Based on the practical complications of hypothesis disconfirmation, diagnose why Dr. Singh might choose to retain the memory theory. Justify her decision by explaining how this single disconfirmation could specifically be due to a flawed research design or an unstated assumption in her study.
Case context: Dr. Singh is testing a well-established theory of memory retrieval. Her hypothesis predicts that participants will recall words better when tested in the exact same physical environment where they learned them. However, her study results show no significant difference in recall between the same-environment and different-environment groups. Instead of declaring the overarching memory theory false, Dr. Singh suspects her study might have suffered from a practical complication.
Question: Based on the practical complications of hypothesis disconfirmation, diagnose why Dr. Singh might choose to retain the memory theory. Justify her decision by explaining how this single disconfirmation could specifically be due to a flawed research design or an unstated assumption in her study.
Sample answer: Dr. Singh is justified in retaining the theory because her single disconfirmed hypothesis could simply be the result of a flawed research design, such as not manipulating the environments to be sufficiently different or using a flawed measurement for word recall. Alternatively, the disconfirmation could indicate that an unstated assumption was not met, such as the assumption that participants were actively paying attention to the environment during the learning phase.
Key points:
- A single disconfirmation does not necessitate abandoning a well-established theory.
- The study's design might have been flawed, such as improper manipulation of the independent variable (the environments).
- The study's measurement might have been flawed, such as an insensitive recall test.
- A minor unstated assumption, like participant attention or motivation, may not have been met.
Rubric: The answer should demonstrate an understanding of how theoretical reasons for retaining a theory apply to a practical scenario. Full credit requires explaining at least one valid reason (flawed design or unstated assumption) in the context of Dr. Singh's memory study.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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