PSYC 302 Exam Study Guide UPDATED
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT Answers
levels of analysis - CORRECT ANSWER Biological: neurochemistry, genetics, brain structures
Individual: personality, perception, cognition, behavior
Social: interpersonal interaction, cultural norms, groups
Goals of psychological science - CORRECT ANSWER Describe: improve understanding of a phenomenon
through systemic observation
Predict: using observed relationships to predict outcomes
Explain: determining the cause
The difference between predict and explanatory research - CORRECT ANSWER how to predict better and more
accurate without actually caring about the reasoning why behind it, explanative is wanting to know the why
Descriptive research question: - CORRECT ANSWER What is the age distribution at which toddlers first produce
two-word utterances in a community sample?
Predictive research question: - CORRECT ANSWER Predict kindergarten readiness scores from preschool
measures (language skills, executive function tasks, parent reports, and classroom observations).
Explanative research question - CORRECT ANSWER Why do people slow down when they're distracted?
Basic Research - CORRECT ANSWER achieving a more detailed understanding of phenomenon, knowledge for
knowledge's sake
applied research - CORRECT ANSWER direction applied to real world problem, solving immediate issues
intuition - CORRECT ANSWER relying on instincts or emotions rather than facts
authority - CORRECT ANSWER accepting ideas because an expert(partent, doctor goverment) says so
tenacity - CORRECT ANSWER refusing to alter acquired knowledge despite evidence to the contrary (bigotry,
habit) still believing what you think you know is true even when you provided with evidence to the contrary
rationalism - CORRECT ANSWER using logic and reasoning
Problem of Falsifiability: Freud - CORRECT ANSWER There is no way to prove him wrong and his hypothesis
You are unable to study unconscious conflict, cannot quantify the data, immeasurable, not scientific in any way
The Popperian Criterion - CORRECT ANSWER for a theory to be scientific it must be falsifiable, we must be able
tp imagine an observation that would show the theory is false
Problem of the challenge of psychology - CORRECT ANSWER often studies things that we cannot see directly
like love, aggression, hunger, memory, intelligence
Solution of the challenge of psychology - CORRECT ANSWER using operational definitions: of defining a
construct in terms of specific observable measures
Psychology uses... - CORRECT ANSWER systematic empiricism
falisfiability - CORRECT ANSWER good theories must be testable and able to be falsified (unlike freud)
operational definitions - CORRECT ANSWER we must be able to define invisible constructs to measure them,
precision measurement is important
what makes a good theory - CORRECT ANSWER Parsimony: explain many phenomena with free
astateet/conditions
, Precision: closely related to measurable variables and constructs involved, that is sometimes lacking in psychology
Testability: if a theory cant produce testable hypotheses, it cant be falsified
parsimony - CORRECT ANSWER explain many phenomena with fewer statements/conditions
precision - CORRECT ANSWER closely related to measurable variables and constructs involved, that is
sometimes lacking in psych
testability - CORRECT ANSWER if a theory cant produce a testable hypothesis, it cant be falsified
constructs (intervening varaibles - CORRECT ANSWER unobservable, intervening variables that are really
simplified theories
operational definition - CORRECT ANSWER a definition of the variable in terms of precisely how it is to be
measured
hypothesis - CORRECT ANSWER a specific prediction about a new phenomenon that should be observed if a
particular theory is accurate
the population of interest - CORRECT ANSWER researchers are usually interested in drawing conclusions about
some very large group of people
random sampling - CORRECT ANSWER every member of population has the same chance of being selected to
participate
Convenience Sampling - CORRECT ANSWER sample drawn from people close to you, 90% of research is done
through this as it is more feasible, studying individuals who happen to be nearby and willing to participate
experimental research - CORRECT ANSWER manipulation + control
non-experimental research - CORRECT ANSWER observe + record
laboratory / experimental - CORRECT ANSWER high internal validity, the extent to which your results can be
attributed to the manipulation
field research / non-experimental - CORRECT ANSWER results are generalizable to other circumstances or
settings
psychometrics - CORRECT ANSWER the field of measurement in psychology
measurement - CORRECT ANSWER the assignment of numbers to individals so that the scores represent some
characteristics of the individuals (operationalizing a construct)
simple measurements - CORRECT ANSWER weight, temperature, is consistent
complex measurements - CORRECT ANSWER short term memory, depression, high degrees of
variability/agreement
conceptual definition - CORRECT ANSWER describes the behavior and internal processes that make up that
construct
example of a conceptual definition - CORRECT ANSWER neuroticism is conceptually defined as people tendency
to experience negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, sadness across a variety of situations
"good" operational definitions - CORRECT ANSWER often include some combination of measures (converging
operations)
self report measures - CORRECT ANSWER the participants report on their own thoughts, feelings and actions
ACTUAL Questions and CORRECT Answers
levels of analysis - CORRECT ANSWER Biological: neurochemistry, genetics, brain structures
Individual: personality, perception, cognition, behavior
Social: interpersonal interaction, cultural norms, groups
Goals of psychological science - CORRECT ANSWER Describe: improve understanding of a phenomenon
through systemic observation
Predict: using observed relationships to predict outcomes
Explain: determining the cause
The difference between predict and explanatory research - CORRECT ANSWER how to predict better and more
accurate without actually caring about the reasoning why behind it, explanative is wanting to know the why
Descriptive research question: - CORRECT ANSWER What is the age distribution at which toddlers first produce
two-word utterances in a community sample?
Predictive research question: - CORRECT ANSWER Predict kindergarten readiness scores from preschool
measures (language skills, executive function tasks, parent reports, and classroom observations).
Explanative research question - CORRECT ANSWER Why do people slow down when they're distracted?
Basic Research - CORRECT ANSWER achieving a more detailed understanding of phenomenon, knowledge for
knowledge's sake
applied research - CORRECT ANSWER direction applied to real world problem, solving immediate issues
intuition - CORRECT ANSWER relying on instincts or emotions rather than facts
authority - CORRECT ANSWER accepting ideas because an expert(partent, doctor goverment) says so
tenacity - CORRECT ANSWER refusing to alter acquired knowledge despite evidence to the contrary (bigotry,
habit) still believing what you think you know is true even when you provided with evidence to the contrary
rationalism - CORRECT ANSWER using logic and reasoning
Problem of Falsifiability: Freud - CORRECT ANSWER There is no way to prove him wrong and his hypothesis
You are unable to study unconscious conflict, cannot quantify the data, immeasurable, not scientific in any way
The Popperian Criterion - CORRECT ANSWER for a theory to be scientific it must be falsifiable, we must be able
tp imagine an observation that would show the theory is false
Problem of the challenge of psychology - CORRECT ANSWER often studies things that we cannot see directly
like love, aggression, hunger, memory, intelligence
Solution of the challenge of psychology - CORRECT ANSWER using operational definitions: of defining a
construct in terms of specific observable measures
Psychology uses... - CORRECT ANSWER systematic empiricism
falisfiability - CORRECT ANSWER good theories must be testable and able to be falsified (unlike freud)
operational definitions - CORRECT ANSWER we must be able to define invisible constructs to measure them,
precision measurement is important
what makes a good theory - CORRECT ANSWER Parsimony: explain many phenomena with free
astateet/conditions
, Precision: closely related to measurable variables and constructs involved, that is sometimes lacking in psychology
Testability: if a theory cant produce testable hypotheses, it cant be falsified
parsimony - CORRECT ANSWER explain many phenomena with fewer statements/conditions
precision - CORRECT ANSWER closely related to measurable variables and constructs involved, that is
sometimes lacking in psych
testability - CORRECT ANSWER if a theory cant produce a testable hypothesis, it cant be falsified
constructs (intervening varaibles - CORRECT ANSWER unobservable, intervening variables that are really
simplified theories
operational definition - CORRECT ANSWER a definition of the variable in terms of precisely how it is to be
measured
hypothesis - CORRECT ANSWER a specific prediction about a new phenomenon that should be observed if a
particular theory is accurate
the population of interest - CORRECT ANSWER researchers are usually interested in drawing conclusions about
some very large group of people
random sampling - CORRECT ANSWER every member of population has the same chance of being selected to
participate
Convenience Sampling - CORRECT ANSWER sample drawn from people close to you, 90% of research is done
through this as it is more feasible, studying individuals who happen to be nearby and willing to participate
experimental research - CORRECT ANSWER manipulation + control
non-experimental research - CORRECT ANSWER observe + record
laboratory / experimental - CORRECT ANSWER high internal validity, the extent to which your results can be
attributed to the manipulation
field research / non-experimental - CORRECT ANSWER results are generalizable to other circumstances or
settings
psychometrics - CORRECT ANSWER the field of measurement in psychology
measurement - CORRECT ANSWER the assignment of numbers to individals so that the scores represent some
characteristics of the individuals (operationalizing a construct)
simple measurements - CORRECT ANSWER weight, temperature, is consistent
complex measurements - CORRECT ANSWER short term memory, depression, high degrees of
variability/agreement
conceptual definition - CORRECT ANSWER describes the behavior and internal processes that make up that
construct
example of a conceptual definition - CORRECT ANSWER neuroticism is conceptually defined as people tendency
to experience negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, sadness across a variety of situations
"good" operational definitions - CORRECT ANSWER often include some combination of measures (converging
operations)
self report measures - CORRECT ANSWER the participants report on their own thoughts, feelings and actions
