Exam 1: Statistics and Scientific Method

Intuition is not a valid way of developing research hypotheses.

In order to estimate the amount of TV watched by New York City adults, a sociologist surveys a random sample of adults from this city. The average (mean) of the raw scores is a _________.

Descriptive statistics are used to _________.

Naturalistic observation is rarely used by scientists because it does not make use of the scientific method.

Statistical methods that use sample data to make statements about populations are called inferential statistics.

Define dependent variable.

In order to estimate the height of all students at your university, let's assume you have measured the height of all psychology majors at the university. If you had measured the height scores of all students at your university, the average (mean) of these scores would constitute a _________.

In acquiring knowledge the method that employs logic, reasoning and objective assessment is referred to as _______.

Observational studies involve the manipulation of variables by the investigator.

Observational studies involve the use of independent variables.

In order to estimate the attention level of college undergraduates in the United States, a psychologist measures the attention span of the undergraduates at a local university. The undergraduates at the local university are a _________.

What is the difference between rationalism and the scientific method?

What is the major difference between descriptive and inferential statistics? Illustrate, using an example.

A variable is defined or identified as _________.

The method of authority is opposed to the scientific method.

The variable that the experimenter manipulates is called the _________.

Let's assume you are conducting an experiment to determine the effect of a new drug on the incidence of epileptic seizures. You select 20 epileptics from the 150 epileptics being treated at a nearby hospital and administer the drug to them. You record the number of seizures in each of the 20 subjects for one month. Incidence of seizures is an example of a(n) _________.

In order to estimate the average (mean) weight of all professional football players, an investigator determines the weight of the "Dallas Cowboy" players. The weight of each Dallas Cowboy is(are) called ___________.

In order to estimate the height of all students at your university, let's assume you have measured the height of all psychology majors at the university. The height scores of all psychology majors constitute a _________.

Define descriptive statistics.