CHAPTER 1: Psychology Is a Way of Thinking
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Learning Objective 1.1: Articulate how the roles of consumers and producers of psychological
research are similar and how they differ.
Learning Objective 1.2: Explain how theories and data interact to form empirical inquiry.
Learning Objective 1.3: Identify examples of basic and applied research and describe the
interactions between the two kinds of research.
Learning Objective 1.4: Describe the role of the peer-review process in science.
Learning Objective 1.5: Give examples of ways that researchers dig deeper by doing more
than just one study on a research question.
Learning Objective 1.6: Describe the differences between empirical journals and popular
journalism; describe the goals of each format and give examples of ways that journalists can
write better stories about scientific news.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following is an example of being a producer of research?
a. Administering an anxiety questionnaire
b. Applying a new therapy technique
c. Writing an opinion article about a psychological study
d. Undergoing a brain scan
ANS: A DIF: Medium REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers:
Why the Producer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Understanding
2. Which of the following is an example of being a consumer of research?
a. Administering a questionnaire of PTSD symptoms
b. Consenting to participate in a research study
c. Attending a psychological conference
d. Measuring dopamine levels in patients with schizophrenia
ANS: C DIF: Medium REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers:
Why the Consumer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Applying
3. Students who are interested in being consumers of, but not producers of, research might
, choose which of the following professions?
a. A clinical psychologist
b. An intervention program evaluator
c. A political pollster
d. An advertising executive
ANS: D DIF: Medium REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers:
Why the Consumer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Analyzing
4. Dr. Smitherman insists that all his research assistants know how to be producers of
research. All of the following relate to this requirement EXCEPT:
a. He wants to make sure they understand how to write in APA style.
b. He wants to make sure they understand why anonymity is important.
c. He wants to make sure they understand how to interpret study results and graphs.
d. He wants to make sure they have previously been participants in research studies.
ANS: D DIF: Medium REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers:
Why the Consumer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Understanding
5. Elliott is double majoring in English and psychology. He plans on being a high school
English teacher and is only majoring in psychology because he finds the classes
interesting. Which of the following is an important reason for him to be a good consumer of
research?
a. His psychology advisor may ask for his help in copy-editing a research article.
b. He will likely need to be a participant in research studies as part of his psychology
major.
c. He will probably want to read research related to enhancing his teaching.
d. He will have to produce research before he can consume it.
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers: Why the
Consumer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Applying
6. In the theory-data cycle, theories first lead to .
a. questions
b. answers
c. data
d. research
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test
Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Understanding
, 7. Another word for hypothesis is a(n) .
a. theory
b. observation
c. prediction
d. outcome
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test
Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Remembering
8. Another word for data is a(n) .
a. theory
b. observation
c. prediction
d. outcome
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test
Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Remembering
9. RESEARCH STUDY 1.1: Deci and Ryan (1985, 2001) have proposed that there are three
fundamental needs that are required for human growth and fulfillment: relatedness,
autonomy, and competence. Susan predicts that students who have these needs met in
their psychology class feel happier and more satisfied with the class. She collects data and
finds that students who feel more related and competent do feel happier but that feeling
more autonomous does not seem to matter. Susan thinks that maybe autonomy is only
necessary when people are in situations in which they are not being evaluated.
Deci and Ryan’s general statement of how the three needs are related to growth and
fulfillment is an example of which of the following?
a. A theory
b. A hypothesis
c. Data
d. Research
ANS: A DIF: Difficult REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work:
Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC:
Applying
10. RESEARCH STUDY 1.1: Deci and Ryan (1985, 2001) have proposed that there are three
fundamental needs that are required for human growth and fulfillment: relatedness,
autonomy, and competence. Susan predicts that students who have these needs met in
their psychology class feel happier and more satisfied with the class. She collects data and
, finds that students who feel more related and competent do feel happier but that feeling
more autonomous does not seem to matter. Susan thinks that maybe autonomy is only
necessary when people are in situations in which they are not being evaluated.
Susan’s prediction that students who have all three needs met will experience greater
satisfaction with their psychology class is an example of which of the following?
a. A theory
b. A hypothesis
c. Data
d. Research
ANS: B DIF: Difficult REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work:
Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC:
Applying
11. RESEARCH STUDY 1.1: Deci and Ryan (1985, 2001) have proposed that there are three
fundamental needs that are required for human growth and fulfillment: relatedness,
autonomy, and competence. Susan predicts that students who have these needs met in
their psychology class feel happier and more satisfied with the class. She collects data and
finds that students who feel more related and competent do feel happier but that feeling
more autonomous does not seem to matter. Susan thinks that maybe autonomy is only
necessary when people are in situations in which they are not being evaluated.
After Susan collects and analyzes her data, which of the following is the next logical
step?
a. Susan writes a paper challenging Self-Determination Theory because only some of her
data supported it.
b. Susan ignores the data that did not fit the theory.
c. Susan recalculates her data to fit the theory.
d. Susan alters or amends the theory to fit her data.
ANS: D DIF: Difficult REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work:
Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC:
Applying
12. RESEARCH STUDY 1.1: Deci and Ryan (1985, 2001) have proposed that there are three
fundamental needs that are required for human growth and fulfillment: relatedness,
autonomy, and competence. Susan predicts that students who have these needs met in
their psychology class feel happier and more satisfied with the class. She collects data and
finds that students who feel more related and competent do feel happier but that feeling
more autonomous does not seem to matter. Susan thinks that maybe autonomy is only
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Learning Objective 1.1: Articulate how the roles of consumers and producers of psychological
research are similar and how they differ.
Learning Objective 1.2: Explain how theories and data interact to form empirical inquiry.
Learning Objective 1.3: Identify examples of basic and applied research and describe the
interactions between the two kinds of research.
Learning Objective 1.4: Describe the role of the peer-review process in science.
Learning Objective 1.5: Give examples of ways that researchers dig deeper by doing more
than just one study on a research question.
Learning Objective 1.6: Describe the differences between empirical journals and popular
journalism; describe the goals of each format and give examples of ways that journalists can
write better stories about scientific news.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following is an example of being a producer of research?
a. Administering an anxiety questionnaire
b. Applying a new therapy technique
c. Writing an opinion article about a psychological study
d. Undergoing a brain scan
ANS: A DIF: Medium REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers:
Why the Producer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Understanding
2. Which of the following is an example of being a consumer of research?
a. Administering a questionnaire of PTSD symptoms
b. Consenting to participate in a research study
c. Attending a psychological conference
d. Measuring dopamine levels in patients with schizophrenia
ANS: C DIF: Medium REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers:
Why the Consumer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Applying
3. Students who are interested in being consumers of, but not producers of, research might
, choose which of the following professions?
a. A clinical psychologist
b. An intervention program evaluator
c. A political pollster
d. An advertising executive
ANS: D DIF: Medium REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers:
Why the Consumer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Analyzing
4. Dr. Smitherman insists that all his research assistants know how to be producers of
research. All of the following relate to this requirement EXCEPT:
a. He wants to make sure they understand how to write in APA style.
b. He wants to make sure they understand why anonymity is important.
c. He wants to make sure they understand how to interpret study results and graphs.
d. He wants to make sure they have previously been participants in research studies.
ANS: D DIF: Medium REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers:
Why the Consumer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Understanding
5. Elliott is double majoring in English and psychology. He plans on being a high school
English teacher and is only majoring in psychology because he finds the classes
interesting. Which of the following is an important reason for him to be a good consumer of
research?
a. His psychology advisor may ask for his help in copy-editing a research article.
b. He will likely need to be a participant in research studies as part of his psychology
major.
c. He will probably want to read research related to enhancing his teaching.
d. He will have to produce research before he can consume it.
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 1.1 Research Producers, Research Consumers: Why the
Consumer Role Is Important OBJ: Learning Objective 1.1 MSC: Applying
6. In the theory-data cycle, theories first lead to .
a. questions
b. answers
c. data
d. research
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test
Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Understanding
, 7. Another word for hypothesis is a(n) .
a. theory
b. observation
c. prediction
d. outcome
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test
Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Remembering
8. Another word for data is a(n) .
a. theory
b. observation
c. prediction
d. outcome
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work: Scientists Test
Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC: Remembering
9. RESEARCH STUDY 1.1: Deci and Ryan (1985, 2001) have proposed that there are three
fundamental needs that are required for human growth and fulfillment: relatedness,
autonomy, and competence. Susan predicts that students who have these needs met in
their psychology class feel happier and more satisfied with the class. She collects data and
finds that students who feel more related and competent do feel happier but that feeling
more autonomous does not seem to matter. Susan thinks that maybe autonomy is only
necessary when people are in situations in which they are not being evaluated.
Deci and Ryan’s general statement of how the three needs are related to growth and
fulfillment is an example of which of the following?
a. A theory
b. A hypothesis
c. Data
d. Research
ANS: A DIF: Difficult REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work:
Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC:
Applying
10. RESEARCH STUDY 1.1: Deci and Ryan (1985, 2001) have proposed that there are three
fundamental needs that are required for human growth and fulfillment: relatedness,
autonomy, and competence. Susan predicts that students who have these needs met in
their psychology class feel happier and more satisfied with the class. She collects data and
, finds that students who feel more related and competent do feel happier but that feeling
more autonomous does not seem to matter. Susan thinks that maybe autonomy is only
necessary when people are in situations in which they are not being evaluated.
Susan’s prediction that students who have all three needs met will experience greater
satisfaction with their psychology class is an example of which of the following?
a. A theory
b. A hypothesis
c. Data
d. Research
ANS: B DIF: Difficult REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work:
Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC:
Applying
11. RESEARCH STUDY 1.1: Deci and Ryan (1985, 2001) have proposed that there are three
fundamental needs that are required for human growth and fulfillment: relatedness,
autonomy, and competence. Susan predicts that students who have these needs met in
their psychology class feel happier and more satisfied with the class. She collects data and
finds that students who feel more related and competent do feel happier but that feeling
more autonomous does not seem to matter. Susan thinks that maybe autonomy is only
necessary when people are in situations in which they are not being evaluated.
After Susan collects and analyzes her data, which of the following is the next logical
step?
a. Susan writes a paper challenging Self-Determination Theory because only some of her
data supported it.
b. Susan ignores the data that did not fit the theory.
c. Susan recalculates her data to fit the theory.
d. Susan alters or amends the theory to fit her data.
ANS: D DIF: Difficult REF: 1.2 How Scientists Approach Their Work:
Scientists Test Theories: The Theory-Data Cycle OBJ: Learning Objective 1.2 MSC:
Applying
12. RESEARCH STUDY 1.1: Deci and Ryan (1985, 2001) have proposed that there are three
fundamental needs that are required for human growth and fulfillment: relatedness,
autonomy, and competence. Susan predicts that students who have these needs met in
their psychology class feel happier and more satisfied with the class. She collects data and
finds that students who feel more related and competent do feel happier but that feeling
more autonomous does not seem to matter. Susan thinks that maybe autonomy is only
