Psychology Chapter: Science vs. Pseudoscience

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Questions and Answers

What defines empirical knowing?

Reliant on consensus and intuition

Grounded in systematic observation and experimentation (correct)

Focuses on anecdotal evidence and beliefs

Based on personal experiences and authority

Which characteristic is NOT associated with pseudoscience?

Relies on anecdotal evidence

Lacks falsifiability

Evidence-based (correct)

Resistant to change with new evidence

Which of the following is NOT a goal of science?

Explain underlying mechanisms of behavior

Accept authority without question (correct)

Predict behavior

Identify causes of behavior

What is a necessary criterion for establishing causation?

Temporal precedence of the cause Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes operationalization in research?

Establishing measurable terms for variables Signup and view all the answers

Which type of validity assesses the accuracy of measurement within a study?

Construct validity Signup and view all the answers

In a research design, what is a case study primarily used for?

In-depth analysis of a single instance Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic is NOT needed for a good theory in psychological research?

Comprehensiveness to cover all possible outcomes Signup and view all the answers

What aspect distinguishes empirical knowing from ordinary knowing?

Systematic observation and experimentation Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic is crucial for science to be considered valid?

Falsifiability Signup and view all the answers

What is the first step in the research process?

Hypothesis formation Signup and view all the answers

Which type of variable is manipulated during an experiment?

Independent Variable Signup and view all the answers

What type of validity evaluates the extent to which results can be generalized to real-world settings?

External Validity Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a necessary condition for establishing causation?

High correlation Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic is pivotal for a good theory beyond being testable?

Comprehensive Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a case study in psychological research?

In-depth analysis of a single case Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Empirical vs. Ordinary Knowing

Empirical knowing relies on systematic observation, evidence, and experimentation (like science).
Ordinary knowing uses subjective methods like personal experiences, intuitions, authority (trusting credible sources), consensus (popular agreement), and logical speculation.

Science vs. Pseudoscience

Science characteristics:
- Evidence-based
- Falsifiable (able to be proven wrong)
- Systematic and testable
Pseudoscience characteristics:
- Lacks falsifiability
- Relies on anecdotal evidence
- Resistant to change despite new evidence
- Overemphasizes confirmation over refutation

Goals of Science

Describe behavior: Observing and cataloging behavior patterns.
Predict behavior: Identifying conditions where behaviors are likely to occur.
Identify causes of behavior: Establishing cause-and-effect relationships.
Understand/explain behavior: Explaining underlying mechanisms and theories.

Psychology as a Science

Psychology is a necessary science, using empirical methods and systematic approaches.
Psychology is a sufficient science when applying rigorous methodology.
Criterion for causation in psychology requires:
- Temporal precedence (cause happens before effect)
- Covariation of cause and effect (when cause changes, so does effect)
- Elimination of alternative explanations

Steps of Research

Hypothesis formation.
Characteristics of good theories: comprehensive, heuristic (inspire new research), testable, parsimonious (simple and concise), and integrative.
Operationalization: Defining variables in measurable terms.
Variables: independent (manipulated), dependent (measured).
Research design: experiment (manipulation and control), correlation (relationship), case study (in-depth analysis of a single case).

Validity in Research

Reliability: Consistency of results.
Types of validity:
- Internal validity: Cause-and-effect within the study.
- External validity: Generalizability to real-world settings.
- Construct validity: Accuracy of measurement.
Threats to validity: extraneous variables (uncontrolled factors), design flaws (e.g., history, maturation, testing effects).

APA Ethics Code

General principles: Ethical guidelines for research conduct, including informed consent and avoiding plagiarism.

Additional Information

Standards (Section 8): Specifics for research and publication, including informed consent and avoiding plagiarism.
APA Style: Refer to Purdue OWL or Kuther Chapter 8 for citation format details.
Key Readings: Stanovich (2019) for scientific thinking in psychology, and Kuther (2020) for fundamental knowledge.

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Description

This quiz explores the differences between empirical and ordinary knowing, along with distinguishing science from pseudoscience. Understand the critical elements of scientific inquiry and its goals in describing, predicting, and explaining behavior. Test your knowledge on these fundamental concepts in psychology.