PSY 250 Study Guide - Quiz Guide: Strong Inference
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Study guide quiz 1: control, observe, explain, predict. Four characteristics of scientific explanations: general- apply beyond original observation, empirical- based on objective/systematic observations based on data, rational- follow rules of logic, tentative- always changeable; never accepted as absolutes. Three strategies for testing theories: conformational, disconformational- focus on the result that does not prove the theory, strong inference. Types of data: nominal: categorical/ qualitative, gender, hair color, gait (labels, ordinal: the order is significant, the variance is not. Interval: we know the order and the exact difference between values. No true zero: the(cid:396)e is (cid:374)ot (cid:862)(cid:374)o te(cid:373)pe(cid:396)atu(cid:396)e(cid:863) (cid:448)alue, ratio: contain true zero, order, and difference between values, ex. Weight: dichotomous: y/n, t/f, continuous: any value, discrete: only integers. The scientific method: make an educated prediction- hypothesis, research- collect data, draw a conclusion, peer-review process. Hypothesis is a specific question that tests a couple variables and can be tested.
