Exam 2: Studying Behaviour Scientifically

Imagine that a study has just been published which shows a relationship between a certain nutritional supplement and a lower incidence of cold and flu. This study was based on survey data and asked people to report whether or not they used this supplement in the last four months, as well as estimate the amount of times they were ill in that same period, and the average duration associated with those illnesses. Their results show that people who take the supplement report being ill less often and/or for less time. The company selling the supplement wants to claim that this is scientific proof their product works. What would the company need to do in order to support that claim?

In order for a study to be considered an experiment, there must be both random assignment of subjects/participants to groups, and ___________.

If after analyzing the results of a study it becomes clear that the predictions made by the theory are not supported then the theory can be modified?

The problem in which we can't tell which of two variables causes the other (e.g., does A cause B or does B cause A) is called the third-variable problem.

With regard to the sequence of steps involved in the scientific process, forming hypotheses typically occurs after theory building.

Discuss the concepts of population and sample as they relate to survey research. In your answer be sure to refer to random and representative samples.

A theory that generates new hypotheses and predictions whose accuracy can be examined by gathering a new evidence is considered a non-testable theory?

Experimenter expectancy effects are

The research method in which the researcher observes behaviour occurring in a natural setting is called a case study.

A researcher who is interested in studying the effects of the amount of study time on exam anxiety selects a group of students to take part in her study. One group of students is allowed 10 hours of study time and a second group is allowed 20 hours of study time. Immediately before the exam, the researcher assesses each student's level of anxiety by measuring their blood pressure and heart rate. In this study, the independent variable is the ________, and the dependent variable is the ____________.

A local advertising company wanted to find out what radio station people listened to most often. So they asked various car washing companies to record what was listed as the first preset station on the radios of the cars they were servicing. This observation would be considered

Dr. Deshi has gathered the results of 52 studies on antenatal (during pregnancy) and subsequent postpartum depression to learn whether antenatal depression is a significant risk factor for postpartum depression. To most efficiently combine the results of all 52 studies in a way that allows her to easily see how strongly the two problems are related, she should use a

In experimental research, the researcher manipulates the independent variable and ______________ the dependent variable.

External validity is concerned with how generalizable the results of a study are to other people and settings.

Which of the following refers to any characteristic that can vary?

The notion that if two theories can equally explain and predict the same phenomenon, then the simpler one is the preferred theory is referred to as the law of __________________.

Scientists typically test their understanding through

With regard to survey research it can be said that it is

A college advisor wants to know how much TV students in her dorm are watching, but she has noticed that students tend to leave the TV room when she comes in to see who is watching. To get around this problem, she decides to measure wear-and-tear on the TV remote control as a measure of how much TV is being watched. Like many psychologists, this advisor is using a(n)

What is the double-blind procedure and what are the two types of threats to internal validity it is designed to minimize? In your answer, briefly define these two threats. Give a detailed example of how the double-blind procedure would work within the context of a study investigating the effectiveness of a new medication.