Deck 3: Proposing Explanations, Framing Hypotheses, and Making Comparisons

Question 1

A table that shows the distribution of cases across the values of a dependent variable for cases that have different values on an independent variable is called ______.

A) frequency distribution
B) bar chart
C) arrow diagram
D) cross-tabulation

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The statement that gender and same-sex marriage attitudes are related is a poor hypothesis because ______.

A) it is not a hypothesis
B) it is not a testable statement
C) the tendency of the relationship is not specified
D) the concepts are not clearly defined

Answer 2

C

Question 3

A researcher believes that voter turnout in a state is positively related to the educational achievement of its citizens. If true, the researcher should expect to find that ______.

A) voter turnout is unrelated to education
B) voter turnout is lower in states with higher educational achievement
C) voter turnout is roughly equal in all states
D) voter turnout is higher in states with higher educational achievement

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A researcher believes that political attitudes are influenced by education level. What is the dependent variable?

A) the researcher
B) education level
C) political attitudes
D) influence

Question 5

A researcher hypothesizes that age, party ID, and ideology are related to vote choice. What is the dependent variable?

A) party ID
B) vote choice
C) age
D) ideology

Question 6

When comparing two categorical variables, it is appropriate to use which of the following methods?

A) means comparison
B) cross-tabulation
C) regression
D) logistic regression

Question 7

A relationship between an independent variable and a dependent variable that runs in a negative direction is called a(n) ______ relationship.

A) inverse
B) obverse
C) direct
D) indirect

Question 8

Which of the following is considered to be the workhorses of explanation in political science?
C) hypotheses
C) inferences
D) relationships
D) variables

Question 9

The variable that represents the effect in a causal explanation is called the ______ variable.

A) antecedent
B) dependent
C) independent
D) intervening

Question 10

A researcher hypothesizes that the higher the level of education a citizen has will increase his or her propensity to vote. This is an example of a(n) ______ relationship.

A) indirect
B) inverse
C) obverse
D) direct

Question 11

Suppose a researcher hypothesizes that states with higher levels of education will have higher GDP per capita. After conducting the research the results will be displayed in a ______.

A) frequency distribution table
B) cross-tabulation
C) mean comparison table
D) bar graph

Question 12

Which of the following is an unacceptable explanation for attitudes regarding same-sex marriage?

A) An individual's religion is related to his or her views on the subject.
B) An individual's views on the subject are innate.
C) An individual's view on the issue is related to his or her political ideology.
D) An individual's view on the issue is related to his or her education level.

Question 13

In a cross-tabulation, the categories of the independent variables are always placed ______.

A) in the columns
B) in the rows
C) where the researcher wants them
D) wherever it is most convenient

Question 14

An explanation must be described in such a way that it can be tested with ______.

A) empirical data
B) independent variable
C) dependent variable
D) conceptual definition

Question 15

A cross-tabulation is interpreted by comparing values across ______.

A) the same columns of the independent variable
B) the same columns of the dependent variable
C) the same rows of the independent variable
D) the same rows of the dependent variable

Question 16

When performing a cross-tabulation, the researcher should always calculate the percentages of the categories of the ______.

A) dependent variable
B) intervening variable
C) independent variable
D) antecedent variable

Question 17

Suppose that as education increases so does the likelihood of political participation. However, the likelihood of participation levels off and begins to fall after one obtains a Master's degree. What type of relationship is present between education and political participation?

A) linear
B) curvilinear
C) negative
D) inverse

Question 18

A(n) ______ is a testable statement about the empirical relationship between cause and effect.

A) concept
B) hypothesis
C) variable
D) explanation

Question 19

The variable that represents a causal factor in an explanation is the ______.

A) antecedent variable
B) dependent variable
C) independent variable
D) intervening variable

Question 20

A relationship in which the value of the dependent variable changes consistently with a change in the value of the independent variable is referred to as a ______ relationship.

A) positive
B) negative
C) linear
D) curvilinear

Question 21

Climate change related to human activity is a valid hypothesis.

Question 22

Proposing explanations is an "anything goes" activity.

Question 23

Older individuals make more money than younger individuals is an acceptable explanation for an observed difference in income between older and younger workers.

Question 24

A linear relationship between two variables may be either positive or negative.

Question 25

A politician claiming that lowering tax rates produces higher revenues is a valid hypothesis.

Question 26

Ordinal-level independent variables have equal unit differences.

Question 27

A good explanation always describes a causal process.

Question 28

The law of diminishing returns is an example of a linear relationship between effort and return on the effort.

Question 29

A valid hypothesis must be empirical and testable.

Question 30

Hypotheses suggest a comparison.

Question 31

A mean comparison table is a table that shows the mean of a dependent variable for cases that have different values on an independent variable.

Question 32

A researcher hypothesizes that income inequality makes civil wars more likely. The dependent variable is inequality.

Question 33

A researcher hypothesizes that as income increases the likelihood of voting also increases. The independent variable is income.

Question 34

A valid hypothesis must clearly state the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable.

Question 35

The second goal of political research is to propose and test explanations for political phenomena.