PSYCHOLOGY 255 EXAM 1 COMPREHENSIVE
EXAM 2026 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+
◉ The Research vs Your Experience. Answer: - Beliefs based on your
own experiences may not be accurate. One reason being that your
own experiences usually doesn't involve a comparison group. You
can't ask the question "Compared to what?"
- Personal experiences is often confounded. Researchers can control
for confounding factors.
- Conclusions based on research are probabilistic
◉ Trusting Authorities on the Subject. Answer: Authorities may
attempt to convince us to accept their claims
◉ Finding and Reading the Research. Answer: - There are online
databases for finding research to read
- Journal articles, books, and magazine articles should be read with
the questions of "What is the theoretical argument?" and "What is
the evidence?" in mind
- Some sources can be misleading
◉ Confound. Answer: Alternative explanations
, ◉ availability heuristic. Answer: A type of bias: When things pop up
in our minds that guides our thinking
◉ Present/present Bias. Answer: The tendency to rely only on
evidence that is present (e.g., instances in which both a treatment
and a desired outcome are present) and ignore evidence that is
absent (e.g., instances in which a treatment is absent or the desired
outcome is absent)
◉ Confirmation Bias. Answer: a tendency to search for information
that already agrees with our own opinion. "Cherry picking"
◉ Bias Blind Spot. Answer:
◉ Scientific Journal articles vs Popular Magazine articles. Answer:
Scientific journals have peer reviews
◉ What are the components to a Scientific Journal Article. Answer: -
Abstract
- Introduction (Hypothesis and research questions)
- Method
- Results
- Discussion (Limitations and implications)
EXAM 2026 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+
◉ The Research vs Your Experience. Answer: - Beliefs based on your
own experiences may not be accurate. One reason being that your
own experiences usually doesn't involve a comparison group. You
can't ask the question "Compared to what?"
- Personal experiences is often confounded. Researchers can control
for confounding factors.
- Conclusions based on research are probabilistic
◉ Trusting Authorities on the Subject. Answer: Authorities may
attempt to convince us to accept their claims
◉ Finding and Reading the Research. Answer: - There are online
databases for finding research to read
- Journal articles, books, and magazine articles should be read with
the questions of "What is the theoretical argument?" and "What is
the evidence?" in mind
- Some sources can be misleading
◉ Confound. Answer: Alternative explanations
, ◉ availability heuristic. Answer: A type of bias: When things pop up
in our minds that guides our thinking
◉ Present/present Bias. Answer: The tendency to rely only on
evidence that is present (e.g., instances in which both a treatment
and a desired outcome are present) and ignore evidence that is
absent (e.g., instances in which a treatment is absent or the desired
outcome is absent)
◉ Confirmation Bias. Answer: a tendency to search for information
that already agrees with our own opinion. "Cherry picking"
◉ Bias Blind Spot. Answer:
◉ Scientific Journal articles vs Popular Magazine articles. Answer:
Scientific journals have peer reviews
◉ What are the components to a Scientific Journal Article. Answer: -
Abstract
- Introduction (Hypothesis and research questions)
- Method
- Results
- Discussion (Limitations and implications)
