Exam 3: Developing Ideas for Research in Psychology

The study in the text that examined male female patterns of control over the TV remote is a good example of a study that combines

What do the following discoveries have in common: Skinner's extinction curve and Hubel and Wiesel's feature detectors?

Sternberg and Grigerenko studied the effects of parasitic infections on cognitive functioning in several field sites around the world. They argued that field research offers several advantages over laboratory research. All of the following are advantages they cited except

To say that hunger can be defined as the result of 24 hours without food is to use a(n) _____________ definition of the term.

Hypotheses are

According to Popper, science proceeds by

Anxiety is not observed directly but is inferred from certain behaviors. That is, anxiety is an example of

Sometimes discoveries are made accidentally, as when a procedural error occurs. Such a discovery is said to be the result of __________.

On the basis of cognitive dissonance theory, it was predicted that after making a hard choice, people will convince themselves that they have made a wise choice. Suppose you do a study and discover the exact opposite outcome. Logically, what can be concluded?

On strictly logical grounds, a theory can be disproven by a single study. On practical grounds, however, this never happens. Explain.

A researcher, before starting a study, proposes that as the number of bystanders increases, the chances that any one of them will help an injured victim decreases. This statement is a good example of a(n) ___________.

On the basis of a theory a prediction is made; from the prediction a study is run, and the study does not come out as expected. What is the researcher most likely to conclude?

Distinguish between the major goals of basic and applied research.

Describe the main features of a theory, show how research derives from theory and how research outcomes influence theory development, and explain why researchers don't use the word "prove" when discussing theory. Use cognitive dissonance theory as the example.

Which of the following is true about the case of Clever Hans?

Define manipulation check and pilot study and describe how Bushman and Anderson used each to ensure that their laboratory experiment was methodologically sound.

When is a theory discarded?

John Watson completed a series of studies in which he attempted to determine which senses were necessary for maze learning to occur. His procedure of eliminating senses one by one is an example of what Popper would call a(n) _________ strategy.

An __________ is someone who is working for the experimenter and is "in on" the experiment, but to the participant, appears to be another participant (or perhaps just a bystander).

In the laboratory research study by Bushman and Anderson, participants played either violent or nonviolent video games, then filled out a questionnaire. Which of the following describes what they found?