Chapter 1 Questions for Discussion

1. In spite of the superiority of scientific methods over intuition, many of us prefer to rely on intuition to ponder scientific questions. Why do you suppose this is so? [Analyze]

2. The question “Is steak delicious?” is not an example of a scientific question. Why not? What are other examples of nonscientific questions? [Analyze]

3. How can you rewrite the “steak” question above so that it is scientific? [Apply]

4. “How many clowns can fit in a Honda Civic?” is an example of a scientific question. Why? What are other examples of scientific questions? [Analyze]

5. How can you rewrite the “clowns” question above so that it is not scientific? [Apply]

6. Psychologists have examined whether first-borns are more successful than later-borns. To study this question scientifically, they had to define success so empirical evidence could be gathered. How might they have done so? What are the challenges of defining success? [Analyze]

7. Some psychologists study individual differences in appetite and eating behavior—that is, they seek to understand why some people love to eat and why others can hardly be bothered with food. What kinds of questions would they ask if they were to study this question at each of the three levels of analysis—person, mind, and brain? [Apply]

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8. In terms of explaining how humans acquire knowledge, do you side with the “blank slate” view of Locke or with Kant’s view that some knowledge is innate? What evidence do you find compelling for either side? Can both views be correct? [Evaluate]

9. You learned that some people fault positive psychology for being too simplistic, citing the fact that even some positive behaviors may have negative consequences in certain situations. What is an example of this idea? Do you agree with the claim that positive psychology may be too simplistic? [Evaluate]