Deck 1: B: Psychology As Science: Thinking Like a Researcher

Question 1

How is this research methods book a lot like the Apple Corporation?

A) they share the goal of thinking differently
B) both ask individuals to prioritize similarity
C) neither value unique insight
D) both caution against creativity

Answer 1

they share the goal of thinking differently

Question 2

Deciding the likelihood of an event based on how much it resembles the "typical" example of that event is known as the _____ heuristic.

A) representativeness
B) availability
C) better-than-average
D) outlier

Answer 2

representativeness

Question 3

In what way does a research methods course differ from other psychology courses,like developmental psychology and biopsychology?

A) Research methods courses focus on concepts and content.
B) Research methods courses emphasize the use of the scientific method to answer questions.
C) Memorizing is more important in research methods courses than in other courses.
D) Only biopsychology courses emphasize the use of the scientific method to answer questions.

Answer 3

Research methods courses emphasize the use of the scientific method to answer questions.

Question 4

First-born children may think they are braver than their siblings,whereas middle children may think they are more patient than their siblings,and youngest children may think they are more creative than their siblings.Each of these beliefs demonstrates a natural tendency for individuals to endorse the:

A) confirmation bias.
B) better-than-average effect.
C) hindsight bias.
D) overconfidence effect.

Question 5

Imagine that you are a fundraiser for the Susan G.Koman cancer foundation.When planning for an upcoming speech you remember the availability heuristic and decide to devote the majority of time to a _____ rather than _____.

A) moving testimonial from a cancer survivor;charts and statistics about cancer risks factors
B) moving testimonial from a cancer survivor;pictures of cancer survivors
C) charts and statistics about cancer risks factors;pictures of cancer survivors
D) charts and statistics about cancer risks factors;moving testimonial from a cancer survivor

Question 6

_____ is the term that describes an individual's tendency to accept an explanation simply because it feels right.

A) Pleasure paradox
B) Outlier
C) Introspection
D) Truthiness

Question 7

The _____ heuristic relies on how readily instances come to mind,whereas the _____ heuristic relies on how typical that instance is.

A) availability;confirmation
B) availability;representativeness
C) representativeness;availability
D) representativeness;confirmation

Question 8

The _____ is the tendency to overestimate skills,abilities,and performance when comparing oneself with others.

A) better-than-average effect
B) confirmation bias
C) representativeness heuristic
D) availability heuristic

Question 9

_____ is to typical as _____ is to memorable.

A) Availability;confirmation
B) Availability;representativeness
C) Representativeness;availability
D) Representativeness;confirmation

Question 10

You know that people are often more generous when donating to a cause after seeing a moving photograph than hearing impersonal statistics.In this case,research on the _____ confirms that a picture is worth a thousand words.

A) representativeness heuristic
B) availability heuristic
C) better-than-average effect
D) hindsight bias

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT an example of the better-than-average effect?

A) Most people think they drive better than others.
B) Most people think they are smarter than others.
C) Most people think they are funnier than others.
D) Most people think they are angrier than others.

Question 12

Research methods courses focus on:

A) know-what.
B) know-why.
C) know-how.
D) know-who.

Question 13

Psychological science is based on:

A) gut feelings.
B) intuition.
C) introspection.
D) empirical research.

Question 14

According to the representativeness heuristic,which of the following are you most likely to think of as a librarian?

A) a beautiful woman in her early twenties
B) an athletically toned man in his teens
C) an elderly woman who wears her hair in a bun
D) a middle-aged man who is poorly shaven with tattered clothes

Question 15

The availability heuristic is a strategy for:

A) judging the likelihood of an event based on how easily one can think of similar instances.
B) deciding the likelihood of an event by how much it resembles a "typical" example of that event.
C) estimating one's skills and abilities as compared with others.
D) searching for evidence that supports preexisting beliefs.

Question 16

Gut feelings are to _____ as empirical research is to _____.

A) truthiness;science
B) science;truthiness
C) bias;error
D) science;bias

Question 17

People often overestimate the likelihood of death by shark attack,plane crash,and violence,because news programs emphasize these extreme occurrences to drive up ratings.Your tendency to readily recall such instances even though they are objectively rare is the result of the:

A) representativeness heuristic.
B) better-than-average effect.
C) confirmation bias.
D) availability heuristic.

Question 18

Josh lives in Wilmington,NC,and has recently learned that there was a hurricane warning issued for his location.In deciding whether to evacuate or remain at his house he remembered pictures from Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy of individuals clinging to their rooftops waiting for air lifts to safety.He quickly decides to evacuate.His choice was the result of the:

A) representativeness heuristic.
B) better-than-average effect.
C) availability heuristic.
D) confirmation bias.

Question 19

A friend tells you that shaving more frequently causes hair to grow back darker and coarser than before.You think this sounds correct,so you vow to only shave once a week.In this case,you have fallen victim to a phenomenon known as:

A) truthiness.
B) better-than-average effect.
C) confirmation bias.
D) introspection.

Question 20

Juries may be more lenient when determining the innocence or guilt of individuals who appear attractive,sharply dressed,and well-mannered,because of the:

A) better-than-average effect.
B) confirmation bias.
C) representativeness heuristic.
D) availability heuristic.

Question 21

The first information that people receive is often more influential than information presented later.One reason that early information is so effective is that it shapes information received later through the process of:

A) confirmation bias.
B) hindsight bias.
C) the "what you see is all there is" bias.
D) belief perseverance.

Question 22

Introspection is:

A) reflecting on a another person's thoughts and experiences to find relevant evidence.
B) reflecting on one's own thoughts and experiences to find relevant evidence.
C) systematic experimentation on your own thoughts and experiences.
D) systematic experimentation on the thoughts and experiences of others.

Question 23

_____ is most likely responsible for endorsement of the better-than-average effect.

A) The availability heuristic
B) The representativeness heuristic
C) The overconfidence phenomenon
D) Hindsight bias

Question 24

A famous psychologist who was known for his use of introspection to unravel the mysteries of the unconscious mind was:

A) Darwin.
B) Milgram.
C) Piaget.
D) Freud.

Question 25

After returning home from a blind date,Kelly's friend asks her how it went.She says that the date was a bust.Kelly's continued belief that she is a successful dater,despite the evidence of this unsuccessful date is an example of:

A) the overconfidence phenomenon.
B) the representativeness heuristic.
C) the availability heuristic.
D) hindsight bias.

Question 26

When parents emphasize their children's good attributes,while selectively minimizing their negative attributes,they are displaying the _____ effect.

A) focusing
B) overconfidence
C) introspection
D) confirmation

Question 27

Professor Grey found that nearly 15% of her students turned in their project after its due date.Although this could be the result of procrastination,Professor Grey knows that the tardiness may also be the result of her students underestimating how long it will take them to complete the project.By thinking they can do more in the time allotted than they actually can,her students are demonstrating the:

A) overconfidence phenomenon.
B) representativeness heuristic.
C) availability heuristic.
D) hindsight bias.

Question 28

People who are victims of the confirmation bias are like detectives who are focused on looking for _____ information.

A) supporting
B) contradicting
C) all available
D) the most salient

Question 29

Hindsight bias is:

A) the tendency to be overly confident in the correctness of judgments.
B) the tendency,after an event has occurred,to see the event as having been predictable.
C) a cognitive bias where some evidence is overvalued,but other evidence is undervalued
D) the assumption that immediate experience provides all the information needed to make a conclusion.

Question 30

_____ is a bias in which people only look for evidence that agrees with what they already believe to be true.

A) Confirmation bias
B) Hindsight bias
C) "What you see is all there is" bias
D) Belief perseverance

Question 31

Going into the first exam,a professor asks his students how well they think they will do.In line with the better-than-average effect,what percentage of the class likely anticipates performing better than the class average?

A) 0%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 75%

Question 32

Which of the following is correct regarding people's confidence and accuracy?

A) People are often more confident than they are accurate.
B) People are often less confident than they are accurate.
C) People tend to be equally confident and accurate.
D) People tend to be neither confident nor accurate.

Question 33

Galileo once said,"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered;the point is to discover them." This is best representative of the:

A) "what you see is all there is" phenomenon.
B) representativeness heuristic.
C) hindsight bias.
D) confirmation bias.

Question 34

Which of the following is the reason that good leaders often employ someone to play the role of devil's advocate before making an important decision?

A) confirmation bias
B) hindsight bias
C) "what you see is all there is" bias
D) belief perseverance

Question 35

Jamal believes that he will do well on his upcoming chemistry exam.Without being aware of it,he selectively studies and reviews only information that he is familiar with and already knows.In this case,the _____ may be doing Jamal a disservice,as it keeps him from adequately studying for the exam.

A) confirmation bias
B) hindsight bias
C) better-than-average effect
D) representativeness heuristic

Question 36

Overconfidence is:

A) a sense that one "knew it all along."
B) a tendency to be overly assured of the correctness of one's own judgments.
C) the tendency to seek out information that supports your current beliefs.
D) a strategy for deciding the likelihood of an event based on how much it resembles a "typical" example of that event.

Question 37

Introspection is to _____ as observational data is to _____.

A) self;self
B) self;other
C) other;self
D) other;other

Question 38

Dr.Pelham cautions her students against merely reviewing their notes when studying for an exam.She has found that when students only look over their written notes they experience _____,which can lead them to underprepare and underperform.

A) confirmation bias
B) hindsight bias
C) overconfidence
D) belief perseverance

Question 39

_____ is a bias in which people emphasize some pieces of information while undervaluing other pieces of information.

A) Overconfidence phenomenon
B) Confirmation bias
C) The focusing effect
D) Bester-than-average effect

Question 40

The false-consensus effect is the tendency to overestimate the degree to which others agree with your beliefs and opinions.Based on your understanding of processing biases,you know that this is most likely the result of:

A) hindsight bias.
B) the representativeness heuristic.
C) confirmation bias.
D) the overconfidence phenomenon.

Question 41

According to the _____,the there is a tendency for more extreme outcomes to occur when considering a small sample as compared to a large sample.

A) law of large numbers
B) law of small numbers
C) law of even numbers
D) law of odd numbers

Question 42

Which of the following is most similar to the confirmation bias?

A) hindsight bias
B) better-than-average effect
C) "what you see is all there is" phenomenon
D) representativeness heuristic

Question 43

The "what you see is all there is" phenomenon leads people to:

A) underestimate alternative explanations and outcomes.
B) overestimate alternative explanations and outcomes.
C) ignore the status quo.
D) engage in accuracy checking of beliefs.

Question 44

Humans have a tendency to _____ anecdotes and personal experience.

A) undervalue
B) overvalue
C) ignore
D) discount

Question 45

The tendency to value anecdotes and personal experience is believed to stem from a(n):

A) inclination for quick and simple explanations.
B) need for thoughtful consideration.
C) drive to evaluate the world based on others' opinions.
D) need for empirically verified data.

Question 46

A case that is the exception to the rule would be known as the:

A) average.
B) mean.
C) outlier.
D) norm.

Question 47

_____ relating to an activity that you love can lead you to like it _____.

A) Introspection;more
B) Introspection;less
C) Experimentation;more
D) Experimentation;less

Question 48

_____ is the tendency to maintain a belief despite encountering contradictory factual information,often by interpreting information in a way that does not invalidate the original belief.

A) The availability heuristic
B) Overconfidence
C) Hindsight bias
D) Belief perseverance

Question 49

The "what you see is all there is" phenomenon is:

A) the tendency to look for evidence that confirms what we already believe.
B) a sense that one "knew it all along."
C) the tendency to be overly confident in the correctness of one's judgments.
D) a failure to see the limitations of one's immediate experience.

Question 50

_____ is a systematic approach for addressing questions of interest.

A) The scientific method
B) The law of small numbers
C) The focusing effect
D) Introspection

Question 51

The Moneyball approach to baseball represents a strategy in which team scouts rely on:

A) emotions.
B) anecdotes.
C) statistics.
D) gut feelings.

Question 52

An outlier is:

A) a case that is distinct from the majority of other cases.
B) a case that is similar to the majority of other cases.
C) an example of the representativeness heuristic.
D) an example of the availability heuristic.

Question 53

People are more likely to generate "yeah,but" examples for research claims that _____ their personal experience.

A) support
B) contradict
C) are in line with
D) are unrelated to

Question 54

The pleasure paradox is:

A) when introspection about a positive experience results in it becoming less enjoyable.
B) when introspection about a positive experience results in it becoming more enjoyable.
C) when introspection about a negative experience results in it becoming less enjoyable.
D) when introspection about a negative experience results in it becoming more enjoyable.

Question 55

Veronica continues to attribute sounds in her house to ghosts although she knows they are not real.This is an example of:

A) hindsight bias.
B) better-than-average effect.
C) belief perseverance.
D) pleasure paradox.

Question 56

Mrs.Pensky gives a test and the class average is a 78.Identify the grade that is the outlier.

A) 83
B) 75
C) 68
D) 32

Question 57

Bobby is a loyal North Carolina Tar Heels basketball fan,even when they suffer setbacks and defeats.After a string of losses,he still claims that they are the best team in the nation.Bobby's loyalty demonstrates:

A) belief perseverance.
B) the "what you see is all there is" phenomenon.
C) illusory correlation.
D) planning fallacy.

Question 58

Introspection about which of the following things is likely to result in the pleasure paradox?

A) getting a root canal
B) receiving a speeding ticket
C) winning the lottery
D) failing an exam

Question 59

The law of small numbers states:

A) extreme outcomes are more likely when considering a small number of cases.
B) as a sample grows,its average will get closer to the average of the entire population.
C) extreme outcomes are less likely when considering a small number of cases.
D) as a sample grows,its average will get farther away from the average of the population.

Question 60

Which of the following is an example of an outlier?

A) a person who doesn't study and gets poor grades
B) a person who eats healthfully and is average weight
C) a person who drives the speed limit and has never been in a wreck
D) a person who smokes daily and lives to be 100

Question 61

_____ may be more difficult for a psychologist than for a physicist,because psychologists study phenomena about which people often hold preconceived notions,opinions,and beliefs.

A) Creativity
B) Objectivity
C) Empiricism
D) Communication

Question 62

Which of the following means a willingness to test ideas using the scientific method to draw conclusions?

A) open-mindedness
B) skepticism
C) empiricism
D) creativity

Question 63

_____ makes us a more critical consumers of information in our own lives.

A) Creativity
B) Open-mindedness
C) Skepticism
D) Communication

Question 64

The difference between nonempirical and empirical research is:

A) nonempirical research is conducted by a trained professional,whereas empirical research is conducted by a novice.
B) nonempirical research is based on systematic measurement,whereas empirical research is based on opinion.
C) nonempirical research is based on opinion,whereas empirical research is based on systematic measurement.
D) nonempirical research is systematic measurement conducted by a novice,whereas empirical research is based on systematic measurement conducted by a trained professional.

Question 65

Which of the following is an example of replication?

A) recreating another person's study to see if the findings are the same
B) using one's thoughts as evidence for the nature of psychological phenomena
C) designing research to be used in real world situations
D) gaining knowledge from non-systematic methods of investigation

Question 66

Marigold is told by her mother that her intellectual abilities are the result of a "baby genius" program that her mother enrolled her in when she was an infant.Now that Marigold has taken developmental psychology,she is filled with questions about how much an infant can truly learn at such a young age and whether such programs lead to any intellectual advances.What characteristic of a good scientist is Marigold demonstrating?

A) skepticism
B) open-mindedness
C) humility
D) creativity

Question 67

Ariana is trying to decide whether to have her newborn vaccinated.A few of her friends think that vaccinations are linked to an increased risk for autism.Instead of accepting their opinions as fact,she conducts a literature search and examines relevant empirical findings.Ariana is demonstrating which characteristic of a good scientist?

A) humility
B) open-mindedness
C) objectivity
D) creativity

Question 68

_____ is gaining knowledge with the use of nonsystematic methods such as the examination of personal experiences and opinions.

A) Empirical research
B) Pseudoscience
C) Nonempirical research
D) Experimentation

Question 69

Empirical research is:

A) using one's own thoughts as evidence for the nature of psychological phenomena.
B) the presentation of information that is intended to look as though it is based on scientific observation when it is not.
C) gaining knowledge with the use of nonsystematic methods.
D) gaining knowledge with the use of systematic observation,experience,and measurement.

Question 70

A researcher who advanced the understanding of sexual behaviors by embracing open-mindedness was:

A) Piaget.
B) Maslow.
C) Skinner.
D) Kinsey.

Question 71

Replication within the research community leads to:

A) competition.
B) animosity.
C) doubt.
D) confidence.

Question 72

Nonempirical research is to empirical research as:

A) guess is to test.
B) test is to guess.
C) proof is to intuition.
D) intuition is to guess.

Question 73

_____ means to base claims on scientific data rather than on personal beliefs or opinions,even on topics which with one has extensive familiarity or experience.

A) Creativity
B) Open-mindedness
C) Empiricism
D) Objectivity

Question 74

Psychologists replicate previous findings for each of the following reasons,EXCEPT:

A) it helps to overcome errors and flaws.
B) it propels the scientific community closer to the truth.
C) it extends previous findings in informative ways.
D) it cultivates a healthy distrust for others efforts.

Question 75

A good scientist balances their skepticism with a healthy dose of:

A) creativity.
B) open-mindedness.
C) objectivity.
D) empiricism.

Question 76

Which of the following would be a creative approach to measuring aggression?

A) using a self-report measure of participants' average level of felt aggression
B) using informant reports of participants' aggression on a daily basis
C) videotaping participants as they discussed a recent aggressive encounter
D) allowing participants to use air horns to blast sound at confederates believed to have given them negative feedback

Question 77

With regard to characteristics of a good scientist,_____ is the ability to share findings in writing or presentation in an effort to extend the collective of knowledge and serve the common good,whereas _____ is the ability to "think outside the box" and design novel approaches to answer scientific questions.

A) creativity;skepticism
B) objectivity;open-mindedness
C) empiricism;communication
D) communication;creativity

Question 78

Which of the following is a characteristic of a good scientist?

A) uncertainty
B) close-mindedness
C) subjectivity
D) empiricism

Question 79

Keeping researchers and participants "blinded" to (or unaware of)the research hypotheses under investigation helps to maintain:

A) open-mindedness.
B) creativity.
C) objectivity.
D) skepticism.

Question 80

What is skepticism?

A) the willingness to ask questions
B) the ability to consider novel ways to approach questions
C) the tendency to accept claims at face value
D) the inability to accept uncertainty