Deck 2: The Process and Problems of Social Research

Question 1

A good social research question will be feasible and will have social and scientific relevance.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Deductive research begins the research process with theory, from which a hypothesis is derived.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The ecological fallacy suggests that change in the dependent variable is caused by something other than the independent variable.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

A theory is a tentative statement about empirical reality including a relationship between two or more variables.

Question 5

Except in special circumstances, researchers should fully disclose their identity to research participants.

Question 6

Longitudinal research collects data at more than one point in time.

Question 7

Megan considered the median income and median value of homes in different cities to measure economic inequality. What is the unit of analysis in her study?

A) Median income
B) Median home value
C) City
D) Both a and b
E) None of the above

Question 8

Use the following to answer questions 16-18:
In each set, match a concept from Group A to a definition or example from Group B.
Research Strategies
NOTE: Answers from Group B may be used more than once.
Group A
1. Begins with theory
2. Begins with theory but stops with empirical generalizations
3. Involves hypothesis testing
4. Typically used in quantitative research
5. Builds from data to theory

Group B
a. Deductive research
b. Descriptive research
c. Inductive research
d. Longitudinal research

Question 9

Descriptive research starts with data and proceeds only to the stage of making empirical generalizations; it does not generate entire theories.

Question 10

Use the following to answer questions 16-18:
In each set, match a concept from Group A to a definition or example from Group B.
Temporal Considerations in Social Research
Group A
1. Cross-sectional research
2. Panel study
3. Repeated cross-sectional research
4. Cohort study

Group B
a. Collects data from different samples of the same population at multiple points in time
b. Collects data at a single point in time
c. Collects data from people who share a common starting point at multiple points in time
d. Collects data from the same individuals at multiple points in time

Question 11

In longitudinal research designs, researchers collect data on participants for one, extended period of time.

Question 12

An anomalous pattern in the data does not seem to fit the theory from which a research hypothesis was derived.

Question 13

Serendipitous patterns stimulate new ideas and theoretical approaches for continuing lines of research.

Question 14

When the independent variable decreases, so does the dependent variable. This pattern is known as a positive direction of association.

Question 15

In a panel design, data are collected from the same individuals at multiple points in time.

Question 16

A hypothesis suggests that the change in the independent variable creates change in the dependent variable.

Question 17

Nicole investigated the 2002 General Social Survey to determine the effect of educational attainment on one's self-reported happiness. This is an example of:

A) Cross-sectional design
B) Repeated cross-sectional design
C) Trend design
D) Panel design
E) Cohort design

Question 18

An example of a cohort study would be to conduct a survey of people born in the 1950s at one point in time.

Question 19

Use the following to answer questions 16-18:
In each set, match a concept from Group A to a definition or example from Group B.
The Research Circle
Group A
1. Theory
2. Hypothesis
3. Variable
4. Empirical generalization

Group B
a. A characteristic or property that can take on different values or attributes
b. A pattern in data that does not seem to fit the theory being proposed
c. A logically interrelated set of propositions about empirical reality
d. A tentative statement about empirical reality, involving a relationship between two or more variables
e. A pattern empirically observed in data

Question 20

According to Erving Goffman, interactions among individuals cannot be units of analysis in social research.

Question 21

Attrition in panel studies refers to which of the following?

A) Over time, the population changes.
B) Panel members begin to tire of repeated questioning and give thoughtless, stock answers during interviews.
C) The process of sample selection must remain the same at time 1 and time 2.
D) Some members of the panel may drop out of the study.
E) The process of re-interviewing a panel of informants at multiple points in time.

Question 22

Beth tested whether an individual's attitudes about homosexuality varied by how frequently the individual attended religious services. What is Beth's dependent variable?

A) Individual
B) Attitudes about homosexuality
C) Frequency of attendance at religious services
D) Positive
E) Inverse (negative)

Question 23

The scientific relevance of a research question refers to its ability to:

A) Start and finish within a time limit
B) Generate specific suggestions for social policy
C) Resolve contradictions in or advance social theory
D) Be completed within budget
E) Make a difference in the social world

Question 24

The Gallup Poll, which takes different samples from the U.S. population and asks them similar questions at different points in time, is a good example of which kind of research design?

A) A panel study
B) A fixed sample design
C) A cohort study
D) A trend study
E) An event-based design

Question 25

Research that collects data at more than one point in time is called:

A) Longitudinal
B) Cross-sectional
C) Ideographic
D) Nomothetic
E) Inductive

Question 26

Most sociological and psychological studies use which unit of analysis?

A) Institution
B) Group
C) Artifact
D) Aggregate
E) Individual

Question 27

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 likelihood that he or she will vote.
D) The higher an individual's score on a depression index, the more likely that he or she will attempt suicide.
E) Students with GPAs below 2.0 will score lower on standardized tests (such as the SAT) than will students with GPAs above 3.0.

Question 28

Research that collects data at a single point in time is called:

A) Descriptive
B) Cross-sectional
C) Explanatory
D) Longitudinal
E) Cohort design

Question 29

The General Social Survey draws a sample of about 1,500 people every two years. This is an example of what type of research design?

A) Panel
B) Trend
C) Cohort
D) Cross-sectional
E) Theoretical

Question 30

Deductive theory begins with which element?

A) Social theory
B) Hypothesis testing
C) Empirical generalization
D) Descriptive research
E) Anomolous findings

Question 31

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
E) Extraneous variable

Question 32

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) Inductive
E) Serendipitous

Question 33

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.
E) Data are collected from control and experimental groups.

Question 34

The General Social Survey selects 1,500 individuals from a population of U.S. households that contain telephones. The unit of analysis of the GSS is:

A) Individual
B) Household
C) United States
D) 1,500
E) Households with telephones

Question 35

Megan's research found that City H had a much higher median income than City L. Can she assume that an individual selected for a survey of the City H will have a higher income than an individual selected from City L?

A) Yes, because of sample generalizability.
B) No, because of cross-population generalizability.
C) Yes, because of reductionism.
D) No, because of an ecological fallacy.
E) Yes, but only if she uses systematic sampling.

Question 36

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 which of the following social theories?

A) Symbolic interactionism
B) Deterrence theory
C) Labeling theory
D) Conflict theory
E) Inductive logic

Question 37

Kai Erikson went to Buffalo Creek, West Virginia, in 1972 following a highly destructive flood. After interviewing residents and spending considerable time in Buffalo Creek, Erikson theorized that the damage to the social ties in the community caused by the flood were just as destructive as the physical damage to the community. Erikson's study is a good example of what kind of research?

A) Descriptive
B) Exploratory
C) Explanatory
D) Deductive
E) Inductive

Question 38

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
E) An occupational category in common

Question 39

In a review of the average teacher salaries across school districts, Flo found a range from $35,000 to $65,000, with teachers in urban school districts generally earning more than those in rural and suburban school districts. Flo has done what:

A) Made an empirical generalization
B) Constructed a theory
C) Tested a theory
D) Constructed a hypothesis
E) All of the above

Question 40

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, percent of income devoted to housing increases.
E) As an individual's age increases, his or her criminality decreases.

Question 41

How does descriptive research differ from inductive and deductive research? In what circumstances is descriptive research commonly found?

Question 42

Jack designed a research study that took a look at bullying among high school children, ages 12 to 17. After collecting survey data, he compared the percentages of how many children feel as though they are bullied on a daily basis between five different high schools in the area. What are his units of analysis?

A) Bullies
B) High school children
C) The five different high schools
D) Children who are bullied
E) Teachers and administrators

Question 43

The groups that reviews research proposals for possible ethical violations are known as:

A) University Ethics Offices
B) Offices of Research and Sponsored Programs
C) Institutional Review Boards
D) Committees on Human Subjects Review
E) Social Research Ethics Boards

Question 44

A researcher is planning a study looking at first-year college students and their experiences at a four-year university. A sample of individuals from the first-year class is taken at Time 1 and data are gathered. A year passes and some participants leave the study. However, the researcher gathers data from the same people from the first time, minus those who left. This is an example of what kind of study?

A) Longitudinal study
B) Panel design
C) Cohort study
D) Repeated cross-sectional design
E) Group study

Question 45

According to the text, King, Keohane, and Verba (1994) assert that social scientists evaluate research questions based on which of the following except:

A) Credibility
B) Feasibility
C) Social importance
D) Scientific relevance
E) All of the above are criteria for social research questions

Question 46

Panel designs allow researchers to take a look at individuals' change over time. However, panel designs are difficult to complete due to the following except:

A) Subject fatigue
B) Attrition
C) Repetition
D) Expense
E) All of the above are problems pertaining to panel designs

Question 47

What are the major advantages and disadvantages of using cross-sectional versus longitudinal research designs? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using panel, trend, and cohort longitudinal designs?

Question 48

Chambliss states "the adequacy of an explanation formulated after the fact is necessarily less certain than an explanation presented prior to the collection of data" . Explain in your own words what this statement means for students who will be conducting research of their own.

Question 49

Based on Sherman and Berk's (1984) study of the affect on arrest on domestic abuse, propose in separate paragraphs a deductive research project, an inductive research project, and a descriptive research project. Each proposal should build on the work of Sherman and Berk or the follow-up studies. Specify how each proposal would add to the research they conducted.

Question 50

Timothy conducted research on married couples and strain after the birth of their first child. He discovered that the majority of the participants of the study stated that they did not experience any stress on their relationship after their first child. He then generalized his results by stating that strain in marriage is not caused by the birth of children. This assumption is an example of:

A) Individualistic fallacy
B) Amateur mistake
C) Ecological fallacy
D) Reductionist fallacy
E) Researcher error

Question 51

In what ways are researchers pressured to be less honest and open than they should be on research projects? Why is openness and honesty a primary part of research today? Give an example from the text of a past researcher who used methods that could be considered "unethical" by today's standards.
Answer Key

Question 52

To say that research questions should be both scientifically relevant and socially important is to recommend a balance between science for its own sake and science strictly to resolve social problems. In your opinion, which of these two criteria should be more important when formulating research questions, or are they both of equal importance? Justify your answer.

Question 53

The ultimate decision about ethical procedures in research designs is made by:

A) The researcher
B) Organizational leaders
C) Participants of the study
D) Institutional review board
E) None of the above

Question 54

To maintain participants' confidentially, a researcher should:

A) Give each participant a consent agreement that outlines protection of privacy
B) Lock records in a safe place
C) Create special identifying codes
D) Only allow designated research personnel to look at participant data
E) All of the above

Question 55

As an individual increases his or her intake of fatty foods, the individual's cholesterol levels steadily increase. This is an example of:

A) Positive association
B) Negative association
C) No association
D) Increased association
E) Neutral association

Question 56

Discuss the research of Sherman and Berk (1984) on the affect of arrest on domestic abuse. What was their research hypothesis? What were their independent and dependent variables? Describe how their hypothesis was designed to test deterrence theory and labeling theory. For which theory did their hypothesis provide support?

Question 57

Propose four different research designs that study juvenile delinquency using cross-sectional designs, panel designs, repeated cross-sectional designs, and cohort designs.

Question 58

What is the difference between ecological fallacy and reductionist fallacy? Give an example of each.

Question 59

Describe the research circle that connects social theory to data collection. What are the principle components of this research circle? Using an example of your own choosing, describe two research designs based on this circle: one using inductive logic and one using deductive logic. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each of these designs?