PSYC 304 FINAL RESEARCH METHODS EXAM
STUDY GUIDE 2026 PRACTICE
◉ confirmation bias. Answer: the tendency to notice and remember
information that supports what we already believe
◉ availability bias. Answer: where we overestimate how common or
important something is just because it is easy to recall.
◉ illusion of authority. Answer: the tendency to mistake well-
articulated output for expertise
◉ pseudoscience. Answer: is a belief system presented as scientific
despite the absence of true empirical evidence supporting their
beliefs
◉ meta-analysis. Answer: a research method that takes the results of
many previously conducted studies on the same topic and combines
the results statistically to look at the overall effect
◉ frequency claims. Answer: descriptions of how commonly certain
behaviors occur
, ◉ association claims. Answer: statements about the link between
different variables
◉ falsifiability. Answer: refers to the potential for something to be
demonstrated to be false
◉ reactivity. Answer: behave different in an observation if they
know they are being observed
◉ validity. Answer: the extent to which the measurement reflects the
construct it is supposed to measure
◉ face validity. Answer: does the measure look like its measuring the
construct
◉ content validity. Answer: does the measure cover the whole
spectrum of the construct
◉ convergent validity. Answer: does the measure correlate with
other accepted measures of the same construct
◉ criterion validity. Answer: does the measure relate to an outcome
it should
STUDY GUIDE 2026 PRACTICE
◉ confirmation bias. Answer: the tendency to notice and remember
information that supports what we already believe
◉ availability bias. Answer: where we overestimate how common or
important something is just because it is easy to recall.
◉ illusion of authority. Answer: the tendency to mistake well-
articulated output for expertise
◉ pseudoscience. Answer: is a belief system presented as scientific
despite the absence of true empirical evidence supporting their
beliefs
◉ meta-analysis. Answer: a research method that takes the results of
many previously conducted studies on the same topic and combines
the results statistically to look at the overall effect
◉ frequency claims. Answer: descriptions of how commonly certain
behaviors occur
, ◉ association claims. Answer: statements about the link between
different variables
◉ falsifiability. Answer: refers to the potential for something to be
demonstrated to be false
◉ reactivity. Answer: behave different in an observation if they
know they are being observed
◉ validity. Answer: the extent to which the measurement reflects the
construct it is supposed to measure
◉ face validity. Answer: does the measure look like its measuring the
construct
◉ content validity. Answer: does the measure cover the whole
spectrum of the construct
◉ convergent validity. Answer: does the measure correlate with
other accepted measures of the same construct
◉ criterion validity. Answer: does the measure relate to an outcome
it should
