Here is the scenario.
--------------------------------------
Are Smarties as addictive as drugs?
A new research study proves that Smarties, Canada’s favourite chocolate candy, are as addictive as cocaine. Cocaine is a psychedelic drug that is known to be highly addictive. To examine if Smarties are as addictive as cocaine, Professor Zucker recruited participants from a weight loss clinic. During the first session, participants did various tasks in a large gymnasium. Throughout the day, the participants were randomly “rewarded” with snacks (the only food provided throughout the 10 hour day). Half of the time, the participants received Smarties as their snack. The Smarties were always distributed at Table A (located near the entrance of the gymnasium). The other half of the time, the participants received Rice Cakes as their snacks. The Rice Cakes were always distributed at Table B (which was located across the room from Table A). This first part of the study was designed to ensure that the participants associate the Smarties with Table A and the rice cakes with Table B.
On the second day of the study, participants were told that the main researcher was running late. The participants were then left to wait for five hours (without food) until the researcher arrived. During this time, research assistants recorded the behaviour of the participants to see if they waited near Table A or Table B longer. The researchers found that the participants were much more likely to wait near Table A (the table associated with the Smarties) than near Table B (the table associated with the Rice Cakes). The results of Dr. Zucker’s study were similar to another study that was conducted with rats at Connecticut College. In that study, rats were trained to associate one end of a maze with Oreo cookies and the other end of the maze with Rice Cakes. Another group of rats was trained to associate one end of a maze with an injection of Cocaine and the other end of the maze with an injection of a control solution of saline. When the two groups of rats were compared, the researchers found that the rats conditioned with Oreos spent as much time on the “drug” side of the maze as the rats that were conditioned with Cocaine. These resulted prove Oreos cause an increased level of tolerance in the rats, a type of addiction that occurs when continued use of a drug is motivated by intense cravings for that drug. Likewise, the human participants in Dr. Zucker’s study seemed to enter into a hypnotic state after an hour of waiting. Because the brain waves of people who are hypnotized are similar to the brain waves of those who are sleeping, one can infer that these participants entered into a sedative-hypnotic drug state. Sedative-hypnotic drugs are a type of stimulant drug that is very addicting!
Given that waiting for Smarties causes a drug-like state and that the neural processes involved in eating Smarties are very similar to the neural processes involved with the use of Cocaine, it is not all surprising that Smarties are so hard to resist! They are literally addicting. Canadian officials are advised to regulate and control high-sugar, high-fat foods in the same way that Canada regulates other drugs, such as Cocaine.
--------------------------------------
1. The question asks me to identify one of the 6 principles of critical thinking.
Would replicability be an answer to this scenario? It doesn't tell us how many people participated.
2. Finding pseudo-scientific claims
a) Overreliance of anecdotes
b) Meaningless Psychobabble
c) Talk of prove instead of "evidence"
Thank you!
1. I think there's a better answer.
http://quizlet.com/6376125/six-principles-of-critical-thinking-flash-cards/
2. c
Thank you.
I think one of the principle that applies to this scenario is replicability because more samples are needed in order to be sure that the research can be duplicated such as more studies done in different schools.
I am no sure :S
Could anyone verify my answer?
The experiment can be replicated without knowing the numbers or the population.
I have read the scenario multiple times. I just don't get it
1. In this scenario, the principle of "evidence-based reasoning" can be identified rather than replicability. Evidence-based reasoning involves basing beliefs or decisions on reliable evidence, such as scientific studies or research findings. In the given scenario, the claim that Smarties are as addictive as cocaine is based on the evidence provided by the research study conducted by Professor Zucker. The study involved recruiting participants, conducting various tasks, observing their behavior, and drawing conclusions based on the data collected. The evidence from this study is presented as support for the claim that Smarties are addictive.
2. The pseudo-scientific claims in the given scenario can be identified through the following options:
b) Meaningless Psychobabble: This refers to the use of technical-sounding language that may sound scientific but lacks meaningful content or validity. In the scenario, phrases like "hypnotic state," "sedative-hypnotic drug state," and "neural processes" are used to explain the effects of eating Smarties. These terms, while sounding scientific, are not backed by credible evidence or valid scientific explanations.
c) Talk of "prove" instead of "evidence": Pseudo-scientific claims often use strong language like "prove" to make their assertions sound more convincing. In this scenario, statements like "A new research study proves that Smarties... are as addictive as cocaine" and "Given that waiting for Smarties causes a drug-like state" suggest a desire to prove rather than present evidence. In scientific research, evidence is accumulated through systematic investigation, and conclusions are drawn based on the available evidence, rather than proving something definitively.
It is important to critically evaluate the claims presented in scenarios like this and assess the validity and reliability of the evidence provided.