Final exam practice questions
An explanation of behavior problems in grade school classrooms that focus on the children's personalities, rather than on classroom structure, teacher behavior, or the surrounding neighborhood is an example of ______. A) emergence B) cross sectional design C) reductionist fallacy D) ecological fallacy
C
As average income of a neighborhood increased, violent crime rate decreased. This information is an example of which kind of social research? A. descriptive B. exploratory C. explanatory D. evaluation
C
Behavior coding is possible for ______. A) mailed survey B) web survey C) in-person survey D) interactive voice response
C
Explanatory research ______. A. defines and illustrates social phenomena B. investigates social phenomena without expectations C. identifies causes and effects of social phenomena D. determines effect of a social program
C
External validity can also be called ______. A) internal validity B) sample generalizability C) cross-population generalizability D) measurement validity
C
Predictive validity occurs when ______. A. a measure can predict scores on a criterion measured in the past. B. a measure relates to other measures specified in a social theory. C. a measure can predict scores on a criterion measured in the future. D. a measure is associated with a criterion collected at the same time.
C
The best option for reducing idiosyncratic variation in survey questions that measure a concept is to ______. A) write questions clearly B) balance response categories C) use an index D) use cognitive interviewing
C
The key process in the analysis of qualitative data is A) Surveys. B) Deduction. C) Coding. D) Grounded theory method. E) Operationalization.
C
The procedures for identifying or indicating the value of cases on a variable are known as ______. A. concepts B. conceptualizations C. operations D. operationalizations
C
When testing causal hypotheses, which design is best? A) a repeated cross-sectional design B) a trend study C) a panel design D) a cohort study
C
According to Schutt, when is the appropriate time during the study to locate relevant research literature? A) at the beginning so that the researcher can construct a research question B) at the end of the study to back up findings C) only when someone asks for a literature review D) throughout the study since literature is constantly growing
D
Another name for causal validity is ______. A) external validity B) international validity C) sample validity D) internal validity
D
Claims presented so that they appear scientific even though they lack supporting evidence and plausibility are known as ______. A. sociology B. psychology C. inaccurate observation D. pseudoscience
D
The narrative is a critical element in which of the following? A) experimental design B) nomothetic explanations C) causal mechanism D) idiographic explanations
D
What kind of validity is achieved if scores on measures related to one concept are not strongly associated with measures of different concepts? A. face validity B. criterion validity C. content validity D. discriminant validity
D
Which of the following can NOT be performed on data collected at the ratio level of measurement? A. addition/subtraction B. greater than/less than C. multiplication/division D. all of these can be performed on ratio-level data.
D
__________ is a process of reasoning from particular instances to generalizations
Induction
T/F Reliability is a prerequisite for measurement validity.
T
T/F The term variable may be used interchangeably with the term indicator.
T
T/F When we operationalize, we identify specific observations that we will take to indicate a concept in empirical reality.
T
In a true experiment, how is association established? A) randomization B) comparison groups C) statistical controls D) quantitative measurement
B
The cases about which measures actually are obtained in a sample are known as ______. A) units of analysis B) units of observation C) cohorts D) individuals
B
Which of the following is not one of Schutt's criteria for causality: A) Time order. B) Randomization. C) Non-spuriousness. D) Association. E) None of the above.
B
While investigating why juveniles commit murder, a researcher extensively interviews one 13 year old who was convicted of this crime. The researcher paid careful attention to the specific conditions of this juvenile offender that led to his crime, such as his relationship with his parents, his peers, his previous delinquency, his psychological health, his biological health, his educational experiences, his contact with role models, his exposure to media, and his history of violent behavior. This study is a good example of what type of causal explanation? A) counterfactual B) exploratory C) idiographic D) nomothetic
B
We say a test variable is ______________ if it comes between the independent and dependent variables.
intervening
Before asking a respondent the make of their car, you should first ask if they own a car. Asking if they own a car is an example of what kind of survey question? A) double negative B) contingent C) filter D) double barreled
C
Identify the ordinal measure. A. nationality B. blue C. a little bit wrong D. carrying a weapon
C
To establish concurrent validity, a researcher must include which of the following in a survey that includes a new index of depression? A. a system for weighting responses B. multiple forms of the same index C. a previously validated measure of depression D. single items and matrix questions
C
A social research question can emerge from ______. A) a researcher's own experience B) other research C) social theory D) all of these
D
For variables measured at the nominal level of measurement, ______. A. rankings are possible B. addition and subtraction are possible C. multiplication and division are possible D. values measure in kind but not quantity
D
In cross-sectional research, which of the following is assumed to come before current attitudes? A) sex B) race C) education D)all of these
D
Inductive explanations are more trustworthy if they are subsequently tested ______. A) with a research circle B) using an online database C) by reviewing the literature D) with deductive research
D
Marketing Analyst Harris tests the validity of her new customer satisfaction scale by comparing its relationship to other variables found to be related to customer satisfaction scales in previous studies. For example, if previous studies showed that older customers were more satisfied, she examined how age related to her own measure of customer satisfaction. She is using which type of validity? A) Face B) Criterion-related C) Content D) Construct E) Multidimensional
D
Open-ended questions are preferable to closed-ended questions in which of the following situations? A. Responses are mutually exclusive but not exhaustive. B. The number of respondents is very large. C. There is little time to review questions before data collection. D. The range of responses cannot be anticipated.
D
Reliability refers to which of the following? A. That a measurement captures what it intends to measure. B. That a measurement includes all dimensions of a concept. C. That a measurement is free of error. D. That a measure yields consistent scores.
D
The major problem with online surveys is A) Cost. B) Privacy. C) Branching and skipping questions not possible. D) Representativeness of respondents. E) Level of language used.
D
Using more than one measure of the same variable, such as using a survey and direct observation, is known as ______. A. validation B. reliability C. conceptualization D. triangulation
D
When the state approved stronger penalties for drunk driving, including the automatic suspension of driving privileges, the number of highway deaths related to drunk driving decreased. This observation suggests which kind of social research? A. descriptive B. exploratory C. explanatory D. evaluation
D
Which of the following are most effective at improving response rates for mail surveys? A) Sending reminders after the initial survey. B) An incentive worth at least $10. C) A small, unconditional gift. D) a and c only. E) a and b only.
D
Which of the following is NOT a problem with using available data? A. Some measures may not be appropriate for the current research. B. Not all available data are accurate. C. Data may be collected inconsistently. D. Government agencies and NGOs rarely make data public.
D
Which of the following is an example of a variable measured at the ordinal level of measurement? A. military rank B. birth order of siblings C. age measured as child, teen, adult, and elderly D. All of these are measured at the ordinal level.
D
Which of the following is NOT a means for generating a random sample? A) Stopping the first people you meet on the street B) Flipping a coin C) Rolling a die D) Using a lottery method
A
Which of the following is an example of a negative direction of association. A) As number of hours of TV watched per week increases, number of hours spent reading per week decreases. B) The more extracurricular activities in which a student participates, the more likely the student will describe his or her school experience as positive. C) As an individual's income decreases, so does the likelihood that he or she will vote. B) The higher an individual's score on a depression index, the more likely that he or she will attempt suicide.
A
Which of the following is an example of a variable measured at the nominal level of measurement? A. location in which respondent was born B. religiosity measured as not religious, somewhat religious, and very religious C. time in seconds in which a subject completes a given task D. number of respondents' first cousins
A
The results of Sherman and Berk's (1984) study of the impact of arrest on repeat calls to the police department for domestic violence supported ______. A) symbolic interactionism B) deterrence theory C) labeling theory D) conflict theory
B
T/F In order to decrease the likelihood of overgeneralizing, a researcher should have a clear definition of the population of interest in his or her study.
T
According to Schutt, which is not a reason why youth gangs are hard to define? A. Youth gangs are not particularly cohesive. B. Individual gangs change their focus over time. C. Youth culture is poorly understood by researchers. D. Gangs may have diverse and unclear membership.
C
What should provide "a valid mirror on reality"? A) external validity B) internal validity C) authenticity D)causal validity
C
________________is a system for telephone interviewing that involves presentation of questions on a computer screen and that also prepares data for analysis.
Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing
After data have been collected, researchers sometimes find patterns that are unexpected, but nonetheless surprising and exciting. These types of patterns are known as ______. A) empirical B) generalizable C) descriptive D)serendipitous
D
T/F All error is a form of bias.
F
T/F The credibility of the informants cannot be assessed in qualitative research.
F
Deductive theory begins with which element? A) social theory B) hypothesis testing C) empirical generalization D) descriptive research
A
What is the goal of a trend study? A) to determine whether a sample has changed over time B) to determine whether a population has changed over time C) to follow the same people for at least 10 years D) to see how they change to conduct a survey on the most recent topic in a society
B
A human resources manager wishes to take a sample of company employees. She has access to company employment records. Her main objective is to make sure that the sample is representative of the larger population in terms of age and gender. Which sampling design would be best? A) Simple random B) Systematic C) Stratified D) Cluster E) Snowball
C
Dr. Smith is studying the effect of violent music on young teenagers. In order to collect data, she distributes surveys to a local public school, each with the same set of questions. She did this in order to reduce the risk of ______. A. illogical reasoning B. resistance to change C. selective observation D. overgeneralization
C
Evaluation research and other social research motivated by practical concerns is called ______. A. overgeneralization B. basic science C. applied research D. social science
C
Kai Erikson went to Buffalo Creek, West Virginia in 1972 following a highly destructive flood. Based on his interviews with residents and after spending considerable time in Buffalo Creek, Erikson theorized that the damage to the social ties in the community caused by natural disasters were just as destructive as the physical damage to the affected community. Erikson's study is a good example of what kind of research? A) descriptive B) exploratory C) inductive D) deductive
C
Katherine is creating a mock research design that examines the effect of college on religiosity among students. She wishes to interview a random sample of incoming freshmen and do subsequent interviews with the same group at the end of each semester for four years. This is an example of ______. A) a cross-sectional research design B) a longitudinal research design C) a fixed-sample panel design D) a repeated cross-sectional research design
C
Matching refers to A) Linking subjects in the pretest group with those in the posttest group B) Selecting pairs of subjects who are included and not included in an experiment C) Selecting pairs of similar subjects and assigning each member randomly to the experimental and control groups D) Linking pairs of subjects on the independent variable with those on the dependent variable E) Assigning similar pairs of subjects to different settings for the same experiment.
C
Researcher K is interested in the effects of gender on educational attainment, so she asked one member of 100 households to provide the gender and number of years of education completed for adults in the household. In K's study, the unit of analysis is ______. A) gender B) household C) individual D) educational attainment
C
The scientific relevance of a research question refers to its ______. A) ability to start and finish within a time limit B) ability to generate specific suggestions for social policy C) ability to resolve contradictions in or advance social theory D) ability to make a difference in the social world
C
What is the unit of analysis in the following statement: most countries report "homeland defense" as a top priority. A) National leaders. B) Newspapers. C) Nations. D) Militia. E)None of the above.
C
When citing a website, which of the following is NOT necessary? A) web address B) the name of the information provider C) the copyright date D) the date on which you obtain material from the cite
C
Which of the following accurately describes the data below? A) Men are more likely than women to think homosexual relations are not wrong at all. B) 48.6% of people who think homosexual relations are always wrong are male. C) 49% of women think homosexual relations are not wrong at all. D) b and c only. E) None of the above.
C
Which of the following is NOT a type of unobtrusive measure? A. archives B. contrived observation C. indexes D. physical trace evidence
C
Which of the following is not an aspect of the classical experimental design? A) Independent and dependent variables. B) Experimental and control groups. C) High internal validity and high external validity. D) Pretesting and post-testing E) All are aspects.
C
____________refers to the ability to generalize from findings about one group, population, or setting to other groups, populations, or settings.
Cross population generalizability
A researcher examined factory records and found that the higher the percentage of unskilled workers in factories, the higher the rate of employee sabotage in those factories. The researcher concluded that individual unskilled factory workers are more likely to engage in sabotage. What is the conclusion an example of? A) extrapolation B) emergence C) reductionist fallacy D) ecological fallacy
D
If responses are affected by factors that are not what the instrument is intended to measure, then what is the source of measurement error? A. idiosyncratic errors B. generic individual error C. generic factor error D. systematic errors
D
In a field experiment to observe altruistic behavior, an observer records the number of people who stopped to hold the door for a student on crutches. She reports that seven people volunteered to assist the young man, when in fact there were only five. She has made an error called ______. A. overgeneralization B. selective observation C. illogical reasoning D. inaccurate observation
D
In a nomothetic causal explanation, the focus is on which of the following as the cause? A) mechanism B) context C) dependent variable D) independent variable
D
In most sociological and psychological studies, the units of analysis are ______. A) groups B) families C) schools D) individuals
D
In order to keep response rates high, researchers decide to first collect data by mailing surveys to potential respondents, after which they will begin calling respondents on the telephone. This method is known as ______. A) context B) random digit dialing C) double barreling D) mixed mode
D
Six to eight weeks after an initial survey mailing, a survey researcher should do which of the following to attempt to get nonrespondents to complete their survey? A) send a reminder postcard or a new envelope B) send a letter reminding people to reply C) call to make sure respondents received their surveys D) use a different mode of delivery or administer the questionnaire over the phone
D
The everyday error that involves the reluctance to reevaluate ideas in light of new information comes from all of the following sources except ______. A. excessive devotion to tradition B. ego-based commitments C. uncritical agreement with authority D. thinking we have seen something that is not true
D
The major problem with online surveys is A) Cost. B) Privacy. C) Length of survey. D) Representativeness of respondents. E) Level of language used.
D
The problem of panel members growing weary of repeated interviews, which could cause participants to drop out of the study or give thoughtless answers to standard questions, is called ______. A) laziness B) subject frustration C) indifference D) subject fatigue
D
The process through which the independent variable creates changes in a dependent variable is known as a/an ______. A) association B) context C) consideration D) mechanism
D
When considering whether or not to use a particular item in an index, which of the following is not a relevant criterion to use? A) Face Validity B) Unidimensionality C) Variance D) Logical ordering of the new item in relation to the other items
D
Which of the following is FALSE about probability sampling methods? A) The probability of selection is known for all elements. B) The probability of selection is greater than zero for all elements. C) There is no systematic bias in selection. D) There is no sampling error.
D
Which of the following is NOT one of the four most common methods for drawing random samples? A) Simple random sampling B) Systematic random sampling C) Cluster sampling D) Availability sampling
D
Which of the following is NOT true regarding closed-ended questions? A. They are used by most surveys with large numbers of people. B. They are easy to process with computers and analyze with statistics. C. They make it easier for respondents to answer questions. D. They lessen confusion about meaning of responses involving complex concepts.
D
Which of the following is not a question to consider when assessing the relative credibility of a social science journal article. A) How was the report reviewed prior to its publication or release? B) What is the author's reputation? C) Who funded the research? D) How many researchers were involved in the research?
D
Jody desires to study how the social interactions of residents in a nursing home change over a five-year period. Which benefit of field research best applies to her case? A) It is comprehensive B) It occurs in natural settings C) It is relatively free of ethical concerns D) It is cheap E) It is well suited to the study of social processes over time.
E
Justin did an experiment at a military base over the space of a few months to examine the effect of group size on group morale. He randomly assigned soldiers to the experimental and control groups and did a pretest and posttest. Midway through the experiment, some of the soldiers were sent overseas, causing the sample size to drop. Which source of internal invalidity does this example reflect? A) History B) Maturation C) Instrumentation D) Baseline group differences E) Mortality
E
What is the major weakness of the following questionnaire item: "How old were you when you first got in a fight with someone other than a sibling?" A) It is double-barreled. B) It is biased. C) It is too long. D) It is not relevant. E) Respondents may not be competent to answer it.
E
What is the major weakness of the following questionnaire item: "How old were you when you first got in a fight with someone other than a sibling?" A)It is double-barreled. B) It is biased. C) It is too long. D) It is not relevant. E) Respondents may not be competent to answer it.
E
T/F Basic science is the effort to figure out what the world is like and why it works as it does.
T
T/F Covert observers and participants cannot take notes openly.
T
T/F Direct observation is a method of choice for measuring behavior in natural settings.
T
T/F Illogical reasoning occurs when researchers prematurely jump to conclusions on the basis of invalid assumptions.
T
Social science reduces the likelihood of overgeneralization by ______. A. using systematic procedures for selecting individuals to study that are representative for the groups to which we hope to generalize B. using explicit criteria for establishing causality C. requiring systematic measurement and sampling D. using empirical evidence
A
Taken as a whole, survey methods is: A) High on reliability and low on validity. B) Low on reliability and low on validity. C) Low on reliability and high on validity. D) High on reliability and high on validity. E) None of the above.
A
The belief that there is a reality apart from our own perception of it, that it can be understood through observation, and that it follows general laws is known as ______. A. positivism B. objectivism C. interpretivist D. postpositivism
A
The everyday error that involves unjustifiably concluding that what is true for some cases is true for all cases is called ______ A. overgeneralization B. selective observation C. inaccurate observation D. illogical reasoning
A
The process by which a researcher defines specifically what he or she means when using a concept is known as ______. A. conceptualization B. operationalization C. generalization D. reliability
A
When a conclusion that A leads to or results in B is correct, it's called ______. A) causal validity B) measurement validity C) sample generalizability D) authenticity
A
When researchers measure an unchanging phenomenon at two different times, the degree to which the two measurements are related is called ______. A. test-retest reliability B. criterion validity C. predictive validity D. interitem reliability
A
Which of the following is correct regarding the desired ordering of items? A) Begin questionnaires with the most interesting items, begin interviews with non-sensitive, demographic data B) Begin questionnaires with demographic data, begin interviews with the most interesting items C) Begin questionnaires with the hardest questions, begin interviews with the easiest questions D) Begin questionnaires with the easiest questions, begin interviews with the hardest questions E) It really doesn't matter which items you begin with in either format
A
______ is an example of an electronic bibliographic database that is appropriate for searching the scholarly literature. A) JSTOR B) Virgo C) Google D) Yahoo
A
When doing a qualitative interview study, a researcher should A) Prepare a rigidly structured interview questionnaire and repeat the same questions verbatim to each interviewee, to ensure reliability. B) Prepare a loosely structured interview guide and alter the wording of questions during each interview as appropriate, to ensure validity. C) Take no fieldnotes during the interview, to avoid distracting the interviewee. D) Maintain a stern demeanor to keep the interviewee on track. E) a and d only.
B
Which of the following is NOT a step when searching the literature? A) specify your research question B) use as many articlea pertaining to your research question as you can find. C) identify appropriate bibliographic databases to search D) create a tentative list of search items
B
Which of the following is an example of a positive direction of association in a hypothesis? A) As an individual's level of education increases, prejudice decreases. B) The more sexual partners a person has, the more likely he or she is to be exposed to sexually transmitted diseases. C) As computer literacy increases, amount of social interaction declines. D) As household income decreases, percentage of income devoted to housing increases.
B
Which of the following is true about intersubjective agreements? A. They are required in applied research. B. They are often upheld as a more reasonable goal for science than a certainty about an objective reality. C. They are the basis of the positivist approach. D. They prevent errors in reasoning.
B
Which of the following statistics is used commonly to measure interitem reliability? A. Pearson's r B. Cronbach's α C. Guttman's scale D. βs
B
Which one of the following is not a commonality of indexes and scales? A) Ordinal level of measurement B) Logical or empirical structure C) Composite measures D) All are commonalities between indexes and scales.
B
List three advantages of interview-administered surveys over self-administered surveys.
Increased response rates Safeguard against confusing items Lower numbers of "don't know" and "no answer responses.
_________ is a term given to situations where subjects might alter their behavior if they know that they are being studied.
Reactivity
T/F The belief that there is an empirical reality, but that our understanding of it is limited by its complexity and by the biases and limitations of researchers is called Postpositivism.
T
T/F Ex Post Facto Hypothesizing is not necessarily a bad thing.
T
T/F Field research seems to provide measures with greater validity than do survey and experimental measurements.
T
T/F In survey research, probes should always be neutral.
T
T/F Descriptive research does not involve connecting theory and data.
T
T/F A concept that does not vary is known as a constant.
T
T/F Quota sampling requires that the researcher have some prior knowledge of characteristics in the population.
T
T/F Social importance is a relative concept when deciding on a research question.
T
T/F Social research questions may emerge from your own experience.
T
To establish time order, which of the following must come first? A) covariation B) the independent variable C) the dependent variable D) the pretest
B
Using 24 questions to represent multiple dimensions of the problems associated with alcohol abuse attempts to establish what type of validity? A. construct B. content C. face D. concurrent
B
What are variables that involve a mechanism called? A) nonspurious B) mediators C) extraneous variables D) context variables
B
To say that variables have an association is to say that ______. A) the relationship between them is genuine B) they occur at the same point in time C) they empirically vary together D) the relationship between them is false
B
Professor Peoples develops a new scale to measure love. When given repeatedly, it generally yields similar results. When correlated with a well-validated love scale, it shows a low correlation. Which one of the following statements is correct: A) The scale is reliable but not valid. B) The scale is valid but not reliable. C) The scale is both reliable and valid. D) The scale is neither reliable nor valid. E) The scale is generalizable but not precise.
A
Quantitative methods generally present findings as ______ A. percents and other statistics B. focus groups C. quotations D. executive summaries
A
Research that collects data at more than one point in time is called: A) Longitudinal B) Cross-sectional C) Ideographic D) Nomothetic
A
A researcher conducts four surveys over 4 months measuring voters' support for a proposed policy in his county. What kind of study is this an example of? A) trend B) cohort C) panel D) cross-sectional
A
A statement with seven responses ranging from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree" on a survey questionnaire is an example of a ____. A) Bipolar response scale B) Contingent question C) Floater D) Multiple response question E) None of the above.
A
An everyday observer states: "What was good enough for my grandfather is good enough for me!" This is an example of what type of error of everyday logic? A. excessive devotion to tradition B. selective observation C. inaccurate observation D. ego-based commitment
A
Both explanatory and evaluation research studies are concerned with the causes and effects of social phenomena. The difference between them is that evaluation research focuses on the ______. A. effect of particular policies or programs B. meanings that people give their actions C. description of the social phenomena of interest D. consideration of the impact of social context
A
Dr. Smith is exploring the effects of bullying on children's self-esteem. In order to conduct her research, she decides to interview children at a local high school about their experiences with bullies. What are the units of analysis for this study? A) the children being interviewed B) bullies C) the local high school D) all of these
A
Errors in everyday observations and reasoning include all of the following EXCEPT ______. A. testing hypotheses B. selective observation C. illogical reasoning D. overgeneralization
A
Examples of Boolean connectors in electronic bibliographic searches are ______. A) AND and OR B) date and journal title C) key word and author D) quotation marks and semicolons
A
If a respondent misreads a survey question and answers incorrectly, what is the source of measurement error? A. idiosyncratic individual error B. generic individual error C. generic factor error D. method factor error
A
In experimental designs, what reduces the risk of spuriousness? A) statistical control B) inferential statistics C) randomization D) context
A
Interobserver reliability occurs when ______. A. different observers measure the same phenomena in the same way B. different observers agree on a definition of measurement C. different observers administer an instrument D. different observers contribute to the conceptualization process
A
Mayor Politico requests an assessment of how people use city parks: who uses the parks, what activities are conducted in the parks, and when do they use the parks. The Mayor has asked for which type of research to be conducted. A. descriptive B. explanatory C. evaluation D. qualitative
A
Professor Kingston is interested in doing a study of college students. He begins by taking a sample of 50 colleges and universities from among all in the U.S. Within each, he samples 25 classes and 5 students within each class. His sampling strategy can best be described as: A) Cluster sampling B) Stratified sampling C) Quota sampling D) Purposive sampling E) Systematic sampling.
A
Professor Kinkle conducted a survey in which he found that people over the age of 40 were more likely to put their parents in nursing homes than were people under age 40. When he controlled for age of parents, the results remained the same. In Babbie's elaboration model, this is an example of A) Replication B) Explanation C) Specification D) Interpretation E)Ex post facto hypothesizing
A
How do reliability and validity relate to one another? There is a tension.
As reliability increases, validity becomes more difficult. As validity increases, reliability becomes more difficult.
The nominal level of measurement is synonymous with which of the following level of measurement. A. interval B. categorical C. ordinal D. ratio
B
The primary reason that articles published in social science journals are superior to information found on the Internet is ______. A) Social science journals are more recent. B) Articles in social science journals are subject to a review process. C) Social science reports are not available on the Internet. D) Articles in social science journals contain more accurate bibliographies.
B
A cohort has which of the following characteristics? A) random selection from the general population B) a common starting point C) values or beliefs in common D) inability to consent to participation in social research
B
A repeated cross-sectional design is also known as a ______. A) panel study B) trend study C) cross sectional study D) cohort study
B
A sampling distribution with a small standard error is tall and narrow; a sampling distribution with a large standard error is wide and flat. In general, as sample size increases A) The sampling error increases. B) The sampling error decreases. C) The sampling error remains the same regardless of changes in sample size. D) The sampling error is a constant. E) The sampling error fluctuates randomly in size.
B
A spurious relationship is most likely to be identified with which type of elaboration result? A) Replication B) Explanation C) Interpretation D) Specification E) Ex post facto hypothesizing
B
A variable that is hypothesized to vary depending on the influence of another variable is called a(n) ______. A) control variable B) dependent variable C) independent variable D) dichotomous variable
B
After a random start, every kth element in a list is chosen for inclusion in the sample in A) Simple random sampling. B) Systematic sampling. C) Snowball sampling. D) Multistage sampling. E) Stratified sampling.
B
After consulting factory records, Researcher P finds that factories with higher proportions of male workers are more likely to be union shops. P concludes that in future research on union activism, the focus should be on male individuals. What methodological error has P committed? A) ecological fallacy B) time order violation C) spuriousness D) reductionist fallacy
B
Anonymity exists when ______. A) researchers limit information about respondents to trained staff. B) no identifying information is ever collected to link respondent to responses. C) the sample of respondents in a survey is selected purely by random. D) the researcher only uses numbers to connect respondent identity to responses.
B
Fixed sample panel studies are distinguished by which of the following designs. A) Data are collected from individuals in the same room. B) Data are collected from the same individuals at multiple points in time. C) Data are collected at only one point in time. D) Data are collected from different samples in the same population.
B
Historically, Southern cities have been more spatially integrated by race than have Northern cities. This is an example of ______. A) spuriousness B) contextual effect C) idiographic causal explanation D) ecological fallacy
B
Jill wanted to be sure she covered the full range of meanings in her measurement of happiness among college students. Given this, she was particularly concerned with: A) Construct validity B) Content validity C) Face Validity D) Criterion Validity E)Multidimensionality
B
Longitudinal research designs are generally superior to cross-sectional research designs because they more readily establish ______. A) association B) time order C) nonspuriousness D) causal mechanism
B
Professor Jones examined the following categories of marital status: married, never married, widowed, separated and divorced. These categories are known as: A) Variables. B) Attributes. C) Variable labels. D) Units of analysis. E) Theoretical elements.
B
Qualitative methods are most often used for ______ type of research. A. descriptive B. exploratory C. explanatory D. evaluation
B
Researcher M found that when temperatures rise, so does the crime rate. Researcher M has satisfied which criterion for causality? A) association B) nonspuriousness C) causal mechanism c D) ontext
B
The belief that reality is socially constructed and that the goal of social scientists is to understand what meanings people give to that reality is called ______. A. constructivist paradigm B. interpretivism C. postpositivism D. intersubjective agreement
B
The class of 2020, baby boomers, and juniors in a high school are all examples of ______. A) subjects B) cohorts C) extraneous variables D) moderators
B
The everyday error that involves choosing to look at things that are in line with our own preferences or beliefs is called ______. A. overgeneralization B. selective observation C. inaccurate observation D. resistance to change
B
The major advantage of the experiment is A) The high level of external validity. B) The clear isolation of the experimental variable and its impact on the dependent variable. C) The presence of few ethical problems. D) Their natural setting. E) Their use of large samples.
B
In describing a sampling method, what does EPSEM stand for? ______________?
Equal Probability of Selection Method Sampling Samples where each observation in the population has the same known probability of being selected into the sample
In an experiment, the ________ group receives the experimental stimulus, while the _________ group does not.
Experiemental and Control
What type of social research seeks to identify causes and effects of social phenomena?
Explanatory research.
__________ invalidity refers to the possibility that the experimental findings may not be generalizable to the real world.
External
T/F A good social research question should not have to be refined or revised.
F
T/F An ideographic approach attempts to analyze broad patterns across groups.
F
T/F Contrived observation is considered unethical and unreliable and should not be used in social scientific research.
F
T/F Descriptive research tests a relationship between variables.
F
T/F Double-barreled questions are a good thing to use because they allow the researcher to ask two questions in one.
F
T/F Exploratory research identifies the causes and effects of social phenomena.
F
T/F If indicators are correlated, but their error terms are not, then the sum of the indicators has more total error in proportion to valid measurement.
F
T/F If we allow new research to call into question our preexisting beliefs, we are practicing an excessive devotion to tradition.
F
T/F If you read an article, you should cite it in your literature review even if it is not directly relevant to your study.
F
T/F In looking at a crosstab of race (measured in four categories) and degree of conservatism, we observe a gamma of .80. This suggests there is a strong, positive association between race and conservatism.
F
T/F In-depth interviews with each participant with the same set of questions helps reduce the risk for selective or inaccurate observation.
F
T/F Previously published questions do not usually need to be pretested when used in a new population.
F
T/F Probability sampling is the most popular method for selecting subjects for an experiment.
F
T/F Pseudoscience claims are often easily identifiable, making these statements unbelievable to the general public.
F
T/F Selective observation occurs when people conclude that what is true for some cases is true for all cases.
F
T/F Sex is an example of an ordinal level variable.
F
T/F The following is an example of a double-negative question: Do you agree or disagree that taxes should not be raised again this year?
F
T/F The independent variable is the effect or consequence of the dependent variable.
F
T/F The primary problem with using available data for new research questions is that there is very little social data available.
F
T/F Triangulation weakens measurement considerably because we can achieve similar results with different measures of the same variable.
F
T/F Unlike other levels of measurement, nominal levels of measurement need not be exhaustive and mutually exclusive.
F
T/F When an independent variable decreases, and the dependent variable also decreases, the direction of association is negative.
F
T/F You can interpret the results within the elaboration approach by solely looking at the data.
F
T/F Intersubjective agreement refers to an agreement between scientists about the nature of reality.
T
T/F Measurement validity exists when a measure measures what we think it measures.
T
__________ invalidity refers to the possibility that the conclusions drawn from the experimental results may not accurately reflect what has gone on in the experiment itself.
Internal
T/F Multiple measures are usually better than one.
T
At what level of measurement is race measured?
Nominal
Will the sampling strategy above produce a probability or non-probability sample?
Non-probability
_____________ is the consistency or repeatability of a measure.
Reliability
_________ refers to the ability to generalize from a subset of a larger population to that population itself.
Sampling generalizability
T/F Only open-ended questions need to be exhaustive and mutually exclusive.
T
T/F Probability sampling refers to methods of sampling in which every case has a known, non-zero probability of being selected.
T
T/F Qualitative research usually takes an inductive approach to the process of conceptualization.
T
_________ is a sampling strategy that involves asking members of a special population for information needed to locate others in the population.
Snowball sampling
___________ occurs when the partial relationships in an elaboration model differ significantly from one another.
Specification
What is bias?
Systematic misrepresentation in a particular direction, a form of error.
T/F Sample generalizability exists when a conclusion based on a sample of a larger population holds true for that population.
T
T/F A researcher who conducts a survey with 200 participants and then does in-depth interviews with 40 of these participants is using mixed methods research.
T
T/F A survey asks married people whether their marriage is very happy, somewhat happy, or not very happy. This is an example of a closed-ended question.
T
T/F As a rule, interviewers should dress in a fashion similar to that of the people they will be interviewing.
T
T/F At the ratio level of measurement, addition and subtraction are possible.
T
T/F Because of the more rigorous review process, research published in social science journals must be consulted for a literature review.
T
T/F In overt observation, the researcher is an onlooker but they let participants know they are being observed.
T
T/F Increases in sample size generally improve the precision of sample estimates.
T
Jane wants to survey Virginia residents concerning the relationships among age, education, income, and political attitudes. What is one pitfall she could encounter if she uses telephone directories as her sampling frame?
The sampling frame may not cover the whole Virginia population, leading to coverage bias. Telephone directories may not include (1) the poor, who may not be able to afford telephone service; and/or (2) young people who may forego landline service in favor of cell phones.
_________is the extent to which a measure accurately reflects the concept we wish to measure.
Validity
______ is a process of reasoning from general principles and theories to specific cases.
deduction
A _____________ is a list of cases from which a sample is selected.
sampling frame
