Exam 1: The Science of Psychology

Dr. Candell is interested in studying dreams and their role in improving memory. Dr. Candell is interested in studying __________.

A variable is __________.

Which of the following statements best describes critical thinking?

Joey likes to take his toys apart and figure out how they are built. Joey would most closely identify with which school of psychology?

Compare and contrast four of the modern perspectives in psychology as presented in your textbook. What do you think were the greatest contributions and drawbacks of each?

In the study described in your text as changing psychology, what happened when people were lying during the experiment?

Let's say you are given an extra-credit assignment by your psychology professor. You are required to put together a descriptive research study, carry it out, and report on the findings. What question do you think you would ask, what sort of design would you use, and what do you think would be the potential drawbacks to your selection?

Gilbert believes that women are more empathetic than men. He decides to test his belief by observing men and women in a situation that encourages empathy. This method is known as __________.

__________, or the ability to repeat a study and get the same results, is vital to scientific credibility.

The variable that is measured to determine the impact of an experimenter's manipulation is called the __________ variable.

Compare and contrast four of the early perspectives in psychology as presented in your textbook. What do you think were the greatest contributions and drawbacks of each perspective?

A researcher studies student achievement based on their studying strategies. Students who study a little each day are compared with students who cram before an exam. In this example, the performance on an exam is the __________.

In the study presented as changing psychology, what was the goal of the research?

As your textbook authors note, experimental research carries with it the risk of situational limitations and constraints. Differentiate artificiality, demand characteristics, and generalizability as they relate to experimental research. Identify how they can be controlled in an experiment and generate an example of each constraint and the problem it poses.

Edward is interested in answering the question "How are thoughts constructed?" Edward most closely identifies with which school of thought in psychology?

Distinguish between psychology, pop psychology, and parapsychology, and give examples where appropriate. What do you think are some concerns or dangers associated with pseudoscience masquerading as a science?

List the steps of the scientific method in their correct order and describe what occurs in each step.

Gerard wants to study whether traffic volume impacts people's willingness to run a red light. He sits at an intersection in a downtown area and watches when traffic is light and when it is heavy. Gerard is conducting a __________.

Pop psychology is best used for __________.

If a researcher leaves a study and says to a colleague, "You can't believe the answers I got on my questionnaire from your student Jim Baxter. Let me tell you about him," he has violated what ethical principle?