Learning Objectives

After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Describe the strengths and weaknesses of common sense.
2. List and explain the two core assumptions on which the scientific method is based, mentioning the significance of critical thinking.
3. List and explain the five steps of the scientific method by referring to a classic study on interpersonal attraction.
4. Explain how a recent study on the ability to detect drunkenness seriously questions the validity of everyday wisdom.
5. List and offer illustrative examples of the four goals of scientific research, emphasizing key concepts such as operational definition, theory, etc.
6. List and describe five research methods that describe behavior, emphasizing the strengths and weaknesses of each.
7. Explain the importance of standardization, reliability, and validity for psychological testing.
8. Explain the nature of correlational research in making predictions about behavior, distinguishing between positive and negative correlations.
9. Explain why correlation does not mean causation.
10. Describe the experimental method, explaining the difference between independent variables-- including experimental and control conditions--and dependent variables.
11. Define internal validity, explaining the three main threats to it and how these threats may be minimized.
12. Explain the impact of experimenter bias in an experiment with laboratory rats.
13. Define external validity and explain the importance of this concept in understanding the results of psychological research.
14. Describe the function of descriptive statistics; list and explain three measures of central tendency and three measures of variability.
15. Describe what information is summarized in a coefficient of correlation.
16. Describe the function of inferential statistics, emphasizing concepts such as statistical significance in explaining behavior.
17. Describe the core concept of meta-analysis.
18. List and explain six important principles relevant to the ethical treatment of human beings in research.
19. Summarize the pros and cons concerning the issue of deception in research.
20. Summarize the important issues in the controversy regarding the use of animals in scientific research, distinguishing between advocates of animal rights versus animal welfare.