Psych in your life Exam 1

Why is scientific research important for people who are not scientists?

It influences everyday decisions and policies

Which of the following is the foundation of scientific knowledge?

Objective, observable evidence

In science, a theory is best described as:

A broad explanation supported by extensive evidence

Science is best defined as:

A method for generating and testing knowledge

Scientific questions must be:

Confirmable and testable

Psychology primarily studies:

Human behavior and mental processes

For a scientific finding to be widely accepted, it must be:

Repeated and replicated

Which statement best defines a hypothesis?

A testable prediction

Non-experimental research can establish cause-and-effect relationships.

False

Research that uses numbers and statistical analysis is called:

Quantitative

A confounding variable is:

An outside factor that may influence results

A research method that compares different age groups at one point in time is called:

Cross-sectional research

Observer bias occurs when:

Researchers unintentionally influence observations

The independent variable is:

Manipulated by the researcher

Which research method struggles to separate aging effects from generational

differences?

Cross-sectional

What is the purpose of a control group?

To provide a baseline for comparison

Confirmation bias refers to:

Seeking information that supports existing beliefs

Surveys are often valued because they are ______, but limited because they can be ______.

Efficient / inaccurate due to self-report

Carefully observing behavior in a natural environment is called:

Naturalistic observation

Following a small group of individuals in depth over time is known as

Case study

Manipulating a variable and measuring outcomes describes:

Experiment

Using previously collected records is known as:

Archival research

Which statement about popular sources is MOST accurate?

They vary widely and must be evaluated individually

Critical thinking involves:

Integrating multiple perspectives

An encyclopedia is considered a:

Tertiary source

First-hand news reports from eyewitnesses are classified as:

Primary sources

Academic journals are primarily written for:

Researchers and scholars

Correlation means that:

Two variables are related

When a graph exaggerates differences by altering the Y-axis, this is called:

Y-axis distortion

In most graphs, the Y-axis represents:

Measured values

A negative correlation means that when one variable increases, the other:

Decreases

In a well-designed experiment, differences between groups should be due to:

The independent variable