Exam 2: The Scientifi C Method

A researcher manipulates the amount of time participants view a list of words (1 vs.4 minutes),and measures the number of words the participants are able to write down 10 minutes later.The researcher suggests that in-between the presentation time and the later recall of the words,the words are in participants' memory.The construct of "memory" in this example represents

How is the empirical approach that is used in the scientific method different from a nonscientific (everyday)approach to knowledge?

If a researcher wants to do a study to show that active learning strategies help students learn she should

When researchers observe a correlation between two variables,such as between the amount of time spent studying and test scores,they know that

When intelligence is defined by specifying a paper-and-pencil test emphasizing understanding of logical relationships and familiarity with the meaning of words,intelligence is being defined with a(n)

A(n)____________ is a statement about the cause of an event or behavior.

Theorists propose _______ variables to connect independent and dependent variables and explain why these variables are connected.

Correlations are valuable because they allow psychologists to

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between correlation and causation?

Psychologists use _______ to identify the causes of a phenomenon.

Research that is conducted with the goal of understanding phenomena and testing a theory is referred to as __________ research.

Which of the following is a cognitive bias that can interfere with our ability to consider evidence appropriately because we perceive a relationship when none exists?

A researcher wanted to compare the relative effectiveness of two techniques for reducing anxiety: a drug and a relaxation exercise.The researcher gave the experimental group both the drug and the relaxation exercise.The control group was given neither the drug nor the exercise.The difference between the drug and the relaxation exercise cannot be compared in this experiment because the experiment involves a

Reliability refers to the ________ of measurement,and validity refers to the ________ of measurement.

Of the following,the best description of "intervening variables" in psychology is that

When an hypothesis is stated in such a way that the event to be explained becomes the explanation itself (e.g. ,the child is distractable because he has attention deficit disorder),the hypothesis is said to be

A(n)__________ is a logically organized set of propositions that serves to define events,describe relationships among events,and explain the occurrence of events.

When two potentially effective independent variables are allowed to covary simultaneously,a __________ has occurred.

The most rigorous test of a scientific theory involves

The empirical approach used in the scientific method is based on