Question 1

A claim must be testable in order to be useful. However, we also need this claim to
A)contradict the available body of evidence.
B)be detailed and, when necessary, complex in its explanation of the evidence.
C)be replicated by others.
D)be unique to a specific sample without overgeneralising to a larger population.

Accepted Answer

A claim that is testable but cannot be replicated by others is not useful because it cannot be verified or validated through independent research. Contradicting the available body of evidence may indicate that the claim is false, but it does not necessarily make it more useful. Similarly, being detailed and complex in its explanation does not necessarily make a claim more useful if it cannot be tested or replicated. Overgeneralizing a claim to a larger population is also problematic, but it does not necessarily make a claim less testable or useful.

Question 2

Apply the critical-thinking principles discussed in Chapter 1 to a discussion of how science is an approach to evidence.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Apply the critical-thinking principles discussed in Chapter...

Question 3

Suppose Dr Honeydew is proposing a theory of attraction that posits that "opposites attract". Most of the available evidence suggests that "birds of a feather flock together" (i.e., similarities attract)rather than opposites attract. For his theory to be accepted by the scientific community, Dr Honeydew will need to
A)adhere to the principle of parsimony in his theoretical explanation.
B)construct a falsifiable theory of attraction.
C)demonstrate the replicability of his initial findings.
D)supply extraordinary evidence to support his extraordinary claim.

Accepted Answer

Dr Honeydew's theory contradicts the prevailing evidence, making it an extraordinary claim. Therefore, he must provide extraordinary evidence to support it.

Question 4

Professor Clark gives her students an assignment to develop hypotheses on global warming. To be consistent with a scientific method, students should develop their hypotheses based on
A)their own existing beliefs about the issue.
B)reports discussed on television.
C)untestable predictions.
D)a well-supported scientific theory.

Accepted Answer

To be consistent with the scientific method, hypotheses should be based on a well-supported scientific theory, rather than personal beliefs or untestable predictions. TV reports are not as reliable as scientific theories.

Question 5

Astrologers, before attempting to demonstrate their abilities, often try to explain away inaccurate predictions. Such excuses violate the critical-thinking principle of
A)testability.
B)scepticism.
C)Occam's Razor.
D)replicability.

Accepted Answer

Astrologers' excuses for inaccurate predictions violate the principle of testability, as they avoid providing predictions that can be tested and potentially proven false.

Question 6

Dr Richburg's botany class gathers specimens outside of the classroom for further study. Dr Richburg instructs his students to develop a scientific theory that helps explain the biodiversity of the plants. The resulting theory should
A)provide an educated guess about the biodiversity of the plants.
B)explain observations about the plants and predict new findings about plant biodiversity.
C)explain a few findings about the biodiversity of the plants.
D)interpret what has already been discovered about the biodiversity of the plants.

Accepted Answer

A scientific theory should not just provide an educated guess or interpret existing findings, but should also explain observations and make predictions about future findings. Therefore, option B is the correct answer as it includes both explanation and prediction aspects of a scientific theory.

Question 7

According to the authors, one of the bottom lines of scientific thinking is
A)if a claim is extraordinary, we should trust what the authorities say.
B)if a claim runs counter to what we already know, we can accept it if it appears in a peer-reviewed journal.
C)if a claim runs counter to what we already know, it should be supported by extraordinary evidence.
D)if a claim contradicts what we already know, we should disregard it even if it appears in a scientific journal.

Accepted Answer

The authors state that one of the bottom lines of scientific thinking is that if a claim runs counter to what we already know, it should be supported by extraordinary evidence. This means that just because something appears in a peer-reviewed journal or is promoted by authorities, we should not blindly trust it if it goes against established scientific knowledge. Instead, we should look for solid evidence that supports the claim.

Question 8

During a class discussion on the effects of daycare on later social adjustment, Dr Barnes frequently reminded her students to focus on the scientific evidence rather than on their feelings about daycare. Dr Barnes is promoting ________ in his students.

Accepted Answer

The answer of During a class discussion on the effects...

Question 9

If a psychologist were to develop a theory of cognitive development, he or she would want the theory to explain ________ observations.
A)a moderate number of
B)a small number of
C)a substantial number of
D)very few

Accepted Answer

A theory of cognitive development should aim to explain a substantial number of observations to be considered valid and useful. It should be able to account for a wide range of phenomena related to cognitive development, such as changes in perception, attention, memory, language, and reasoning across different ages and contexts. The theory should also be supported by empirical evidence from various sources of research, including studies of typical and atypical development, cross-cultural comparisons, and longitudinal designs. A theory that only explains a small or moderate number of observations would be too limited in scope and may not have much practical or theoretical value.

Question 10

Dr Rashad offers the class an explanation for an extensive group of research findings connecting emotionality and nonverbal communication. Her explanation for this group of findings is a(n)
A)hypothesis.
B)empirical conclusion.
C)operational definition.
D)scientific theory.

Accepted Answer

An explanation for a group of research findings connecting emotionality and nonverbal communication would be a scientific theory, which is a well-substantiated explanation for a phenomenon that is fully supported by empirical evidence.

Question 11

An explanation for a large number of findings in the natural world is what a scientist would call a(n)________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of An explanation for a large number of...

Question 12

A key aspect of scientific scepticism is
A)critical thinking.
B)dogmatic belief.
C)narrow-mindedness.
D)reliance on authority.

Accepted Answer

Scientific scepticism relies on critical thinking, examining evidence and questioning assumptions, rather than blindly accepting authority or adhering to dogmatic beliefs. Narrow-mindedness would be counterproductive to scientific scepticism.

Question 13

A science is defined by
A)knowledge.
B)its concern with solving real-life practical problems.
C)its popularity among the general public.
D)its processes for gathering evidence.

Accepted Answer

Science is primarily defined by its processes for gathering evidence, such as the scientific method. While knowledge and solving practical problems may be outcomes of scientific inquiry, they are not exclusive to science and therefore cannot define it. Popularity among the general public also does not define the scientific nature of a field.

Question 14

Scientific scepticism requires that any claim is met with a(n)________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Scientific scepticism requires that any claim is...

Question 15

An astute observer of human nature should state research questions in a manner that leads either to their being supported or refuted by the available evidence. This is the critical-thinking principle of
A)testability.
B)Occam's Razor.
C)replicability.
D)ruling out rival hypotheses.

Accepted Answer

The principle of testability states that research questions should be formulated in a way that can be empirically tested, either by being supported or refuted by available evidence. This is essential for ensuring that research is evidence-based and credible. Occam's Razor is a principle that suggests that the simplest explanation is usually the best, while replicability refers to the ability of research findings to be replicated or reproduced by other researchers. Ruling out rival hypotheses is a principle that involves considering and eliminating alternative explanations for research findings. While all of these principles are important in scientific research, only the principle of testability relates directly to formulating research questions.

Question 16

In the natural world, there often are many different factors associated with the occurrence of a particular outcome. Therefore, it is important that we as critical thinkers ________ whenever possible.
A)create untestable theories
B)propose complex statements of causation
C)remember that correlation equals causation
D)rule out rival hypotheses

Accepted Answer

It is important to rule out rival hypotheses by considering other possible explanations for the occurrence of a particular outcome. This helps to ensure that we are not attributing causation to a factor that may not be relevant or may have a confounding effect. Creating untestable theories, proposing complex statements of causation, and assuming correlation equals causation are all examples of poor critical thinking practices that can lead to incorrect conclusions.

Question 17

Which of the following would be best described as an "educated guess"?
A)Method
B)Theory
C)Hypothesis
D)Design

Accepted Answer

A hypothesis is an educated guess, based on observation and previous knowledge, that can be tested and potentially proven or disproven through scientific experimentation or observation. A method is a specific procedure used to conduct experiments or research, a theory is a well-established explanation for a phenomenon that has been extensively tested and supported by evidence, and a design refers to the plan or blueprint for an experiment or research study.

Question 18

Using the principle of Occam's Razor, a good theory is one that is the ________ explanation for the available data.
A)most complex
B)most popular
C)most conventional
D)most simple

Accepted Answer

Occam's Razor suggests that the simplest explanation that accounts for all the available data is most likely to be the correct one. Therefore, the best theory is the most simple explanation for the data.

Question 19

In science, a scientific theory is defined as a(n)
A)educated opinion about the natural world.
B)explanation for a large number of findings in the natural world.
C)personal understanding of natural laws.
D)testable prediction about the natural world.

Accepted Answer

A scientific theory is an explanation for a large number of findings in the natural world. It is based on well-supported hypotheses and has been repeatedly tested and confirmed through observation and experimentation. It is supported by a vast amount of evidence and is widely accepted by the scientific community.

Question 20

When a psychologist mentions the term scientific theory, he or she is referring to something that
A)explains a single event.
B)explains a wide range of observations.
C)is no better an explanation than another person's opinion.
D)refers to an educated guess.

Accepted Answer

A scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that is acquired through the scientific method and repeatedly tested and confirmed through observation and experimentation. Therefore, it is expected to explain a wide range of observations, not just a single event. It is also based on empirical evidence and not just an opinion or guess.

Quiz 1: Science and Pseudoscience in Psychology

A claim must be testable in order to be useful. However, we also need this claim to

Apply the critical-thinking principles discussed in Chapter 1 to a discussion of how science is an approach to evidence.

Professor Clark gives her students an assignment to develop hypotheses on global warming. To be consistent with a scientific method, students should develop their hypotheses based on

Astrologers, before attempting to demonstrate their abilities, often try to explain away inaccurate predictions. Such excuses violate the critical-thinking principle of

Dr Richburg's botany class gathers specimens outside of the classroom for further study. Dr Richburg instructs his students to develop a scientific theory that helps explain the biodiversity of the plants. The resulting theory should

According to the authors, one of the bottom lines of scientific thinking is

During a class discussion on the effects of daycare on later social adjustment, Dr Barnes frequently reminded her students to focus on the scientific evidence rather than on their feelings about daycare. Dr Barnes is promoting ________ in his students.

If a psychologist were to develop a theory of cognitive development, he or she would want the theory to explain ________ observations.

Dr Rashad offers the class an explanation for an extensive group of research findings connecting emotionality and nonverbal communication. Her explanation for this group of findings is a(n)

An explanation for a large number of findings in the natural world is what a scientist would call a(n)________.

A key aspect of scientific scepticism is

A science is defined by

Scientific scepticism requires that any claim is met with a(n)________.

An astute observer of human nature should state research questions in a manner that leads either to their being supported or refuted by the available evidence. This is the critical-thinking principle of

In the natural world, there often are many different factors associated with the occurrence of a particular outcome. Therefore, it is important that we as critical thinkers ________ whenever possible.

Which of the following would be best described as an "educated guess"?

Using the principle of Occam's Razor, a good theory is one that is the ________ explanation for the available data.

In science, a scientific theory is defined as a(n)

When a psychologist mentions the term scientific theory, he or she is referring to something that