Hypothesis

Evaluation of Scientific Theories

Zajonc's Drive Theory

Habituation Theory

Number-of-Examples Theory

Ease-of-Retrieval Theory

Post-Hoc Theory Explanation Approach

Benefits of Using Established Theories

Which of the following best describes the nature of a scientific theory?

In psychological research, scientific theories are used to interpret data. Match each element of scientific inquiry with the role it plays in the development of a theory.

A psychologist observes that people are more likely to remember the first and last items in a list. To explain this, the researcher proposes 'memory buffers'—unobserved structures that temporarily hold information. In the context of psychological research, this coherent explanation is considered a scientific theory, regardless of whether it is a brand-new untested interpretation or a well-supported model.

A psychological researcher is constructing a scientific theory to explain how social support influences physical health. Based on the structural components of a theory, arrange the following elements of their work in the correct logical order, starting from the directly observed evidence and moving toward the abstract interpretive framework.

Suppose you are building a new scientific theory to explain the observation that people perform better on simple tasks when others are watching. Which of the following combinations of elements represents the successful creation of a theory rather than just a descriptive summary of data?

In psychological research, a coherent explanation of a phenomenon must be thoroughly tested and accepted by the scientific community before it can be classified as a scientific theory.

A researcher develops an explanation for a psychological phenomenon by incorporating unobserved internal processes. A student evaluates this proposal and claims it should not be labeled a 'scientific theory' because it has not yet been rigorously tested. This evaluation is incorrect because the scientific definition of a theory refers to the nature of the explanation itself, not the current level of empirical _____.

A developmental psychologist wants to explain why infants learn language faster than adults. Apply the concepts of a scientific theory to this research scenario by matching each description with the correct component or status of a theory.

In psychological research, a researcher explains a set of behavioral observations by postulating a cognitive process that cannot be directly observed. If this explanation has not yet been subjected to empirical testing, it is still classified under the scientific method as a(n) _____ theory.

A research committee is evaluating several explanations for how social media usage affects sleep quality. Order the stages of a scientific theory's lifecycle from the lowest level of empirical support to the highest level of empirical support and scientific consensus.