Question 1

The distinction between basic research and applied research is that basic research:

Accepted Answer

A)  relies on the fundamental sciences such as chemistry or biology,whereas applied research relies on the social sciences such as psychology or sociology. 
B)  relies on the social sciences such as psychology or sociology,whereas applied research relies on the fundamental sciences such as chemistry or biology. 
C)  focuses on fundamental questions,often of a theoretical nature,whereas applied research focuses on identifying and resolving practical problems. 
D)  focuses on identifying and resolving practical problems,whereas applied research focuses on fundamental questions,often of a theoretical nature.

Question 2

A major area of applied research that assesses the social reforms and innovations that occur in government,industry,and mental health settings is called _____.

Accepted Answer

A)  a panel study 
B)  a field experiment 
C)  program evaluation 
D)  meta-analysis

Question 3

You have just read an article in a popular magazine that stated,"People who jog live longer than people who don't jog." As a scientist,you would probably:

Accepted Answer

A)  make plans to accommodate jogging in your weekly schedule. 
B)  accept the statement as true. 
C)  want to see the study that led to this conclusion. 
D)  reject the idea straightaway.

Question 4

An empirical approach to science requires that:

Accepted Answer

A)  scientific observations be accurately reported to other scientists and the public. 
B)  scientists accept on faith the pronouncements of anyone. 
C)  knowledge be based on observations. 
D)  ideas be evaluated on the basis of intuitions.

Question 5

Identify the first thing to be asked to a person who claims to be a scientist before accepting what he or she has to say.

Accepted Answer

A)  Credentials of the individual 
B)  Researcher's funding source 
C)  Reputation of the institution represented by the individual 
D)  Methods of study used by the researcher

Question 6

Kenneth knows that when Jeremy drinks alcohol,he becomes very talkative.This identification of a cause of behavior exemplifies:

Accepted Answer

A)  temporal precedence. 
B)  covariation of cause and effect. 
C)  elimination of alternative explanations. 
D)  observational analysis.

Question 7

According to Goodstein,which characteristic of scientific enquiry states that for scientists,knowledge is primarily based on observations and that scientists enthusiastically search for observations that will verify or reject their ideas about the world.

Accepted Answer

A)  Data play a central role. 
B)  Scientists are not alone. 
C)  Science is adversarial. 
D)  Scientific evidence is peer reviewed.

Question 8

In order to conclude that watching television violence gives rise to aggressive behavior in children,researchers need to show that children who watch television violence behave aggressively and that children who do not watch television violence do not behave aggressively.This is called elimination of _____.

Accepted Answer

A)  temporal precedence 
B)  covariation of cause and effect 
C)  alternative explanations 
D)  illusory correlations

Question 9

Isaac has decided to purchase several copies of a new children's book because he has a feeling that the availability of this book will be scarce in the future.Which of the following best explains Isaac's behavior?

Accepted Answer

A)  Authority 
B)  Skepticism 
C)  Intuition 
D)  Empirical evidence

Question 10

The statement,"The average IQ score of children in the Central School District is 108" helps _____ behavior.

Accepted Answer

A)  explain 
B)  describe 
C)  determine 
D)  predict

Question 11

When Dr.Smith attempts to determine the reasons for female defendants being rated more leniently than male defendants,he is attempting to _____ behavior.

Accepted Answer

A)  describe 
B)  predict 
C)  assess 
D)  explain

Question 12

In determining the cause of behavior,which principle considers the order when two events occur together?

Accepted Answer

A)  Temporal precedence 
B)  Covariation of cause and effect 
C)  Elimination of alternative explanations 
D)  Observational analysis

Question 13

The statement,"High school seniors with higher SAT scores will have higher GPAs in college" is an example of _____ behavior.

Accepted Answer

A)  predicting 
B)  describing 
C)  explaining 
D)  understanding

Question 14

Which of the following journal-article titles is an example of basic research?

Accepted Answer

A)  "Teaching youths with autism to offer assistance" 
B)  "Encouraging recycling: An evaluation of a media campaign" 
C)  "Effect of situational factors on assessment of blame: A test of attribution theory" 
D)  "Will they stay or will they go? The role of job embeddedness in predicting turnover in individualistic and collectivistic cultures."

Question 15

Professor Gordon finds that students who read newspapers daily display more knowledge of current events than students who do not read newspapers daily.What type of evidence does this identification of a cause of behavior exemplify?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cognitive awareness 
B)  Temporal precedence of cause 
C)  Covariation of cause and effect 
D)  Elimination of alternative explanations

Question 16

Good scientific ideas are testable.They can be supported or they can be disproved by data,which is called _____.

Accepted Answer

A)  skepticism 
B)  empiricism 
C)  covariation 
D)  falsifiability

Question 17

_____ is the process by which scientists with expertise in a particular field assess a study before it is published in a top-quality scientific journal.

Accepted Answer

A)  Applied research 
B)  Peer review 
C)  Program evaluation 
D)  Temporal precedence

Question 18

A researcher finds that people who own more than two cars have bigger homes,more garage space,and make more money than people who own only one or two cars.Therefore,the researcher concludes that having more than two cars causes people to have homes with bigger garages.According to Cook and Campbell's types of evidence,the researcher failed to eliminate:

Accepted Answer

A)  falsifiability. 
B)  alternate forms reliability. 
C)  alternative explanations. 
D)  temporal precedence.

Question 19

Sharon wishes to identify the food items that are purchased most frequently in the student cafeteria,and,for the purpose,she observes the students' purchasing patterns.This scenario exemplifies the goal of science to:

Accepted Answer

A)  describe behavior 
B)  predict behavior 
C)  determine the cause of behavior 
D)  explain behavior

Question 20

When a person accepts unquestioningly what his or her own personal judgment tells about the world,he or she is relying on _____.

Accepted Answer

A)  skepticism 
B)  authority 
C)  intuition 
D)  science

Exam 1: Scientific Understanding of Behavior