PSYC 2301 Exam 1 questions with complete solutions

PSYC 2301 Exam 1 questions with complete solutions Describe why it is important to understand research methods. - correct answer A background in research methods will help you read these reports critically, evaluate these reports critically, evaluate the methods employed and decide whether the conclusions are reasonable; learning about research methods will help you think critically Describe the scientific approach to understanding behavior, and contract it with pseudoscientific research. - correct answer The scientific approach has 4 characteristic that are: Data plays a central role, Scientists are not alone, Science is adversarial, and Scientific evidence is peer reviewed. Pseudoscientific research is the use of seemingly scientific terms and demonstrations to substantiate claims that have no basis in scientific research Define and give examples of the four goals of scientific research: description, prediction, determination of cause and explanation of behavior. - correct answer Description of Behavior: begins with careful observation; researchers are often interested in describing the ways in which events are systematically related to one another Prediction of Behavior: once it has been observed with some regularity that two events are related to one another, it becomes possible to make predictions by anticipating events Determining the Causes of Behavior: to conclude causation 3 things must hold true 1. There is a temporal order of events in which the cause precedes the effect, this is called temporal precedence (ex. We need to know that watching aggressive tv shows occurred first and then the aggression followed after) 2. When the cause is present, the effect occurs; when the cause is not present, the effect does not occur, this is called covariation of cause and effect (ex. We need to know that children who watch tv violence behave aggressively and those who do not, do not behave aggressively 3. Elimination of alternative explanations, there should be no other plausible alternative explanation for the relationship Explanation of Behavior: The final goal is the explain the events that have been described; the scientist seeks to understand why the behavior occurs