Chapter 2 The Research Enterprise in Psychology
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The scientific approach assumes that
a. events are governed by some lawful order.
b. each event is completely unique.
c. there are no general laws or principles that apply to human behavior.
d. the search for absolute truth is the ultimate goal.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 87%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
KEY: Factual
2. Answering the question of "how" something works is most closely associated with
which goal of science?
a. the search for truth
b. application and control
c. measurement and description
d. understanding and prediction
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 56%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
KEY: Concept/Applied
3. Which is NOT among the goals of scientific psychology?
a. the development of measurement techniques for describing behavior precisely and
accurately
b. understanding why certain behaviors occur
c. applications of research findings to solve everyday problems
d. searching for absolute truths about behavior
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 86%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
KEY: Factual
4. Answering the question of "why" something happens is most closely associated with
which goal of science?
a. the search for truth
b. application and control
c. measurement and description
d. understanding and prediction
ANS: D PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
KEY: Concept/Applied
5. IQ score, age, weight, grade point average, and income are all examples of
, a. constants.
b. variables.
c. correlations.
d. statistics.
ANS: B PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
TOP: WWW KEY: Concept/Applied
6. Any measurable conditions, events, characteristics, or behaviors that are controlled or
observed in a study are called
a. hypotheses.
b. correlations.
c. variables.
d. confounds.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 98%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
KEY: Factual
7. The use of reinforcement principles to modify a child's unruly behavior reflects the
goal of science that deals with
a. understanding and prediction.
b. measurement and description.
c. deterministic and teleological.
d. application and control.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 86%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
KEY: Concept/Applied
8. The ____ approach assumes that events are governed by some lawful order.
a. philosophical
b. mechanical
c. scientific
d. cognitive
ANS: C PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
TOP: WWW KEY: Factual
9. If a psychologist hopes that his research will help to solve some practical problem, his
hope reflects which goal of science?
a. application and control
b. construction and revision
c. understanding and prediction
d. measurement and description
ANS: A PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
KEY: Concept/Applied
10. A tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables is a(n)
a. variable.
, b. hypothesis.
c. theory.
d. operational definition.
ANS: B PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Factual
11. Theories permit researchers to move from
a. understanding to application.
b. concept to description.
c. application to control.
d. description to understanding.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 66%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Concept/Applied
12. A scientific theory has to be
a. true.
b. accepted by others.
c. testable.
d. well established and not disputed.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 83%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Factual
13. Theory construction is
a. a gradual iterative process that is always subject to revision.
b. a standard step-like process that quickly moves toward the truth.
c. a circular process that typically leads nowhere.
d. a process that results in concrete findings that are accepted by other scientists.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 87%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Factual
14. Dr. Marqueta believes that "misery loves company." Based on this belief, Dr.
Marqueta predicts that people who have received bad news will seek out other people. Dr. Marqueta's
belief is an example of ____, and her prediction is an example of ____.
a. a hypothesis; a theory
b. a theory; a hypothesis
c. a variable; an application
d. a hypothesis; a variable
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 84%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Concept/Applied
15. Mrs. Smith, an elementary school teacher, believes that girls are smarter than boys.
She predicts that the girls in her class will learn more than the boys during the school year. Her
prediction is a(n)
a. hypothesis.
, b. opinion.
c. fact.
d. theory.
ANS: A PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Concept/Applied
16. A theory is
a. an objective description of behavior.
b. a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations.
c. the application of research to practical problems.
d. a statement about the relationship between two or more variables.
ANS: B PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Factual
17. Scientific theories are most directly associated with which goal of science?
a. application and control
b. construction and revision
c. measurement and description
d. understanding and prediction
ANS: D PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Critical Thinking
18. A clinical psychologist notes that an unusually large number of obese people are
depressed or anxious, and she offers an explanation that excess weight causes emotional disorders. Her
explanation is a(n)
a. hypothesis.
b. theory.
c. opinion.
d. fact.
ANS: B PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
TOP: WWW KEY: Concept/Applied
19. While theories are most closely associated with the scientific goal of ____, hypotheses
are most closely associated with the goal of ____.
a. application; description
b. description; application
c. understanding; prediction
d. prediction; understanding
ANS: C PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Critical Thinking
20. Hypotheses are typically expressed as
a. theories.
b. variables.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The scientific approach assumes that
a. events are governed by some lawful order.
b. each event is completely unique.
c. there are no general laws or principles that apply to human behavior.
d. the search for absolute truth is the ultimate goal.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 87%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
KEY: Factual
2. Answering the question of "how" something works is most closely associated with
which goal of science?
a. the search for truth
b. application and control
c. measurement and description
d. understanding and prediction
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 56%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
KEY: Concept/Applied
3. Which is NOT among the goals of scientific psychology?
a. the development of measurement techniques for describing behavior precisely and
accurately
b. understanding why certain behaviors occur
c. applications of research findings to solve everyday problems
d. searching for absolute truths about behavior
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 86%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
KEY: Factual
4. Answering the question of "why" something happens is most closely associated with
which goal of science?
a. the search for truth
b. application and control
c. measurement and description
d. understanding and prediction
ANS: D PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
KEY: Concept/Applied
5. IQ score, age, weight, grade point average, and income are all examples of
, a. constants.
b. variables.
c. correlations.
d. statistics.
ANS: B PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
TOP: WWW KEY: Concept/Applied
6. Any measurable conditions, events, characteristics, or behaviors that are controlled or
observed in a study are called
a. hypotheses.
b. correlations.
c. variables.
d. confounds.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 98%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
KEY: Factual
7. The use of reinforcement principles to modify a child's unruly behavior reflects the
goal of science that deals with
a. understanding and prediction.
b. measurement and description.
c. deterministic and teleological.
d. application and control.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 86%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
KEY: Concept/Applied
8. The ____ approach assumes that events are governed by some lawful order.
a. philosophical
b. mechanical
c. scientific
d. cognitive
ANS: C PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
TOP: WWW KEY: Factual
9. If a psychologist hopes that his research will help to solve some practical problem, his
hope reflects which goal of science?
a. application and control
b. construction and revision
c. understanding and prediction
d. measurement and description
ANS: A PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.1
KEY: Concept/Applied
10. A tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables is a(n)
a. variable.
, b. hypothesis.
c. theory.
d. operational definition.
ANS: B PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Factual
11. Theories permit researchers to move from
a. understanding to application.
b. concept to description.
c. application to control.
d. description to understanding.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 66%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Concept/Applied
12. A scientific theory has to be
a. true.
b. accepted by others.
c. testable.
d. well established and not disputed.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 83%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Factual
13. Theory construction is
a. a gradual iterative process that is always subject to revision.
b. a standard step-like process that quickly moves toward the truth.
c. a circular process that typically leads nowhere.
d. a process that results in concrete findings that are accepted by other scientists.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 87%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Factual
14. Dr. Marqueta believes that "misery loves company." Based on this belief, Dr.
Marqueta predicts that people who have received bad news will seek out other people. Dr. Marqueta's
belief is an example of ____, and her prediction is an example of ____.
a. a hypothesis; a theory
b. a theory; a hypothesis
c. a variable; an application
d. a hypothesis; a variable
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Correct = 84%
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Concept/Applied
15. Mrs. Smith, an elementary school teacher, believes that girls are smarter than boys.
She predicts that the girls in her class will learn more than the boys during the school year. Her
prediction is a(n)
a. hypothesis.
, b. opinion.
c. fact.
d. theory.
ANS: A PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Concept/Applied
16. A theory is
a. an objective description of behavior.
b. a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations.
c. the application of research to practical problems.
d. a statement about the relationship between two or more variables.
ANS: B PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Factual
17. Scientific theories are most directly associated with which goal of science?
a. application and control
b. construction and revision
c. measurement and description
d. understanding and prediction
ANS: D PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Critical Thinking
18. A clinical psychologist notes that an unusually large number of obese people are
depressed or anxious, and she offers an explanation that excess weight causes emotional disorders. Her
explanation is a(n)
a. hypothesis.
b. theory.
c. opinion.
d. fact.
ANS: B PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
TOP: WWW KEY: Concept/Applied
19. While theories are most closely associated with the scientific goal of ____, hypotheses
are most closely associated with the goal of ____.
a. application; description
b. description; application
c. understanding; prediction
d. prediction; understanding
ANS: C PTS: 1
REF: Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior OBJ: 2.2
KEY: Critical Thinking
20. Hypotheses are typically expressed as
a. theories.
b. variables.
