Explain how Sarah's belief illustrates the method of authority, and explain how the scientific findings about dust mites demonstrate a primary limitation of relying on this method.
Case context: Sarah has made her bed every morning since childhood because her parents told her it was the proper, healthy way to start the day. Recently, she read a scientific report explaining that making a bed actually creates a warm, damp environment in which dust mites thrive, whereas keeping the sheets open provides a less hospitable environment for them.
Question: Explain how Sarah's belief illustrates the method of authority, and explain how the scientific findings about dust mites demonstrate a primary limitation of relying on this method.
Sample answer: Sarah's belief illustrates the method of authority because she accepted the practice of making her bed solely because her parents, who are authority figures, instructed her to do so. The scientific findings about dust mites demonstrate the limitation that authority figures can be wrong; in this case, her parents' instruction created a less healthy environment (warm and damp for dust mites) despite their authoritative assertion.
Key points:
- Sarah's belief was accepted based on an authoritative source (her parents) rather than empirical evidence.
- The method of authority is limited because the source can be incorrect.
- The empirical finding that a made bed helps dust mites thrive contradicts the authority's assertion, illustrating that the authority was wrong.
Rubric: Grading criteria: The student must clearly identify that accepting the parents' instruction represents the method of authority, and explain that the dust mite science illustrates the limitation that authorities can be wrong.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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