PSYC 302 EXAM 1 STUDY GUIDE
Why are research procedures important? - Correct Answers --for coursework in
psychology
-for graduate school
-for working in a research lab
Why are research consumers important? - Correct Answers --for psychology courses
-when reading printed or online news stories based on research
-for your future career
-evidence-based treatments
Empiricism - Correct Answers -(aka: the empirical method or empirical research)
scientists base conclusion on evidence from the senses or from instruments that assist
the sense
They do NOT base conclusion on intuition, on casual observations of their own
experience or what other people say
Theory - Correct Answers -a set of statements that describes general principles about
how variables related to one another
hypothesis - Correct Answers -(prediction) the specific hypothesis about the answer
data - Correct Answers -a set of observations
Theory-data cycle - Correct Answers -Theory, research questions, research designs,
hypotheses, data
-revision/support comes after
What are qualities of good scientific theories: - Correct Answers --supported by data
-falsifiable
-have parsimony
-dont prove anything (weight of the evidence)
What are the different types of research? - Correct Answers -Basic research: enhance
general body of knowledge
ex: what parts of brain are active when experienced meditators are meditating
Translational research: dynamic bridge
, ex: in a lab study, can meditation lessons improve college students GRE scores?
Applied research: research in real world contexts
ex: has our schools new meditation program helped students focus longer on their math
lessons?
How do scientists share the results of their research w/ the scientific community -
Correct Answers -they submit it to a scientific journal'
-peer-reviewed
-reviewers decide if the paper deserves to be published
Benefits/risks of journalism coverage - Correct Answers -benefits: inform their research
to a wide variety of readers
risks: sometimes journalists choose sensational story over important one
falsifiability - Correct Answers -the condition of admitting falsification: the logical
possibility that an assertion, hypothesis, or theory can be shown to be false by an
observation or experiment
parsimony - Correct Answers -the simplest explanation of an event or observation is the
preferred explanation.
research vs experience - Correct Answers -experience: has no comparison group & is
confounded
research: better than experience, is probabilistic
confounds - Correct Answers -alternative explanations
ex: positive effects of exercise on elderly peoples cognitive function
what can we do about confounds? - Correct Answers -personal experience: its difficult
to isolate variables
research settings: scientists are able to change one factor at a time
is research probabilistic? - Correct Answers -yes, which means that its findings are not
expected to explain all cases all the time
(ie. there are exceptions)
ways that intuition is biased - Correct Answers --being swayed by a good story
-being persuaded by what easily comes to mind
-failing to think about what we cannot see
Why are research procedures important? - Correct Answers --for coursework in
psychology
-for graduate school
-for working in a research lab
Why are research consumers important? - Correct Answers --for psychology courses
-when reading printed or online news stories based on research
-for your future career
-evidence-based treatments
Empiricism - Correct Answers -(aka: the empirical method or empirical research)
scientists base conclusion on evidence from the senses or from instruments that assist
the sense
They do NOT base conclusion on intuition, on casual observations of their own
experience or what other people say
Theory - Correct Answers -a set of statements that describes general principles about
how variables related to one another
hypothesis - Correct Answers -(prediction) the specific hypothesis about the answer
data - Correct Answers -a set of observations
Theory-data cycle - Correct Answers -Theory, research questions, research designs,
hypotheses, data
-revision/support comes after
What are qualities of good scientific theories: - Correct Answers --supported by data
-falsifiable
-have parsimony
-dont prove anything (weight of the evidence)
What are the different types of research? - Correct Answers -Basic research: enhance
general body of knowledge
ex: what parts of brain are active when experienced meditators are meditating
Translational research: dynamic bridge
, ex: in a lab study, can meditation lessons improve college students GRE scores?
Applied research: research in real world contexts
ex: has our schools new meditation program helped students focus longer on their math
lessons?
How do scientists share the results of their research w/ the scientific community -
Correct Answers -they submit it to a scientific journal'
-peer-reviewed
-reviewers decide if the paper deserves to be published
Benefits/risks of journalism coverage - Correct Answers -benefits: inform their research
to a wide variety of readers
risks: sometimes journalists choose sensational story over important one
falsifiability - Correct Answers -the condition of admitting falsification: the logical
possibility that an assertion, hypothesis, or theory can be shown to be false by an
observation or experiment
parsimony - Correct Answers -the simplest explanation of an event or observation is the
preferred explanation.
research vs experience - Correct Answers -experience: has no comparison group & is
confounded
research: better than experience, is probabilistic
confounds - Correct Answers -alternative explanations
ex: positive effects of exercise on elderly peoples cognitive function
what can we do about confounds? - Correct Answers -personal experience: its difficult
to isolate variables
research settings: scientists are able to change one factor at a time
is research probabilistic? - Correct Answers -yes, which means that its findings are not
expected to explain all cases all the time
(ie. there are exceptions)
ways that intuition is biased - Correct Answers --being swayed by a good story
-being persuaded by what easily comes to mind
-failing to think about what we cannot see
