AP Psych Unit 2 (FRQs)
Unlocking Psychological Science Your Guide to
Research Methods and the Scientific Attitude
This guide will walk you through fundamental concepts in psychological research,
focusing on the scientific attitude and key research methods. Get ready to boost
your understanding and ace your exams
1. The Scientific Attitude: A Foundation for Inquiry
Name the three components of the scientific attitude. Provide an example to show
how each component contributes to the investigation of competing ideas in
psychology.
1. Curiosity: This drive fuels our desire to explore and understand the world
around us. It leads us to ask questions we want to investigate.
o Example: Is schizophrenia primarily caused by genetic factors or
environmental influences?
2. Skepticism: This involves questioning ideas and not accepting them without
solid evidence. It encourages critical evaluation.
o Example: The work of The Amazing Randi exemplifies skepticism
by rigorously testing paranormal claims.
3. Humility: This means being open to the possibility that our existing ideas
might be wrong. It involves accepting evidence that contradicts our beliefs.
o Example: The phrase "the rat is always right" highlights the
importance of letting the data, not our preconceived notions, guide our
conclusions.
2. Applying the Scientific Attitude: Aziz and Handwriting Analysis
Aziz has read that handwriting reveals important details about personality. Explain
how each component of the scientific attitude can help Aziz investigate the
accuracy of the information he has read about handwriting analysis.
Curiosity will drive Aziz to ask specific questions about this claim, such as:
"Is there a consistent relationship between specific handwriting traits and
personality characteristics?" and "What research supports this idea?"
Skepticism will prompt Aziz to critically evaluate the sources of this
information. He will ask: "Is this claim based on scientific evidence or
, personal anecdotes?" and "Are there studies that have failed to find a link
between handwriting and personality?" He will look for rigorous research
methodology and peer-reviewed publications.
Humility will allow Aziz to remain open to the possibility that the claim
might not be entirely accurate, even if it sounds interesting. He will be
willing to accept evidence that contradicts the idea, adjusting his beliefs
based on his investigation rather than pre-existing notions.
3. Identifying Flaws in Research Design
A teacher wants to know if nightmares are more common than dreams. He asks
volunteers from his second-period class to report how many dreams they had last
week. He asks volunteers from his third-period class to report the number of
nightmares they had last week. Describe two things wrong with the design of this
study.
1. Lack of a Clearly Stated Hypothesis: While the teacher has a question, the
study design doesn't outline a specific, testable prediction. A hypothesis
would be something like, "Students in the third-period class will report a
significantly higher frequency of nightmares compared to the frequency of
dreams reported by students in the second-period class."
2. Potential for Researcher Bias (Lack of Blinding): The teacher knows
which group is reporting dreams and which is reporting nightmares. This
awareness could unintentionally influence how the teacher interacts with the
students or how the students perceive the questions, potentially skewing the
results. Ideally, the data collection should be blind to the condition.
Study Tip: Spotting Research Design Issues
When evaluating a study, always ask:
What is the specific question the researchers are trying to answer?
Is there a clear and testable hypothesis?
Are there any factors that could unintentionally influence the results (bias)?
Are the groups being compared similar in all relevant aspects except for the
variable being studied?
Unlocking Psychological Science Your Guide to
Research Methods and the Scientific Attitude
This guide will walk you through fundamental concepts in psychological research,
focusing on the scientific attitude and key research methods. Get ready to boost
your understanding and ace your exams
1. The Scientific Attitude: A Foundation for Inquiry
Name the three components of the scientific attitude. Provide an example to show
how each component contributes to the investigation of competing ideas in
psychology.
1. Curiosity: This drive fuels our desire to explore and understand the world
around us. It leads us to ask questions we want to investigate.
o Example: Is schizophrenia primarily caused by genetic factors or
environmental influences?
2. Skepticism: This involves questioning ideas and not accepting them without
solid evidence. It encourages critical evaluation.
o Example: The work of The Amazing Randi exemplifies skepticism
by rigorously testing paranormal claims.
3. Humility: This means being open to the possibility that our existing ideas
might be wrong. It involves accepting evidence that contradicts our beliefs.
o Example: The phrase "the rat is always right" highlights the
importance of letting the data, not our preconceived notions, guide our
conclusions.
2. Applying the Scientific Attitude: Aziz and Handwriting Analysis
Aziz has read that handwriting reveals important details about personality. Explain
how each component of the scientific attitude can help Aziz investigate the
accuracy of the information he has read about handwriting analysis.
Curiosity will drive Aziz to ask specific questions about this claim, such as:
"Is there a consistent relationship between specific handwriting traits and
personality characteristics?" and "What research supports this idea?"
Skepticism will prompt Aziz to critically evaluate the sources of this
information. He will ask: "Is this claim based on scientific evidence or
, personal anecdotes?" and "Are there studies that have failed to find a link
between handwriting and personality?" He will look for rigorous research
methodology and peer-reviewed publications.
Humility will allow Aziz to remain open to the possibility that the claim
might not be entirely accurate, even if it sounds interesting. He will be
willing to accept evidence that contradicts the idea, adjusting his beliefs
based on his investigation rather than pre-existing notions.
3. Identifying Flaws in Research Design
A teacher wants to know if nightmares are more common than dreams. He asks
volunteers from his second-period class to report how many dreams they had last
week. He asks volunteers from his third-period class to report the number of
nightmares they had last week. Describe two things wrong with the design of this
study.
1. Lack of a Clearly Stated Hypothesis: While the teacher has a question, the
study design doesn't outline a specific, testable prediction. A hypothesis
would be something like, "Students in the third-period class will report a
significantly higher frequency of nightmares compared to the frequency of
dreams reported by students in the second-period class."
2. Potential for Researcher Bias (Lack of Blinding): The teacher knows
which group is reporting dreams and which is reporting nightmares. This
awareness could unintentionally influence how the teacher interacts with the
students or how the students perceive the questions, potentially skewing the
results. Ideally, the data collection should be blind to the condition.
Study Tip: Spotting Research Design Issues
When evaluating a study, always ask:
What is the specific question the researchers are trying to answer?
Is there a clear and testable hypothesis?
Are there any factors that could unintentionally influence the results (bias)?
Are the groups being compared similar in all relevant aspects except for the
variable being studied?
