Correct. Confirmation bias is the tendency to look for information that supports one’s own belief.
c) criterion validity
d) volunteer bias
Topic: The Scientific Approach
ANS: b, Remember the Facts, LO 1.5 Recall the five steps of the scientific approach., (1)
APA=2.4
TB_01_90_The Scientific Approach_Analyze_LO 1.5, APA 2.4
Testing a hypothesis is the third step in a scientific investigation. This step is derived from which goal of psychology?
a) description
Incorrect. The question comes from observing a situation and asking “What is happening?” This is a description.
b) explanation
Correct. Testing a hypothesis attempts to explain the question you are asking.
c) prediction
d) control
Topic: The Scientific Approach
ANS: b, Analyze It, LO 1.5 Recall the five steps of the scientific approach., (3)
APA=2.4
TB_01_91_The Scientific Approach_Understand_LO 1.5, APA 2.4
What is one of the major reasons that psychologists report results publicly?
a) to comply with legal requirements
Incorrect. There are no legal requirements to report results publicly.
b) to identify all the extraneous variables
c) to allow researchers to replicate experiments
Correct. Public reporting of results allows others to test the conclusions.
d) to explain research results so that non-psychologists can understand them
Topic: The Scientific Approach
ANS: c, Understand the Concepts, LO 1.5 Recall the five steps of the scientific approach., (1)
% correct 96 a= 4 b= 0 c= 96 d= 0 r = .23
APA=2.4
TB_01_92_The Scientific Approach_Remember_LO 1.5, APA 2.4
Researchers must report their results completely whether the hypothesis was supported or not. Complete reporting is necessary for the purpose of ________.
a) educational knowledge
b) replication
Correct. Others must know what was done so they can repeat the procedure and make sure everything was done correctly.
c) finding a better way to support the hypothesis
Incorrect. Complete reporting of methods is mainly for replication, not just finding support of the hypothesis.
d) publication
Topic: The Scientific Approach
ANS: b, Remember the Facts, LO 1.5 Recall the five steps of the scientific approach., (2)
APA=2.4
TB_01_93_The Scientific Approach_Apply_LO 1.5, APA 2.4
Which of the following is an empirical question?
a) “Would Martin Luther King, Jr., have been a good president?”
Incorrect. This question cannot be answered through experimentation, observation, or measurement.
b) “What is the meaning of life?”
c) “Was World War II necessary?”
d) “Is there life on other planets?”
Correct. This question can be answered through observation, experimentation, and measurements.
Topic: The Scientific Approach
ANS: d, Apply What You Know, LO 1.5 Recall the five steps of the scientific approach., (3)
APA=2.4
TB_01_94_The Scientific Approach_Apply_LO 1.5, APA 2.4
Which of the following is NOT an empirical question?
a) “Will you get an A in this class?”
b) “Is there life on Mars?”
c) “Did the universe start with a big bang?”