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Based on the scenario, identify the method of knowing the student is relying upon and explain why relying solely on this method raises important questions about trustworthiness in psychological research.
Case context: A student researcher is writing an introduction for a psychology paper on the effects of screen time on adolescent anxiety. Instead of looking for peer-reviewed journal articles, the student cites a popular daytime television talk show host who stated that 'smartphones are causing a massive epidemic of anxiety in teens.' The student accepts this claim as fact and builds their research design around it.
Question: Based on the scenario, identify the method of knowing the student is relying upon and explain why relying solely on this method raises important questions about trustworthiness in psychological research.
Sample answer: The student is relying on the method of authority, specifically the media (the talk show host), to acquire knowledge. Relying solely on this method raises questions about trustworthiness because the information is accepted unconditionally simply due to the source's status, rather than being evaluated through empirical evidence or the scientific method.
Key points:
- Identifies the method of authority.
- Explains that the method involves accepting information unconditionally based on the source's status.
- Notes that the claim lacks empirical evidence or scientific evaluation.
- Highlights that authority figures (like the media) may not always provide scientifically accurate information.
Rubric: Full credit requires identifying the method of authority and explaining that it involves accepting information without verification, highlighting the lack of scientific scrutiny.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
Related
Limitations of the Method of Authority
Benefits of the Method of Authority
Evaluating Authority
Idea Generation in the Scientific Method
Example of the Method of Authority: Making the Bed
Which of the following best describes the method of authority as an approach to acquiring knowledge?
Match each aspect of the 'method of authority' with the scenario or characteristic that best illustrates its role in acquiring knowledge in psychology.
A student researcher adopts a specific measurement scale for their study solely because their faculty advisor stated it is the most reliable tool available, rather than reviewing any empirical research to verify its reliability. In this scenario, the student is primarily using the method of authority to acquire knowledge.
A researcher decides to measure 'grit' using a specific questionnaire simply because a famous psychologist endorsed it in a recent interview. This represents a reliance on the method of authority because the researcher is failing to ________ the prestige of the psychologist from the empirical reliability of the measurement tool.
A student is deciding whether to accept a claim about the impact of sleep on memory made by a famous clinical psychologist on a news program. To move from a purely 'method of authority' approach to a scientifically evaluative one, arrange the following steps in order from the least critical to the most critical form of assessment.
Under the method of authority as an approach to acquiring knowledge, on what basis do individuals accept a new idea or piece of information as true?
Relying on the method of authority means that a claim is accepted as true because of the social or professional position of the person making the claim, rather than because it is supported by empirical evidence.
Match each hypothetical research scenario to the specific source of authority (as identified in the method of authority) that the researcher is relying upon for their knowledge.
A student researcher decides to use a specific survey to measure anxiety because a well-known clinical psychologist stated in a textbook that it is the best measure, rather than reviewing its validity statistics. In this scenario, the student's reliance on the psychologist's statement as a source of truth represents the method of _____.
Order the steps a student researcher should take to move from a blind reliance on the method of authority to evaluating a claim using the scientific method.
Define the 'method of authority' as an approach to acquiring knowledge and list at least four common sources of this type of knowledge as discussed in the context of research methods.
Based on the scenario, identify the method of knowing the student is relying upon and explain why relying solely on this method raises important questions about trustworthiness in psychological research.
A researcher decides to implement a new therapy technique in their clinic simply because a famous psychology professor endorsed it in a textbook. Briefly explain how this researcher could transition from relying on the method of authority to using a more scientific approach to evaluate the therapy's effectiveness.