A boy observes a robin outside of his window. He notices the robin repeatedly cocks its head to one side before pecking the ground. The boy suspects that when the robin cocks its head it is actually listening for worms or insects underground. How could the boy test his hypothesis about robins and worms?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The best choice would be D because all three experiments would provide evidence for the boy's hypothesis. Option A would provide evidence for the relationship between head-cocking and worm-catching in a single robin. Option B would test whether head-cocking is a learned behavior or a natural behavior for robins. Option C would provide evidence for the generalizability of the relationship between head-cocking and worm-catching across multiple robins. By conducting all three experiments, the boy would have a more robust understanding of the relationship between head-cocking and worm-catching in robins.

A Boy Observes a Robin Outside of His Window