People Sometimes Have Difficulty Distinguishing Between Scientific Explanations of Common

question 47

Multiple Choice

People sometimes have difficulty distinguishing between scientific explanations of common events and other kinds of explanation (superstition, prejudice, magic, etc.) . Which of the following best helps to identify a scientific explanation?

• A) The explanation goes against the results of public opinion polls.
• B) The explanation changes according to the social status of the observer.
• C) We can test the explanation by comparing its predictions to measurement results.
• D) The explanation relies on local folklore.

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Definitions:

Variables

Elements, characteristics, or conditions that can change or vary in a data set or experiment.

Pie Chart

A round chart that is separated into segments to show numerical relationships.

Omitted Variables

Factors not included in a model that could influence its outcome or the relationship between variables studied.

Reverse Causality

The error committed when the true direction of causality between two variables is reversed, and the independent variable and the dependent variable are incorrectly identified.