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Based on the definition of psychology as a science, explain how the researcher's response to the blog article illustrates the scientific nature of psychology. What specific aspects of the discipline's approach does their action demonstrate?
Case context: A popular lifestyle blog publishes an article claiming that people who eat chocolate while studying always get higher grades, arguing that 'it just makes sense' that sugar improves brain power. A psychology researcher reads this claim and decides to conduct a study where they randomly assign students to study with or without chocolate, and then objectively measure their test scores.
Question: Based on the definition of psychology as a science, explain how the researcher's response to the blog article illustrates the scientific nature of psychology. What specific aspects of the discipline's approach does their action demonstrate?
Sample answer: The researcher's response illustrates psychology's scientific nature because they refuse to accept the blog's unverified claim based on 'common sense' (that sugar improves brain power). Instead, the researcher applies the general empirical approach by choosing to gather empirical evidence through the systematic observation of measuring actual test scores under controlled conditions.
Key points:
- Identifies the blog's claim as an unverified claim or an appeal to 'common sense'.
- Recognizes that psychology, as a science, does not rely on such unverified claims.
- Explains that testing the claim by measuring scores is an example of gathering empirical evidence.
- Connects the researcher's testing method to the concept of systematic observation.
Rubric: The student should correctly identify that the researcher is rejecting common sense and unverified claims, and instead applying an empirical approach using systematic observation.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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