The High Point Police Department awards speeding tickets to people who drive red cars 15 times more often than any other car color. Based only on this data, a college professor argues that the color red itself actually makes drivers of red cars drive faster, which explains why they get more tickets. Using the same data the professor used, evaluate her argument. Which of the following most adequately describes the professor’s argument?
a. The professor's reasoning is good, because the color red is causing drivers of red cars to drive much faster than drivers of cars with other colors.
b. The professor’s reasoning is good, because High Point police officers profile and target people who drive red cars.
c. The professor’s reasoning is bad, because the color red is likely to be causing drivers of red cars to drive much faster than other drivers of cars with other colors.
d. The professor’s reasoning is bad, because the professor has mistaken a correlation between the color red and drivers who receive speeding tickets with the color red actually causing people to drive faster.
Why is objectivity an important attitude and set of behaviors required for scientific reasoning?
a. Human beings tend to treat like cases alike and not favor their own special interests and preconceived ideas.
b. Social psychologists tell us that most human beings willingly admit their ignorance and approach most tasks without bias.
c. Social psychologists tell us that human beings generally will not assist other people who are in need if they think someone else will help.
d. Human beings tend to interpret the world in ways that support their own interests and points of view.