PSY 220: Assignment 1 PDF

Preview

Summary

Research methods assignment 1 for Samar Needham....

Description

PSY 220 Dr. Samar

Needham

Spring 2017 Page 1 of 3

Homework Assignment #1 Due Monday, February 6th, 2017 Assignment must be completed on this document. Do not complete it on a separate document. Save and upload to beachboard. Saving format: LastName_FirstInitial. 1. Why is it important for anyone in our society to have knowledge of research methods? It's important for anyone in our society to have a background in research methods because this way one will be able to look through different research articles and know if the conclusions are rational or not. Many occupations depend on research findings in order to practice on, test and treat people. Professors need to be knowledgeable in the latest teaching and stress-coping strategies to help their students, doctors in the latest medicines to treat their patients and businessmen in the latest marketing strategies to lure their customers. Not only is it significant in many fields, it also influences decisions in regards to public policy. Research has the power to change rulings in the court based on studies coming to significant conclusions. 2. Provide a) definitions and b) examples of description, prediction, determination of cause, and explanation as goals of scientific research. a. Description refers to the reporting of how observed variables relate to one another, whether it be correlation or causation. i. For example, does wearing darker clothes make someone do poorly on a test? Or does the temperature of a room affect participation in a classroom? b. Prediction refers to being knowledgeable of when a behavior will occur due to previously observed behaviors. i. For example, if having a colder room sparks an increase in participation in a classroom, a professor can expect this behavior to occur and make the decision to lower the temperature in the room. c. Determination of cause refers to identification of the exact cause of certain behaviors, not solely on the basis that one thing occurs in presence of the other. i. For example, it can be that eating ramen increases class participation but it can also be that people who naturally participate like to eat ramen on a daily basis. d. Explanation refers to understanding why these behaviors occur and how they tie in together. Further research can increase or decrease its credibility. i. For example, if it is determined that drinking apple juice before a driving test increases one's score then further research may be done to see how apple juice stimulates either memory or another part of the brain in order to achieve a positive score on the test. 3. Describe the 3 elements for inferring causation. a. Temporal precedence refers to the establishment that the cause indeed came before the effect.

PSY 220 Dr. Samar

Needham

Spring 2017 Page 2 of 3

i. For example, establishing that one became hungry due to the showing of an image of pizza and not that the person was already hungry. b. Covariation of cause and effect refers to the establishment that when the cause is present, the effect is also present and vice versa. i. For example, establishing that one becomes hungry when shown the image of pizza and that one will not be hungry when not shown the image of pizza. c. Alternative explanation refers to the elimination that there can be another explanation other than one variable causing the other. i. For example, eliminating that one becomes hungry when shown the picture because they haven't eaten all day. 4. How does basic research differ from applied research? Applied research focuses on addressing immediate problems that have practical implications. On the other hand, basic research focuses on issues relating to scientific phenomena and the nature of behavior that in a way lays the foundation for applied research. 5. What is a hypothesis? What is the distinction between a hypothesis and a prediction? While a research question is a very broad set of ideas, a hypothesis makes these ideas testable as it is very specific and will either be supported or refuted by later evidence. A prediction, on the other hand, is a guess at the outcome of the hypothesis. 6. What are the 2 functions of a theory? The first function of a theory is to organize and explain descriptions of behavior and facts in order to help put them together and make them more comprehensible. The second function of a theory is to generate new knowledge by influencing new research hypotheses to test in relation to that theory. 7. Thomas accidentally put on two different colors of socks before his soccer match. During the game, he scored more goals than he ever had previously. From that point on, he wore mismatched socks for good luck. Every time he scored a goal, he would look down at his socks and smile. When he would play poorly, he rarely thought of the socks and instead reasoned that other factors (e.g., his teammates, the condition of the field) played a role in his poor performance. Which of the following concepts is illustrated here? B a. Pseudoscience b. Illusory correlation c. Authority d. Skepticism 8. Once we know that two behavioral variables are related, we are able to ___ A____ . a. Predict behavior b. Infer causation c. Influence behavior

PSY 220 Dr. Samar

Needham

Spring 2017 Page 3 of 3

d. Change behavior 9. Dr. Gates is conducting a study on the effects of exercise on healthy diet. He asks his study participants how active they are and gives them a questionnaire to rate their current level of happiness. He finds that those who run or ride their bikes to work eat more vegetables and less fattening foods than those who drive to work. Based on his observations, is it safe for Dr. Gates to conclude that physical activity causes healthier eating? Choose the best answer. E a. Yes, because those who exercise regularly are eating healthier foods. b. Yes, because those who drive to work are eating less healthy foods. c. No, because he has not determined whether exercise preceded healthy eating. d. No, because he has not ruled out alternative explanations. e. No, because he has not determined whether exercise preceded healthy eating and because he has not ruled out alternative explanations. 10. To know how to __B__ behavior, we need to know the __B__ of behavior. a. eliminate; result b. predict; cause c. change; cause d. manipulate; root...