Exam 1: Introduction to Research Methods

People often over-estimate the annual number of deaths in plane crashes, compared to the much more numerous car-accident deaths. Jackie agrees and says it's because people are more used to seeing reports of plane accidents and thus it is more salient than reports on car accidents. Jackie is referring to

Scientific research ought to build on and extend past work.

Preliminary data are generally not publicized in any way. Scientists generally wait until collecting all their data before presenting any of their data either in manuscript or presentation form.

Identify one heuristic and one bias outlined in the textbook and explain how they might hypothetically impact the evaluation of a study.

Defend why (or why not) Wakefield's work on vaccinations, despite its ultimate outcome, can be considered as science.

What does it mean when the scientific method seeks for objective research?

One aspect of the scientific method is that it is consistent. Which one of the following claims is not a result of science being conducted in a consistent manner?

In many cults, when prophecies do not come true, members do not quit. Instead, they reinterpret the failure of specific predictions to support the teachings of the cult. Which of the following best describes this phenomenon?

Cognitive biases can influence your ability to evaluate a research claim.

Findings and studies that are consistent are generally not reliable.

The idea of converging evidence is when:

Which of the following options describes an instance of the replication of scientific findings?

Cognitive biases are simple procedures that allow individuals to make fast, yet not necessarily perfect, decisions to solve problems.

Present a scientific claim that you recently encountered. Outline the appropriate steps to evaluate this claim based on what you know about research methods.

In psychological studies, it is not uncommon for researchers to hire assistants to conduct the actual experiment, and for these assistants to be "blinded" to the purpose of the study. When someone is "blinded", it means that they do not know the predicted outcome of the experiment. What aspect of the scientific method does this practice serve?

Identify two ways that understanding research methods is valuable to the average person and provide an example.

We have discussed many ways of evaluating research or research-based claims. Which one of the following descriptions is the least reasonable approach?

John would like to find out whether people who spend a lot of time on social media have lower self-esteem. Which of the following best describes a method of evaluating this claim by searching for converging evidence?

Julie believes that she has to eat waffles every morning before an exam to score an A. Thus, every morning before an exam she eats waffles, and subsequently always scores an A. Which is the most likely explanation for the link between Julie eating waffles and scoring an A?

The Cognitive Miser Model explains how individuals come to making decisions attending to a relatively small amount of information that integrates past experiences.