult to study because they often behave differently when they know that they are being observed,a phenomenon known as:

Accepted Answer

Reactivity is the phenomenon where individuals modify their behavior in response to the fact that they are being observed or studied. This can make it difficult for researchers to accurately study and understand human behavior. Choices A, B, and C do not accurately describe this phenomenon.

Question 15

Octavia's research yielded results that are consistent with a hypothesis derived from a developmental account of decision making.Which conclusion is CORRECT regarding the theory?

Accepted Answer

The fact that Octavia's research yielded consistent results with the hypothesis derived from a developmental account of decision making suggests that there is support for the theory. However, it does not necessarily prove the theory to be true, as other investigations may refute it. Therefore, C is the correct answer. B is incorrect, as the theory appears to be testable and falsifiable. D is also incorrect, as statistical significance pertains to the results of the research rather than the theory itself.

Question 16

Aleskey's research yielded results that are consistent with a hypothesis derived from a cognitive account of language development.Which conclusion is CORRECT regarding the theory?

Accepted Answer

The theory is strengthened because consistent results support the hypothesis, but they do not prove it or make it unfalsified or statistically significant on their own.

Question 17

Sue becomes tired when it gets really hot outside and Frank becomes angry.Their different reactions to the heat illustrate the challenge of _____ to the study of human behavior.

Accepted Answer

Variability refers to the fact that humans exhibit a wide range of behaviors and responses to different stimuli, including environmental factors like heat. Sue's tiredness and Frank's anger demonstrate this variability in response to heat. Confounds refer to other variables that may be influencing their behavior, while complexity refers to the intricate nature of human behavior as a whole. Reactivity refers to the potential for study participants to change their behavior simply because they are being observed or studied.

Question 18

Which question is an unfalsifiable research question?

Accepted Answer

The question "Does God answer prayers?" is unfalsifiable because it cannot be proven or disproven through empirical evidence or scientific inquiry. It is a matter of faith and personal belief, rather than a question that can be answered through research. The other options are testable research questions that can be investigated through empirical methods.

Question 19

When participating in psychological research,participants sometimes report not their true beliefs but rather what they feel to be the socially acceptable answer.This illustrates that people can be highly _____ when studied.

Accepted Answer

Participants in psychological research may alter their behavior or responses based on the fact that they are being studied or observed. This is known as reactivity. In this scenario, participants may provide socially acceptable answers rather than their true beliefs, showing that people can be highly reactive in research settings.

Question 20

An empirical method refers to:

Accepted Answer

An empirical method is a set of rules and techniques for observation. It involves using observable and measurable data to test and evaluate theories or hypotheses.

Quiz 2: Methods in Psychology-Part A