, Chapter 01
Introduction
Short Answer Questions
1. (p. 6-7) Explain why psychologists at the turn of the 20th century embraced an empirical
approach to advance understanding about human behavior.
At the turn of the 20th century society was interested in pseudoscientific topics such as
clairvoyance and telepathy. To establish the young field of psychology as a science, the early
psychologists focused on behavior and mental processes that could be observed directly. By
adopting an empirical approach, with its emphasis on direct observation and experimentation
for answering questions, early psychologists were able to divorce psychology from
pseudoscience.
Level: Conceptual
2. (p. 11-12) Define ethnocentric bias and provide an example from the field of psychology.
Ethnocentric bias is when we attempt to understand the behavior of individuals in a different
culture through the framework or views of our own culture. An example of ethnocentric bias
occurred when researchers studied the concept of agency, the ability to control one's
environment and influence others, following Hurricane Katrina. Individuals higher in social
status value control and agency, whereas individuals lower in social status value flexibility
and resilience. People who stayed through the Hurricane Katrina, rather than flee, were
judged as making bad choices. From their cultural perspective, however, they valued
interdependence, strength, and faith as reasons for staying, rather than control and
independence.
Level: Factual
,3. (p. 13-14) Identify two ways in which psychological science takes place in a moral context,
and the resource that psychologists use to guide the moral conduct of their research.
The first way that psychological science takes place in a moral context concerns the ethical
behavior of researchers. They must maintain a high level of integrity and avoid scientific
misconduct such as data fabrication, plagiarism, selective reporting of findings, failure to
acknowledge contributions of others, misuse of funds, and unethical treatment of those
involved in research. The second way in which psychological science takes place in a moral
context relates to ethical dilemmas associated with the research process. For example,
researchers confront questions concerning the use of deception in research and the use of
animals for experimentation. The APA ethical principles guide researchers' ethical behavior
and are used to resolve ethical dilemmas.
Level: Factual
4. (p. 17) Identify two reasons why it is important to go to the original source "i.e., a research
report" when evaluating a media report of psychological findings.
Based on a media report, it is very difficult to know whether the research is (good) research. A
second problem is that media reports are summaries of the original research and critical
aspects of the method, results, or interpretation of the research may be missing in the
summary. A third problem may be that what is presented in the media may not reflect any
research at all, as sometimes occurs with self-help books.
Level: Conceptual
Multiple Choice Questions
5. (p. 3) One way that psychologists seek to improve people's lives is by
A. developing theories and conducting research.
B. relying on the medical model to understand human behavior.
C. using their intuition and common sense to answer questions about behavior.
D. shifting from behaviorism to a cognitive approach to psychology.
Level: Factual
,
Introduction
Short Answer Questions
1. (p. 6-7) Explain why psychologists at the turn of the 20th century embraced an empirical
approach to advance understanding about human behavior.
At the turn of the 20th century society was interested in pseudoscientific topics such as
clairvoyance and telepathy. To establish the young field of psychology as a science, the early
psychologists focused on behavior and mental processes that could be observed directly. By
adopting an empirical approach, with its emphasis on direct observation and experimentation
for answering questions, early psychologists were able to divorce psychology from
pseudoscience.
Level: Conceptual
2. (p. 11-12) Define ethnocentric bias and provide an example from the field of psychology.
Ethnocentric bias is when we attempt to understand the behavior of individuals in a different
culture through the framework or views of our own culture. An example of ethnocentric bias
occurred when researchers studied the concept of agency, the ability to control one's
environment and influence others, following Hurricane Katrina. Individuals higher in social
status value control and agency, whereas individuals lower in social status value flexibility
and resilience. People who stayed through the Hurricane Katrina, rather than flee, were
judged as making bad choices. From their cultural perspective, however, they valued
interdependence, strength, and faith as reasons for staying, rather than control and
independence.
Level: Factual
,3. (p. 13-14) Identify two ways in which psychological science takes place in a moral context,
and the resource that psychologists use to guide the moral conduct of their research.
The first way that psychological science takes place in a moral context concerns the ethical
behavior of researchers. They must maintain a high level of integrity and avoid scientific
misconduct such as data fabrication, plagiarism, selective reporting of findings, failure to
acknowledge contributions of others, misuse of funds, and unethical treatment of those
involved in research. The second way in which psychological science takes place in a moral
context relates to ethical dilemmas associated with the research process. For example,
researchers confront questions concerning the use of deception in research and the use of
animals for experimentation. The APA ethical principles guide researchers' ethical behavior
and are used to resolve ethical dilemmas.
Level: Factual
4. (p. 17) Identify two reasons why it is important to go to the original source "i.e., a research
report" when evaluating a media report of psychological findings.
Based on a media report, it is very difficult to know whether the research is (good) research. A
second problem is that media reports are summaries of the original research and critical
aspects of the method, results, or interpretation of the research may be missing in the
summary. A third problem may be that what is presented in the media may not reflect any
research at all, as sometimes occurs with self-help books.
Level: Conceptual
Multiple Choice Questions
5. (p. 3) One way that psychologists seek to improve people's lives is by
A. developing theories and conducting research.
B. relying on the medical model to understand human behavior.
C. using their intuition and common sense to answer questions about behavior.
D. shifting from behaviorism to a cognitive approach to psychology.
Level: Factual
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