PSYC 304 - Research Methods in Psychology
Quiz 1 Concepts UPDATED ACTUAL
Questions and CORRECT Answers
What is the difference between empirical and non-empirical methods of knowing about behaviour? -
CORRECT ANSWER -Empirical: based on experience/knowledge found by the self; intuition,
science
Non-empirical: not based on experience/knowledge found by others; authority, logic
When is logic not a good way of knowing the truth? - CORRECT ANSWER -When a statement is
logically valid but still not true because it assumes something to be the case that is not.
Describe two basic limitations of common sense as a way of knowing. - CORRECT ANSWER -
Standards of common sense differ from time to time and from place to place according to the attitudes
and experiences of the culture.
The only criterion common sense recognizes for judging the truth of a belief or practice is whether it
works.
How do common sense and science differ? - CORRECT ANSWER -We consider a scientific theory
to be fruitful if it predicts something that we did not expect, whereas common sense is what is expected to
occur.
What does "science is objective" mean? - CORRECT ANSWER -Objective observations are those
made in such a way that any person having normal perception and being in the same place at the same
time would arrive at the same observation.
What are the characteristics of science? Explain. - CORRECT ANSWER -Science is:
empirical - personal observation can be as good as logic in reaching a conclusion
objective - two individuals observing the same thing would draw the same conclusions
self-correcting - as new evidence is found, the science is updated
progressive - science moves forward toward truth, adding new information to what was previously known
, tentative - science never claims to have the whole truth on any question because new information may
make current knowledge obsolete at any time.
Parsiminous - strives to find the simplest explanation
Concerned with theory - science is concerned with finding out why things are the way they are
What is the principle of parsimony in science? - CORRECT ANSWER -A good scientist will
always prefer a simpler explanation to a more complex one, other things being equal.
Briefly describe the working assumptions of science. - CORRECT ANSWER -Science assumes:
Reality - objects in the world exist apart from their being perceived by us
Rationality - the world is understandable by way of logical thinking
Regularity - `we assume that the world follows the same laws at all times and in all places
Discoverability - it is possible to find out how the world works
Causality - all events are caused
Describe the criteria for establishing a cause-and-effect relationship. - CORRECT ANSWER -
Temporal precedence - the cause has to come before the event
Co-variation of cause and effect - when the cause is present, the effect happens
Probabilistic co-variation - there is a statistical association of a cause with an effect
Elimination of alternative explanations - there is no other possible explanation for the effect except the
cause
Briefly describe the three processes in the discovery of regularities. - CORRECT ANSWER -The
description of behaviour - describe the phenomena considered to be important for the science to deal with
The discovery of lawful relationships among aspects of behaviour - regularities that appear in describing
behaviours that form laws
The search for causes - most important goal in science
What is a law? Give an example of a law. - CORRECT ANSWER -Law: a statement that certain
events are regularly associated with each other in an orderly way
Ex: The frustration-aggression law states that frustration causes aggression
Quiz 1 Concepts UPDATED ACTUAL
Questions and CORRECT Answers
What is the difference between empirical and non-empirical methods of knowing about behaviour? -
CORRECT ANSWER -Empirical: based on experience/knowledge found by the self; intuition,
science
Non-empirical: not based on experience/knowledge found by others; authority, logic
When is logic not a good way of knowing the truth? - CORRECT ANSWER -When a statement is
logically valid but still not true because it assumes something to be the case that is not.
Describe two basic limitations of common sense as a way of knowing. - CORRECT ANSWER -
Standards of common sense differ from time to time and from place to place according to the attitudes
and experiences of the culture.
The only criterion common sense recognizes for judging the truth of a belief or practice is whether it
works.
How do common sense and science differ? - CORRECT ANSWER -We consider a scientific theory
to be fruitful if it predicts something that we did not expect, whereas common sense is what is expected to
occur.
What does "science is objective" mean? - CORRECT ANSWER -Objective observations are those
made in such a way that any person having normal perception and being in the same place at the same
time would arrive at the same observation.
What are the characteristics of science? Explain. - CORRECT ANSWER -Science is:
empirical - personal observation can be as good as logic in reaching a conclusion
objective - two individuals observing the same thing would draw the same conclusions
self-correcting - as new evidence is found, the science is updated
progressive - science moves forward toward truth, adding new information to what was previously known
, tentative - science never claims to have the whole truth on any question because new information may
make current knowledge obsolete at any time.
Parsiminous - strives to find the simplest explanation
Concerned with theory - science is concerned with finding out why things are the way they are
What is the principle of parsimony in science? - CORRECT ANSWER -A good scientist will
always prefer a simpler explanation to a more complex one, other things being equal.
Briefly describe the working assumptions of science. - CORRECT ANSWER -Science assumes:
Reality - objects in the world exist apart from their being perceived by us
Rationality - the world is understandable by way of logical thinking
Regularity - `we assume that the world follows the same laws at all times and in all places
Discoverability - it is possible to find out how the world works
Causality - all events are caused
Describe the criteria for establishing a cause-and-effect relationship. - CORRECT ANSWER -
Temporal precedence - the cause has to come before the event
Co-variation of cause and effect - when the cause is present, the effect happens
Probabilistic co-variation - there is a statistical association of a cause with an effect
Elimination of alternative explanations - there is no other possible explanation for the effect except the
cause
Briefly describe the three processes in the discovery of regularities. - CORRECT ANSWER -The
description of behaviour - describe the phenomena considered to be important for the science to deal with
The discovery of lawful relationships among aspects of behaviour - regularities that appear in describing
behaviours that form laws
The search for causes - most important goal in science
What is a law? Give an example of a law. - CORRECT ANSWER -Law: a statement that certain
events are regularly associated with each other in an orderly way
Ex: The frustration-aggression law states that frustration causes aggression
