Soc 302 - Chapter 4 Review

When the relationship between the number of firefighters and the amount of fire damage disappears once we control for the size of the fire, we say that "size of fire" is a ___ variable. a.moderator b.spunous C.correlational d.causative e.valid

B

Yugorsky studied five fifth-grade Classes over three years to determine how friendship patterns established in the fifth grade affected friendship patterns in the eighth grade. He studied the same group of students over time, but not necessarily the same individuals. Which design did he use? a.panel b.cohort C.trend d.cross-sectional e.juvenile

B

A single U.S. Census exemplifies a a. cross-sectional study b. panel study c. time series study d. trend study e. longitudinal study

A

Andrea studied Native American women to learn more about how they cope with their minority status. What was her unit of analysis? a.individuals b.groups C.organizations d.artifacts e.subgroups

A

Brunelle concluded from her study on gender and delinquency that it is not just probabilistic that men commit more delinquency, but that gender is the only relevant factor in that high levels of delinquency are always committed by men. Which false criterion for nomothetic causality is reflected in this example? a. complete causation b. exceptional cases c. majority of cases d. falsification of cases e. minority of cases

A

By itself, the 2000 Census exemplifies a __ study that when compared to another decennial census could be considered a __ study. a. cross-sectional; trend b. cross-sectional; panel c. cross-sectional; cohort d. cross-sectional; cross-sectional e. trend; cohort

A

If a researcher was conducting a study of women's attitudes toward abortion, the unit of analysis would be a. the women b. attitudes c. each abortion d. the women's attitudes e. the society

A

In order to receive an honorable or dishonorable discharge from the military, you must be in the military. In terms of the discharge type, being in the military is a(n) a. necessary cause. b. sufficient cause. c. exceptional cases cause. d. majority of cases cause. e. military cause

A

Longitudinal studies are particularly useful for addressing which criterion for establishing causality? a. time order b. correlation c. nonspuriosness d. complete causation e. eradicating results from change

A

Senator Robertson wants to know how voter interest in issues in his district has changed over time. It would be best to use a a. trend study. b. cohort study. c. panel study. d. cross-sectional study. e. group

A

There is a strong correlation between the number of firefighters that show up at a fire and the amount of damage produced by the fire. The size of the fire influences both the number of firefighters and the amount of damage. This illustrates that the relationship between the number of firefighters and the amount of damage is a.caused by a third factor. b. causal. c. not correlational. d. a real relationship. e. non-spunous.

A

Which of the following designs uncovers only net changes? a. cohort and trend studies b. trend and panel studies c. cohort and panel studies d. cohort and cross-sectional studies e. trend and cross-sectional studies

A

Which of the following statements is TRUE? a. Being arrested is a necessary cause for having a criminal trial. b.A child's birth is a sufficient cause for having a cigar. c.A child's birth is a necessary cause for having a cigar. d.Being arrested is a sufficient cause for having a criminal trial. e.A child's birth is a necessary and sufficient cause for having a cigar.

A

A researcher focuses on the ____ when faced with the question "From whom or what will the information be gathered?" a. purposes of research b. units of analysis c. topics for research d. time dimension e. motivations for research

B

Descriptive studies DO NOT a. study relationships between variables b. tell why something occurred c. use operational definitions d. use concepts e. Descriptive studies DO all of the above

B

Explanatory studies are designed to find answers to which of the following quesitons? a.What is the educational profile of people who change careers in midlife? b.Why are people changing careers in midlife? c.How many people change careers in midlife? d.Does the occupational prestige of a career tend to increase for midlife career changers? e.All of these choices exemplify questions answered by explanatory research.

B

A researcher examined newspaper editorials that focused on the Patriot's Act. She examined the editorials published in the major newspapers in major cities in the UnitedStates. The unit of analysis was a.the Patriot Act. b. the major cities. c.the newspapers. d. the newspaper editorials. e.the United States.

D

Tyler finds that in burglary cases male and female jurors are equally likely to vote to acquit. Tyler should conclude that: a. there is no relationship between burglary and gender b. there is no relationship between burglary and verdicts c. there is a relationship between gender and verdict in burglary cases d. there is no relationship between gender and verdict in burglary cases e. there is no relationship between gender and type of offense

D

Which of the following hypotheses best fits the criteria of causality? a. Males have higher suicide rates than females b. As income increases, age tend to increase c. As education increases, income tends to increase d. As education increases, income tends to increase even after controlling for gender and race e. Gender tends to influence jury verdict.

D

Which one of the following designs is most likely to be used for descriptive purposes? a. cross-sectional b. trend c. cohort d. panel e. group

D

Committing the error of reductionism is most closely tied to the selection of a(n) a. hypothesis b. longitudinal study c. descriptive study d. action focus e. theoretical paradigm

E

For a causal relationship to exist there must be evidence a. of an empirical correlation between the variables b. that one variable precedes the other in time c. that the third variable did not cause the changes observed in the first two variables d. that one variable precedes the other in time and that the two variables are correlated e. that one variable precedes the other in time, that the two variables are correlated and that this relationship is not spurious

E

The final stage of the research process involves a.observations. b.date processing. C.analysis. d.writing. e.application

E

T/F A major shortcoming of exploratory studies is that they seldom provide satisfactory answers to research questions.

T

T/F A research proposal describes what you intend to accomplish and how.

T

T/F Descriptive research answers the question "What's so?" and explanatory research answers the question "Why?"

T

T/F If a researcher is using information taken from other human beings in his/her research, he/she must first obtain approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB).

T

T/F Panel attrition is comparable to experimental mortality.

T

T/F Several sports coaches are interested in studying the effect of a new training regimen on the performance of their respective teams. The unit of analysis is the sports teams.

T

T/F The easiest way to identify the unit of analysis is to examine a statement regarding the variables under study.

T

T/F The ecological fallacy refers to drawing conclusions about individuals based solely on the observation of groups.

T

T/F The nomothetic model of explanation is probabilistic in its approach to causation.

T

T/F The use of several different research methods to test the same finding is sometimes called triangulation.

T

T/F A necessary condition represents a condition that if it is present guarantees the effect in question.

F

T/F Andrea is interested in looking at the changes in the rate of violent crimes in Ohio over the last decade. She should use a cohort analysis in this case.

F

T/F Cohorts are defined by year of birth only.

F

T/F Dr. Jordan chronicles people's attitudes toward an upcoming property tax levy. Jordan is doing explanatory research.

F

T/F For a causal relationship to be true, it must apply to a majority of cases.

F

T/F If two variables are correlated with each other, there must be a causal relationshipbetween them.

F

T/F In nomothetic explanations, exceptions disprove the causal relationship.

F

T/F Longitudinal studies may be either trend or cohort studies, but not panel studies.

F

T/F Mr. Smith found that males and females were equally likely to support his political platform. Smith correctly concludes that there is a correlation between gender and support for his platform

F

T/F Operationalization is the process of clarifying what is meant by the concepts being used in a study.

F

T/F Research designs are descriptive, explanatory, or exploratory-never more than one.

F

T/F Researchers ignore previous work on a topic so that their research can be original.

F

T/F The independent ( effect) variable must occur later in time than the dependent (cause) variable.

F

Andrew studied family conflict as portrayed in the media by reading letters to advice columns. What was his unit of analysis? a.individuals b.groups C.organizations d.artifacts e.media

D

Attrition of study participants is most critical for which of the following designs? a. cross-sectional b. trend c. cohort d. panel e. group

D

Professor Root was studying the arrest rates for drunken driving in urban and rural areas of Ohio. It was found that the arrest rate was higher in the rural areas. Professor Root concluded that people who live in rural areas are more likely to drive while intoxicated than are people who live in urban areas. Root's conclusion a.illustrates the ecological fallacy. b.illustrates the individualistic fallacy. c.illustrates good deductive reasoning. d.illustrates the importance of trend studies. e.none of the above

A

The topic of surrogate mothers interested Professor Snyder. Snyder read the available materials on the topic and wanted to develop an age, education, and income profile of women who serve as surrogate mothers in the United States. To develop this profile,Snyder should undertake a(n) a.trend study b.descriptive study c.explanatory study d.panel study. e.cohort study.

B

Exploratory studies are done for all EXCEPT which one of the following purposes? a. to satisfy the researcher's curiosity and desire for better understanding b.to sort out the ethical implications of a study c.to test the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study d.to develop the methods to be used in any subsequent study e.to clarify global definitions of words/phrases

B

If a researcher is interested in studying the effects of different training regimens on a team's performance, the unit of analysis in this study is a. the team member. b. the team. c. the coach. d.the different training regimens. e.the researcher's perception of performance.

B

Ricardo studied married couples in order to see if length of marriage affected the nature and quality of communication patterns. Which unit of analysis did he use? a. individual b. group c. organization d. social artifact e. communication patterns

B

Which one of the following is the BEST example of the ecological fallacy? a.Catherina studied the ecology of social interaction in her dorm, but focused only onindividuals. b.Felisha studied Census tracts for her study on crime, but then wrote up her conclusions in terms of individuals. c.Sean did not actually study the same individuals in his longitudinal study of worker alienation, but called his study a panel study. d.Jack mistakenly called his unit of analysis organizations, but it was really social artifacts in his study of humor. e.Mary applied the reasons for why her cousin, Jane, failed her driving test to all perons who failed their driving tests.

B

researcher selects a sample of citizens in a community and interviews them before anew factory is built in the community. The researcher interviews these same citizens six months later and one final time a year later. The researcher has engaged in __ _research design. a.trend b.cross-sectional C.panel or longitudinal d.age e.period

B

A second researcher decides to select a LARGE sample of citizens in a community to interview before a new factory is built in the community. This researcher does not believe there is a need to re-interview these citizens at a later date. This researcher has engaged in ____ research design. a. trend b. cross-sectional c. panel or longitudinal d.age e. cohort

C

In Sweden, there is a very strong correlation between the number of storks and the number of babies born. However, both of these variables are associated with region (rural vs. urban). This illustrates a. that the number of storks is causally related to the number of babies born. b.that the number of babies born precedes the number of storks in time. c.that there is no causal relationship between the number of storks and the number of babies. d.that storks really do bring babies. e.that the relationship between the numbers of storks and the numbers.·of babies is nonspunous.

C

Margot wants to examine how student nurses change in their orientation towards patients over the course of their three years in nursing school. She is particularly concerned with following changes within the same individuals. It would be best to use a a. trend study b. cohort study. c. panel study. d. cross-sectional study. e. group

C

Once you have a well-defined purpose for your study and a clear description of the kinds of outcomes you want to achieve, the next step in your research design is a.population and sampling. b.choice of research method. c.conceptualization. d.operationalization. e.conducting a literature review

C

Professor Dooley examined the literature on AIDS and could find nothing that examined children's attitudes toward parents and friends with AIDS. To examine this topic, Dooley should undertake a(n): a. examination of reductionism b. descriptive study c. exploratory study d. explanatory study e. panel study

C

Professor King examined all the reasons given by 50 couples for their marriages. In the final research report, King listed all the reasons given by the 100 people for their marriages. Professor King is a.seeking a probabilistic explanation for marriage. b.using a nomothetic explanation for marriage. c.using an idiographic explanation for marriage. d.committing the error of suppressed evidence. e.None of these choices is correct.

C

Professor Willard was interested in examining whether countries with higher GNP's tend to have more gangs than countries with lower GNP's. Willard's unit of analysis was: a. gangs b. GNPs c. countries d. individuals e. cannot tell from the above information

C

Spurious relationships are relevant for which criterion for establishing nomothetic causality? a. correlation b. time order c. effect cannot be explained in terms of some third variable d. exceptional cases e. hypothesis

C

Which of the following employs the nomothetic model of explanation? a. an examination of all the considerations that resulted in 85% of the senior class members being hired for the jobs of their choice b. an attempt to understand all the reasons concerning why five former presidents of theUnited States ran for office c. an isolation of the three most important reasons as to why men were selected to all the leadership positions at a former women's college that went coed d. a list of all the reasons given by first-year students for selecting the college they currently attend e. All of these choices employ the nomothetic model of explanation.

C

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a cross-sectional study? a.It is conducted at only one point in time. b.It can be exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory. c.It concentrates on the changes that take place among a specific sample over a period of time. d.It provides a means for studying a large population at the same point in time. e.All of these choices are characteristics of the cross-sectional study.

C

Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding necessary and sufficient causes? a.A necessary cause represents a condition that, by and large, must be present for the effect to follow. b.A sufficient cause represents a condition that, if it is present, will pretty much guarantee the effect in question. c.In social science, we typically find a single necessary and sufficient cause to establish a causal relationship. d.Idiographic analyses typically yield sufficient causes for a particular result. e.A sufficient cause is not the only possible cause of a particular outcome.

C

William Robinson, a sociologist, found that during the 1930s there was a positive relationship between the literacy rate and percentage of the population that was foreign born. If you concluded on this basis that your neighbor, Yasmine, who is a foreign-born resident, has a higher literacy rate than other native-born residents, you would be committing the a; individualistic fallacy. b.ex post facto fallacy. c. ecological fallacy. d. part-whole fallacy. e. ecological reductionism.

C

Cindy established that gender came before voting in her study of adults in her city, so the time order was clear. She also ruled out the effects of age, religiosity, and other "third' variables. Which criterion for causality remains for her to establish? a.that no serious ethical violations have occurred b.that no serious political violations have occurred c.that the unit of analysis is appropriate d.that a relationship exists e.that the variables are correlated

D

Desiree did a study on the causes of juvenile delinquency. Specifically, she examined if living in a city as opposed to the suburbs caused adolescents to become more delinquent. Which purpose of research did she pursue? a. cross-sectional b.longitudinal C.exploration d.explanation e.evaluation

D

If we can establish that variable X comes before variable Q in time, then we can say: a. variable X is a cause of variable Q b. variable X is not a cause of variable Q c. variable Q is a cause of variable X d. variable Q is not a cause of variable X e. variable Q may cause variable X

D

It is possible to draw approximate conclusions about processes that take place over time when using cross-sectional data by a. making logical inferences whenever the time order of variable is clear b. asking people to report information from their past c. examining the data within age groups d. All of these choices are correct e. None of these choices are correct

D

Nate wants to make some causal assertions in his cross-sectional study about the effects of high school involvement on violence among young adults ( all the people he studied are in their early 20s ). He can approximate a longitudinal study by a. using path analysis. b. using age differences. c.following the same individuals over time. d.making logical inferences based on the time order of his variables. e.he cannot approximate a longitudinal study

D

Professor Stone designs a study to examine the effect of a teenage pregnancy on young women's career choices. Stone interviews a sample of teenage women during their pregnancy, after the birth, and one year later. Stone is using a: a. cross sectional design b. trend study c. cohort study d. panel study e. cannot tell from the given information

D

Sampling is a way to learn about ___ by obtaining information from ___ of a larger population. a.a larger population, the entire membership b.a larger population; a subset c.a subset of a population; the entire membership d.a subset of a population; a subset e.one person; a subset

D

The ecological fallacy is most relevant in terms of which one of the following? a. criteria for establishing causal explanations b. purposes of research c. necessary and sufficient causes d. units of analysis e. writing hypotheses

D

To look at changes in the average age of marriage for men and women in the United States, Professor Torme studied the U.S. Censuses over a period of decades. Torme was doing a(n) a. panel study b. cross-sectional study c. cohort study d. trend study e. none of the above

D

Which of the following statements is NOT correct? a.In order for variable A to cause variable B, variable A must occur before variable b.If variable A causes variable B, then variable A and variable B will usually be correlated with one another. c.It is possible for a dependent variable to have more than one cause. d.If there is a correlation between two variables, then one of those variables must behaving an effect of some sort on the other. e. A suppressor variable causes two variables to appear to be uncorrelated with one another when they actually are correlated.

D

Which one of the following is the best example of reductionism? a.Sam reduced his sample of church members from 500 to 200 so that it was more manageable. b.Reba used only one theory in her study of cheating. c.Steve used only cross-sectional research in his study of teen alcohol consumption. d.Roberto explained suicide entirely in terms of psychological factors. e.Greta reduced cooking time for making a stew from 1 hour to 45 minutes

D

_____ is a paradigm based in the view that social behavior can be explained solely in terms of genetic characteristics and behavior. a.Reductionism b.Socioecology C. Socioreduction d.Sociobiology e.Sociopathy

D

Which of the following is NOT an element of research proposal? a. a literature review b. a measurement of description c. a description of data collection methods d. a description of the subjects whom you will study e. all of these choices are elements of a research proposal

E

Which of the following is TRUE regarding the nomothetic model of explanation? a. it is inevitable probabilistic b. it isolates a few considerations that provide a partial explanation for the phenomenon under study c. its goal is to provide the greatest amount of explanation with the fewest number of variables d. it seldom, if ever, provides a complete explanation e. All of these choices are TRUE

E

If a researcher wanted to know why there was a noticeable increase in the number of burglaries in the town of Southpaw during 2005, the researcher should design a(n) a. descriptive study b. explanatory study c. panel study d. study of characteristics e. exploratory study

b