Chapter 1, Science, Psychology, and You Video Solutions, Research Design Explained

Problem 1

Give one example of a testable statement and one example of an untestable statement. Is your untestable statement untestable because (a) it is vague (possibly because it lacks operational definitions), (b) it is an after-the-fact explanation, or (c) some other reason? State at least one advantage of scientists making testable statements.

Emily Terlap

Numerade Educator

01:30

Problem 2

Give an example of an operational definition of a concept, such as love. How does your operational definition differ from a dictionary definition of that concept? How do operational definitions help psychology to
a. be objective?
b. make testable statements?
c. be public?
d. be productive?

Mayukh Banik

Numerade Educator

01:24

Problem 3

How does the ability of psychologists to replicate each other's work help psychology to be
a. skeptical?
b. open-minded?
c. productive?

Sarah Howell

Numerade Educator

00:25

Problem 4

Match the following to the qualities of science.
______testable
______skeptical
______objective
______public
______productive
a. allows science to learn from mistakes
b. observable, unbiased evidence
c. publishing reports of research does this
d. question authority
e. science works

Emily Himsel

Numerade Educator

00:45

Problem 5

Name at least two similarities between a scientist and a detective.

Lizabeth Tumminello

Numerade Educator

00:31

Problem 6

Physicists can't accurately predict certain simple events. For example, physicists have trouble with such questions as, "If you drop a basketball from a table, how many times will it bounce-and what will be the pattern of those bounces?" Which characteristic of science is threatened by physicists' failure to answer this question? What implications, if any, does this failure have for psychology?

Eugene Schneider

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

03:37

Problem 7

Some early psychologists studied and reported on their own thoughts. For example, a person would solve a mathematical problem and then report on everything that went on in his mind during the time that he worked on the problem. What quality of science was missing in these studies?

Vishal Sharma

Numerade Educator

00:39

Problem 8

From what you know about astrology, grade it as "pass" or "fail" on the following scientific characteristics:
a. Makes testable statements
b. Is productive (knowledge refined, new discoveries made)
c. Seeks objective, unbiased evidence to determine the accuracy of beliefs

Quoc Tran

Numerade Educator

02:36

Problem 9

According to some, iridology is the "science" of determining people's health by looking at their eyes. Practitioners tend not to publish research, they don't try to verify their diagnoses through other means, and different practitioners will diagnose the same patient very differently. What characteristics of science does iridology have? Where does it fall short?

Bryan Valdivia

Numerade Educator

00:48

Problem 10

Some claim that psychoanalysis is not a science. They attack it by claiming that it lacks certain characteristics of science. Following are three such attacks. For each attack, name the characteristic of science

Lizabeth Tumminello

Numerade Educator