Exam 1: Psychological Research: the Whys and Hows of the Scientific Method

Relying on an authority to learn about behavior gives researchers a more accurate understanding of the causes of behaviors than other methods of gaining knowledge.

The empiricism canon of the scientific method states that new knowledge is gained from ______.

There are six primary facets or canons (i.e., rules or principles that guide a field of study) that define the scientific method.

Human factors professionals use research to help understand the best way to ______.

"I want to know what my pancreas does. I know that my pancreas produces hormones important for digestion because that is what my high school biology teacher told me." is an example of ______.

External validity is ______.

Explain why the scientific method is not used to determine if an afterlife exists after death.

Seeking only evidence that supports our beliefs and ignoring evidence that contradicts those beliefs is ______.

The ______ canon helps scientists test their ideas more easily, because it is easier to develop a study that might falsify a simple explanation than to develop a study that might falsify a more complex explanation.

______ factors can cause us to observe a particular behavior when we observe it only once and affects our result conclusions.

A psychologist investigating the research question "Which neurotransmitters affect depressive behaviors?" is most likely conducting ______ research.

Research is the foundation of the field of psychology.

Relying on the works of Plato and Aristotle for knowledge about the world is an example of ______ method of knowing.

One lab observation is enough to be sure about the knowledge we are gaining.

Observation is really what sets scientific fields apart from other fields of study.

The scientific method involves gaining new knowledge through ______.

A psychologist investigating the research question "How much information can we store in short-term memory?" is most likely conducting ______ research.

For behaviors, such as mental processes, that cannot be directly observed (e.g., thoughts or memories) how do psychologists use empiricism for inferring information about these behaviors?

______ is not a method of empiricism used to learn about behavior.

When one encounters reports of research in the media, asking questions to ascertain credibility would not include ______.