Research Methods Exam 1 chapters 1-5

A student wants to determine whether a claim about human behavior is actually true. According to the lecture, what type of approach should be the focus?

An empirical research method, because empirical research methods are the most accurate known method for testing whether information is true.

Someone believes something is true simply because they have a strong feeling that it is true. What method of obtaining an answer does this represent?

Intuition.

A person accepts an answer because an authority figure told them it is correct. What method of obtaining an answer does this represent?

Authority.

Someone believes a claim because of something they personally experienced. What method of obtaining an answer does this represent?

Experience.

A psychology student plans to conduct their own study of human behavior. Are they a producer or consumer of research?

Producer of research, because they intend to conduct research.

A student reads research articles and tries to determine whether the claims being made are convincing. Are they a producer or consumer of research?

Consumer of research, because they intend to obtain information and evaluate claims.

A researcher is preparing to conduct a study and learns about issues involved in producing research. Why is this useful?

Because producers of research benefit from a solid understanding of the issues involved with producing research.

A person reads a research claim online and uses their knowledge of research methods to judge the claim. Why does research-method knowledge help them?

Because consumers of research benefit from knowledge that helps them evaluate claims.

A researcher is deciding between different ways of studying human thought and behavior. What should they recognize about research methods?

Research methods include different types of research and their related practical and ethical concerns.

A person says, "I don't need to understand research methods because I'm not a researcher." What does the lecture suggest?

Everyone can benefit from a deeper understanding of research methods because people can be consumers of research even if they do not produce research.

A researcher wants to determine whether information is true rather than relying only on personal experience. What approach should they focus on?

Empirical research methods.

Someone uses their personal experience to answer a question, while another person uses empirical research. According to the lecture, can both approaches provide answers?

Yes. Many methods can provide answers to questions, but some methods are more accurate than others.

A student is learning about survey, correlational, and experimental research. What broader subject are these examples part of?

Research methods in psychology.

A researcher is planning a study and considers both practical and ethical concerns. Why are these considerations relevant?

Because research methods include different types of research and their related practical and ethical concerns.

A person encounters a claim and wants to decide whether they should believe it. What role are they acting as?

Consumer of research, because consumers obtain information and need knowledge to evaluate claims.

A psychology student designs and conducts a study. What role are they acting as?

Producer of research.

A researcher wants the most accurate known method for testing whether information is true. What should they use?

Empirical research methods.

Someone says, "My personal experience proves this claim is true." What does the lecture suggest about relying on experience?

Experience can provide answers, but the lecture states that some methods are more accurate than others and identifies empirical research as the most accurate known method for testing whether information is true.

Someone says, "An expert said it, so it must be true." What concept from the lecture does this illustrate?

Authority as a way of obtaining an answer.

Someone says, "I just know this is true because it feels right." What concept from the lecture does this illustrate?

Intuition as a way of obtaining an answer.

What are research methods in psychology?

Research methods refers to the procedures involved in the collection of information about human thought and behavior.

What does research methods involve?

Research methods involves procedures used to collect information about human thought and behavior, including different types of research and their practical and ethical concerns.

What are three examples of types of research mentioned in the lecture?

Survey research, correlational research, and experimental research.

What concerns are associated with different types of research?

Different types of research have related practical and ethical concerns that researchers must consider.

What is the purpose of research methods?

The purpose of appropriate research methods is to allow us to effectively discover the truth about reality.

Why are research methods important for discovering truth?

Research methods provide systematic ways of investigating questions and determining whether information is accurate or true.

What are some methods people can use to obtain answers to questions?

People can use intuition, authority, experience, and empirical research methods to obtain answers to questions.

Are all methods of obtaining answers equally accurate?

No. Many methods can provide answers to questions, but some methods are more accurate than others.

What is intuition as a way of answering questions?

Intuition is one method people may use to arrive at answers, although the lecture emphasizes that some methods are more accurate than others.

What is authority as a way of answering questions?

Authority is one method people may use to obtain information or answers to questions.

What is experience as a way of answering questions?

Experience is one method people may use to obtain answers or information about questions.

What are empirical research methods?

Empirical research methods are methods used to test whether information is true and are described in the lecture as the most accurate known method for doing so.

Why are empirical research methods the focus of this course?

Because empirical research methods are the most accurate known method for testing whether information is true.

What does "empirical" mean in the context of research methods?

In this lecture, empirical research refers to research methods used to test whether information is true.

Why is it important to compare different research methods?

Different methods can provide answers, but they do not all have the same level of accuracy. Understanding research methods helps us determine which approaches provide more accurate information.

Who can benefit from understanding research methods?

Everyone can benefit from a deeper understanding of research methods, including producers and consumers of research.

Who are producers of research?

Producers of research are people who intend to conduct research.

How do producers of research benefit from understanding research methods?

They benefit from a solid understanding of the issues involved with producing research.

Why should researchers understand issues involved in producing research?

A solid understanding of research methods helps people who conduct research understand the issues involved in producing research.

Who are consumers of research?

Consumers of research are people who intend to obtain information.

How do consumers of research benefit from understanding research methods?

They gain knowledge that helps them evaluate claims as consumers of research.

Why is understanding research methods important for consumers of research?

It helps consumers evaluate claims and determine how they should assess information they encounter.

What is the difference between a producer and a consumer of research?

A producer of research intends to conduct research, while a consumer of research intends to obtain information and evaluate claims.

What are the two major groups discussed under "Why Research Methods Matters"?

Producers of research and consumers of research.

What does a producer of research need to understand?

A producer needs a solid understanding of the issues involved with producing research.

What does a consumer of research need to understand?

A consumer needs knowledge that helps them evaluate claims.

Why does research methods matter even if you never conduct research?

Everyone can benefit from understanding research methods because consumers of research need to evaluate the claims and information they encounter.

What is the main idea of the lecture "Why Research Methods Matters"?

Research methods provide ways to collect information about human thought and behavior and help us determine what information is true or accurate.

What is the relationship between research methods and human thought and behavior?

Research methods provide procedures for collecting information about human thought and behavior.

What three broad types of research are specifically mentioned in the lecture?

Survey, correlational, and experimental research.

What does the lecture say about practical and ethical concerns in research?

Different types of research have related practical and ethical concerns that must be considered.

What is the key reason appropriate research methods are needed?

They allow us to effectively discover the truth about reality.

What is the key distinction between empirical research and methods such as intuition, authority, and experience?

Although all can provide answers, empirical research methods are described as the most accurate known method for testing whether information is true.

Why should consumers of research understand research methods?

Understanding research methods gives consumers the knowledge needed to evaluate claims.

Why should producers of research understand research methods?

Understanding research methods gives researchers a solid foundation for dealing with the issues involved in producing research.

What is empiricism?

Empiricism uses the scientific method to draw conclusions based on evidence from the senses.

What is experience as a source of information?

Experience is relying on personal experience as evidence.

What is intuition as a source of information?

Intuition is relying on reasoning or logic as evidence.

What is authority as a source of information?

Authority is relying on information from an authority figure as evidence.

What are the three non-empirical sources of information discussed in the lecture?

Experience, intuition, and authority.

Why do people tend to use experience, intuition, and authority?

These methods tend to require less effort than empirical methods, although they are less accurate.

What is a comparison group?

A comparison group provides a basis for comparing outcomes in research.

What is one limitation of experience related to comparison groups?

Experience has no comparison group.

Why can't we re-experience specific events?

We cannot re-experience specific events, so we can only observe the outcome with or without a variable, not both.

What does it mean for an event to be confounded?

Events are confounded when they have alternative explanations that cannot be distinguished from other potential causes.

What does it mean that experience is not probabilistic?

Experiencing uncommon events biases us to believe that those events are more likely to occur than they really are.

What is the availability heuristic?

A mental shortcut that bases decisions on information that comes immediately to mind, assuming easily recalled information is more important than information that is more difficult to recall.

What is confirmation bias?

People tend to ask questions that would confirm their hypothesis rather than questions that would disconfirm it.

What is the bias blind spot?

The belief that you are unlikely to be affected by cognitive biases, even when recognizing that they occur in other people.

What is one limitation of authority?

Authorities are also susceptible to the limitations of intuition and experience.

Why can information from authorities be limited?

Unless the authority gained the information through the empirical method, it may be influenced by the limitations of previous sources.

Can authorities provide false information?

Yes. Authorities may provide false information either intentionally or unintentionally.

Why might an authority provide false information unintentionally?

People can make mistakes when relaying information.

Why might an authority provide false information intentionally?

An authority may purposely intend to deceive.

What is empirical research?

Empirical research is a superior source of information because it avoids the limitations of the other sources.

What are four advantages of empirical research mentioned in the lecture?

Research has a comparison group, is not confounded, is probabilistic, and avoids bias.

What is a limitation of empiricism?

The time, effort, and knowledge required to reach conclusions.

Why must empirical research be conducted carefully?

It must be conducted carefully to avoid various problems that might limit its accuracy.

What is the theory-data cycle?

The use of empirical research to test, change, or update existing theories.

What are the two steps used to determine the accuracy of a theory?

Generating a hypothesis and collecting data to test the hypothesis.

What is a theory?

A set of statements describing the general principles about how variables are related to one another.

What is a hypothesis?

A prediction about the specific outcome of a research study assuming the theory is accurate.

What is data?

A set of observations collected to test a hypothesis.

What happens if data support a hypothesis?

Confidence in the theory increases.

What happens if data are inconsistent with a hypothesis?

It suggests that the theory may require revision.

What is the weight of the evidence?

The idea that theories are evaluated based on the combined outcomes of many studies rather than a single study.

Can a single study prove or disprove a theory?

In general, no. A single study cannot prove or disprove a theory.

What terminology should be used instead of saying a study "proves" a theory?

We say that data "support" or "are consistent with" a theory.

How are theories evaluated?

Theories are evaluated based on the combined outcomes of many studies.

What is the difference between a theory and a hypothesis in terms of specificity?

A theory explains the general relationship between variables, while a hypothesis makes a specific prediction about a particular set of circumstances.

What is the difference between a theory and a hypothesis in terms of support?

A theory has been extensively tested and is generally accepted, while a hypothesis is an untested prediction.

What does it mean for a theory to be supported by data?

A good theory is supported by a large quantity and wide variety of evidence.

What is falsifiability?

A theory must lead to hypotheses that could fail to support the theory.

What is parsimony?

All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best.

What are three features of good theories?

Good theories are supported by data, falsifiable, and parsimonious.

What does "supported by data" mean as a feature of a good theory?

A good theory is supported by a large quantity and wide variety of evidence.

What does falsifiability require of a theory?

The theory must lead to hypotheses that could fail to support the theory.

What does parsimony require?

All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best.

Someone buys an X brand phone and it breaks after one month. They decide they no longer trust X brand products. What source of information are they relying on?

Experience, because they are relying on personal experience as evidence.

Someone had a female pilot with a Jamaican accent and experienced no turbulence. They conclude that Jamaican women are skilled pilots. What source of information are they relying on?

Experience.