why is research method important
-Scientific research has become prominent in public policy and
judicial decisions
-Developing and assessing the effectiveness of goal-oriented
programs
-Informed citizens need knowledge of research methods for
everyday decisions
-Many occupations require
what are some ways of knowing
-Intuition
-Authority
- Illusory correlation
What is intuition and some of limitations?
- using logic and personal thoughts to come to conclusion
limitations:
What is authority and some of it's limitations
-Many accept statements based on faith in the authority
Limitation:Scientific approach rejects the notion of authority and requires much more evidence before conclusions can be
drawn
values
an approach to understanding
-when science combines Critical thought + Empiricism
Methods
Rules"for collecting
evidence
Content
facts and finding
Science is adversarial
-others try to prove or disprove it
-Falsifiability: Testable scientific ideas that can be falsified by data
Scientific evidence is peer reviewed
-Peer review: Process of evaluation of the research before it is published
in a journal
Pseudoscience
-Fake science in which scientific terms and
demonstrations are used to substantiate claims that have no
basis in scientific research
what are the goals for behavioral science
Describe behavior
Predict behavior
Determine the causes of behavior
Temporal precedence:
-Temporal order of events in which the cause
precedes the effect
Covariation of cause and effect:
- Effect occurs only in the presence of
cause
Correlation DOES NOT Equal Causation
...
what are the 3 Components of Critical Thinking
Active- to Seek (new & diverse) information rather than passively accepting an existing or traditional
conclusion
Skeptical- Suspend belief until there is evidence
Creative- Develop and consider alternative explanations or interpretations
-Imagine differe
what are the 2 types of research
basic and applied research
Basic Research
-Attempts to answer fundamental questions about the nature of
behavior (usually conducted at universities)
Applied research
-Conducted to address issues in which there are practical problems and
potential solutions
- often guided by theories and findings of basic research
Comparing basic and applied research
-Neither is considered superior to the other
hypothesis
- idea or question waiting for
evidence to support or refute it
phenomenon
-broad or general question about our world
- what needs further explanation
theory
what we believe best explains a phenomenon
methods
-empirical evidence to test the hypothesis
Which of the following statements is true of the scientific approach to acquiring knowledge?
-Both intuition and authority can be sources of ideas about behavior.
Isaac has decided to purchase several copies of a new children's book because he has a feeling that the availability of this book will be scarce in the future. Which of the following best explains Isaac's behavior?
Intuition
Which of the following is an advantage of the scientific approach over other ways of knowing about the world
Providing an objective set of rules for gathering, evaluating, and reporting information
Scientific _________________ means that ideas must be evaluated on the basis of careful logic and results from scientific investigations.
skepticism
Scientists often rely on intuition and assertions of authorities to
generate ideas for research
Empiricism
is the idea that knowledge is based on observations.
The fundamental characteristic of the scientific approach is:
empiricism.
. Which of the following is a characteristic of scientific inquiry as described by Goodstein's evolved theory of science
Science is a way of thinking in which ideas do battle with other ideas in order to move ever closer to truth.
. An empirical approach to science requires that:
A. scientific observations be accurately reported to other scientists and the public.
B. scientists accept on faith the pronouncements of anyone.
*C. knowledge be based on observations. D. ideas be evaluated on the basis of intuitions.
A claim without a scientific base that a product or procedure will enhance a person's memory, relieve depression, or treat autism or post-traumatic stress disorder, is an example of
pseudoscience
. Which of the following characterizes pseudoscience
A. It answers fundamental questions about the nature of behavior.
B. It reflects the basic processes of behavior rather than immediate practical implications.
*C. It expresses claims using seemingly scientific terms and demonstrations.
D. It assesses the
According to Goodstein, which characteristic of scientific enquiry states that for scientists, knowledge is primarily based on observations and that scientists enthusiastically search for observations that will verify or reject their ideas about the world
*A. Data play a central role
B. Scientists are not alone.
C. Science is adversarial.
D. Scientific evidence is peer reviewed.
Which of the following is an example of pseudoscience?
Facilitated communication
Which of the following is the first goal of behavioral science?
D. Describing behavior
Which of the following is the final goal of behavioral science?
A. Determining the causes of behavior
B. Predicting behavior
*C. Explaining behavior
D. Describing behavior
The four goals of scientific research on behavior are to
describe, predict, explain, and determine the causes of behavior
Sharon wishes to identify the food items that are purchased most frequently in the student cafeteria, and, for the purpose, she observes the students' purchasing patterns. This scenario exemplifies the goal of science to
describe behavior
In the case of knowing that watching television violence is a predictor of actual aggression, which of the following evidence accentuates the need to know that aggression followed after television viewing occurred
-Temporal precedence
In determining the cause of behavior, which principle considers the order when two events occur together
Temporal precedence
Kenneth knows that when Jeremy drinks alcohol, he becomes very talkative. This identification of a cause of behavior exemplifies
-temporal precedence
45. In order to conclude that watching television violence gives rise to aggressive behavior in children, researchers need to show that children who watch television violence behave aggressively and that children who do not watch television violence do no
A. temporal precedence
*B. covariation of cause and effect
C. alternative explanations
D. illusory correlations
Professor Gordon finds that students who read newspapers daily display more knowledge of current events than students who do not read newspapers daily. What type of evidence does this identification of a cause of behavior exemplify
Covariation of cause and effect
Determining the cause of behavior is an important goal of behavioral science because
A. behavior cannot be altered unless the cause is known.
In the context of the goals of behavioral research, the statement "People eat more when they are alone than when they are with friends" exemplifies _____ behavior.
describing
According to Cook and Campbell, what are the three types of evidence used to identify the cause of a behavior?
Temporal precedence, covariation of cause and effect, and alternative explanations
Which of the following journal-article titles is an example of basic research?
A. "Teaching youths with autism to offer assistance" B. "Encouraging recycling: An evaluation of a media campaign"
*C. "Effect of situational factors on assessment of blame: A test of attribution theory"
D. "Will they stay or will they go? The role of job
Which of the following journal-article titles most likely represents an applied research study?
A. "Measurement of reaction times to different colored lights"
B. "The influence of a food reward on maze running behavior in kittens"
C. "Cognitive factors influencing logical reasoning"
*D. "Increasing recycling of styrofoam containers: A test at an amu
Which of the following journal article titles represents an example of a basic research study?
*A. "The effect of self-awareness on a cognitive reasoning task"
B. "Buying behavior: The influence of item shelf placement in retail grocery stores"
C. "Increasing knowledge of dangers in the home: A tri-state phone survey"
D. "A peer tutoring program as
Identify a true statement about basic and applied research.
A. Applied research tries to answer fundamental questions about the nature of behavior, whereas basic research is conducted to address issues in which there are practical problems and potential solutions.
*B. The distinction between basic and applied rese
Which of the following is true of applied research?
A. It is considered more valuable than basic research.
*B. It is often guided by the findings of basic research.
C. It is designed to answer fundamental questions about the nature of behavior.
D. It is of value only if the results are published.
The distinction between basic research and applied research is that basic research:
basic research focuses on fundamental questions, often of a theoretical nature, whereas applied research focuses on identifying and resolving practical problems.