PSY 301 LAUMAKIS EXAM 1 - FALL 2026 SDSU UPDATED
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. Empiricist
Answer:
basing your conclusions on systematic observations
Question:
2. Research Producers VS Research Consumers
Answer:
Producers create research e.g. College faculty or Grad students Consumers read research e.g. for
hobbies, to improve relationships, etc.
Question:
3. Theory
Answer:
a statement about causal relationships between variables Note: studies do not prove theories, they
SUPPORT or are CONSISTENT with a theory. Good theories are FALSIFIABLE
Question:
4. Hypothesis
Answer:
educated guess or prediction about the specific outcome of a study (typically generated by the theory)
Question:
5. Data:
Answer:
set of observations (can either support or challenge the theory)
Question:
6. Describe five habits that define the work of scientists.
Answer:
WETT MT work in a community empiricists test theories tackle applied and basic problems
make their work public talk to the world
Question:
7. Basic research,
Answer:
focuses on increasing the general body of knowledge in a discipline
Question:
8. Translational research
Answer:
seeks to bridge the gap between basic and applied research
, Question:
9. Applied research
Answer:
focuses on practical problems and the research is typically done in a real-world context
Question:
10. How Scientists Make Their Work Public
Answer:
Articles published in scientific journals that are PEER-REVIEWED
Question:
11. The single most important reason NOT to base beliefs on personal EX- PERIENCE is ___
Answer:
that when we do so, we do NOT have a COMPARISON GROUP
Question:
12. multivariate world
Answer:
there are MANY possible explanations for an outcome known as CON- FOUNDS
Question:
13. What does research being probabilistic mean?
Answer:
Research findings do NOT explain ALL cases ALL of the time Your experience is only one point in
the overall data set
Question:
14. Intuition in research settings
Answer:
involves using our hunches about what seems "natural" or trying to think about things "logically"
Biases hamper our thinking and reasoning
Question:
15. 1. Being swayed by a good story
(Example of biased reasoning)
Answer:
This error involves accepting a conclusion just because it "makes sense" or "feels natural" (Scared
Straight program)
Automatically believing a story that seems to make sense can cause problems
Question:
16. 2. Being persuaded by what comes easily to mind
(Example of biased reasoning)
Answer:
AVAILABILITY HEURISTIC: things that come easily to mind tend to guide our thinking
***EX: Is it more dangerous to fly or drive? Am I more likely to die from a shark bite or by falling off
a ladder? Who does the most housework? Does everyone at SDSU binge-drink?
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. Empiricist
Answer:
basing your conclusions on systematic observations
Question:
2. Research Producers VS Research Consumers
Answer:
Producers create research e.g. College faculty or Grad students Consumers read research e.g. for
hobbies, to improve relationships, etc.
Question:
3. Theory
Answer:
a statement about causal relationships between variables Note: studies do not prove theories, they
SUPPORT or are CONSISTENT with a theory. Good theories are FALSIFIABLE
Question:
4. Hypothesis
Answer:
educated guess or prediction about the specific outcome of a study (typically generated by the theory)
Question:
5. Data:
Answer:
set of observations (can either support or challenge the theory)
Question:
6. Describe five habits that define the work of scientists.
Answer:
WETT MT work in a community empiricists test theories tackle applied and basic problems
make their work public talk to the world
Question:
7. Basic research,
Answer:
focuses on increasing the general body of knowledge in a discipline
Question:
8. Translational research
Answer:
seeks to bridge the gap between basic and applied research
, Question:
9. Applied research
Answer:
focuses on practical problems and the research is typically done in a real-world context
Question:
10. How Scientists Make Their Work Public
Answer:
Articles published in scientific journals that are PEER-REVIEWED
Question:
11. The single most important reason NOT to base beliefs on personal EX- PERIENCE is ___
Answer:
that when we do so, we do NOT have a COMPARISON GROUP
Question:
12. multivariate world
Answer:
there are MANY possible explanations for an outcome known as CON- FOUNDS
Question:
13. What does research being probabilistic mean?
Answer:
Research findings do NOT explain ALL cases ALL of the time Your experience is only one point in
the overall data set
Question:
14. Intuition in research settings
Answer:
involves using our hunches about what seems "natural" or trying to think about things "logically"
Biases hamper our thinking and reasoning
Question:
15. 1. Being swayed by a good story
(Example of biased reasoning)
Answer:
This error involves accepting a conclusion just because it "makes sense" or "feels natural" (Scared
Straight program)
Automatically believing a story that seems to make sense can cause problems
Question:
16. 2. Being persuaded by what comes easily to mind
(Example of biased reasoning)
Answer:
AVAILABILITY HEURISTIC: things that come easily to mind tend to guide our thinking
***EX: Is it more dangerous to fly or drive? Am I more likely to die from a shark bite or by falling off
a ladder? Who does the most housework? Does everyone at SDSU binge-drink?
