proving theories and predictions

Chapter 2, Section 2.1, Review Questions , Exercise 1What does it mean to say that a theory is “falsiable”?(a) Research has contradicted the theory.(b) We can imagine results that would contradict the theory.(c) Most people disagree with the theory.(d) People are still debating whether the theory is correct.

Chapter 2, Section 2.1, Review Questions , Exercise 2Of the following, which would be the most important step in evaluating the accuracy of Nostradamus’spredictions?(a) Take several predictions that someone claims to have been correct. Ask a large number of people toevaluate whether they seem to be correct.(b) Count what percentage of his predictions seems to have come true and what percentage has not.(c) Compare the percentage of his predictions that seems to have come true to the percentage for otherpeople who claim to have psychic powers.(d) Ask proponents of his predictions to state predictions of events before they happen. Then see how manycome true, as compared to the percentage we could expect to come true by accident.

Chapter 2, Section 2.2, Review Questions , Exercise 1Which of the following is an operational denition of ambition?(a) A desire to get ahead in life(b) The number of times one has applied for a new or better job(c) Setting high goals and trying to achieve them(d) The ability to overcome obstacles and persist until succeeding at some task

Chapter 2, Section 2.2, Review Questions , Exercise 3Which of these procedures produces a random sample of the students in your class?(a) Interview all the students whose telephone numbers end with 3.(b) Interview the rst person in each row.(c) Interview the last 10 people who show up for class.(d) Interview anyone who is willing to volunteer