Deck 3: Experiments, Quasi-Experiments, and Field Observations

Question 1

Which of the following is not a method of ensuring equivalence of the treatment and control group:

A) precision matching
B) randomization
C) a and b
D) pre-testing

Answer 1

D

Question 2

With respect to exposed/comparison group designs, mortality refers to:

A) subjects who select themselves into a group
B) selected subjects who die prior to the initiation of the study
C) subjects who select themselves out of a group
D) the change of subject's attitudes over time

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Milgram's study of obedience is of interest due to:

A) its design
B) its ethical implications
C) its unanticipated results
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following factors may confound the results of a pseudo-experimental research design:

A) instrumental decay
B) testing
C) statistical regression
D) all of the above

Question 5

The key advantage of the within-subject design is:

A) its evidence for the impact of the treatment variable on the dependent one
B) its evidence for the effect of the dependent variable on the treatment one
C) its ease of implementation
D) it is particularly relevant for samples of over 30

Question 6

The within-subject design differs from the between-subjects design in that:

A) it relies more on smaller samples
B) it relies on larger samples
C) it exposes the subject to different treatments
D) it randomly assigns groups of subjects to different treatments

Question 7

Given that few experiments are conducted on representative samples, caution should be taken in:

A) comparing percentages of explained variance totals with other studies
B) comparing treatment variable effects with other studies
C) extrapolating results to that of the wider population
D) undertaking multivariate research designs

Question 8

Random variables are those which:

A) are both dependent and independent within the same study
B) are dependent in one study, but independent in another
C) vary without control but are taken into account
D) act as confounding influences

Question 9

A confounding variable is one which:

A) has an effect on the independent variable
B) has an effect on the dependent variable
C) has an effect on the entire relationship
D) none of the above

Question 10

The goal of experimental research is to:

A) measure the effect of the dependent variable on the independent variable
B) isolate and measure treatment variable effects
C) explain social patterning
D) prove that a previously stated hypothesis is correct

Question 11

The between-subjects design is an example of:

A) a control group experimental design
B) a pseudo-experimental design
C) a statistical research design
D) all of the above

Question 12

Double blind research designs are ones in which:

A) both groups of subjects within the design are not informed of the study details
B) the treatment group and the researchers are not informed of the study details
C) all subjects and researchers are unaware of which subjects are under the various study conditions
D) only the researchers know which subjects are under the various study conditions

Question 13

Random variables are dealt with by:

A) factoring out missing data
B) statistically weighting the variables
C) group assignment by random process
D) group assignment by individual preference

Question 14

John Stuart Mill defined the method of difference as:

A) the key element of statistical analysis
B) the key element in understanding causal relationships
C) a test for the presence of atmospheric pressure
D) a tautological statement

Question 15

Baseline stability refers to the:

A) levelling off of the dependent variable
B) levelling off of the independent variable
C) state of disequilibrium between the dependent and treatment variables
D) none of the above

Question 16

Which of the following is a condition which must be satisfied to demonstrate a causal relationship:

A) treatment variable changes occur prior to changes in the dependent variable
B) the treatment and dependent variables are associated
C) only the treatment variable has influenced the dependent variable
D) all of the above

Question 17

A treatment variable is one which may:

A) have an effect on the independent variable
B) have an effect on the dependent variable
C) serve as a co-dependent variable
D) serve as a co-independent variable

Question 18

Internal validity is a condition which is satisfied by:

A) the results of a study being generalizable to other groups in general
B) dependent variable changes being caused by the treatment variable
C) the value of a study to the scientific community as a whole
D) none of the above

Question 19

External validity refers to the extent to which:

A) the findings of a study are a product of the treatment effects
B) the findings of a study are applicable to further scientific thought-in a sense of partiality
C) the acceptance of findings by the scientific community
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 20

A very early systematic experiment was conducted by:

A) Einstein
B) Mill
C) Pascal
D) Descartes

Question 21

Proxemics refers to the:

A) norms surrounding personal space
B) the application of theory to field work
C) the systematic method of carrying out field experiments
D) the application of the "emic" or qualitative approach within the social sciences

Question 22

The forte of the experimental design is:

A) unambiguous causal inference
B) generalizability
C) inexpensiveness
D) a short time frame

Question 23

Which research design was employed by Andrew Harrell to study child safety in grocery carts?

A) a between-subjects design
B) a within-subjects design
C) a quasi-experimental design
D) a naturalistic observational study

Question 24

The major advantage of naturalistic observational studies is that they:

A) are inexpensive
B) elicit data which are quantifiable
C) observe "natural" behaviour in the "real" world
D) produce the most exciting reports

Question 25

A disadvantage of field experiments is their:

A) cost
B) naturalistic setting
C) inability to generalize results
D) lack of control over experimental conditions

Question 26

Within between-subjects research designs, blocking refers to:

A) a design in which subjects have been separated on a variable to be controlled for
B) a design in which subjects are grouped together on a variable to be controlled for
C) a refusal by a treatment subject to participate in an experiment
D) informing only the control or comparison group subjects on the conditions of the study

Question 27

Which of the following is not a disadvantage of experimental and quasi-experimental designs:

A) the impossibility of study disguise
B) the impossibility of societal generalization
C) the inability to simultaneously handle a large amount of variables
D) the inability to clarify causal inference

Question 28

Which of the following is not an example of a field study type:

A) participant observation
B) field experiment
C) naturalistic observational study
D) none of the above

Question 29

Naturalistic observational studies are those in which:

A) those being observed are criminals
B) those being observed are unaware of the researcher's presence
C) those being observed are aware of the researcher's presence
D) the researcher is making group observations illegally

Question 30

The strength of field experiments lies in the area of:

A) generalizability
B) validity
C) inexpensiveness
D) unambiguous causal inference

Question 31

The rationale of the quasi-experimental design is:

A) the approximation of the experimental design under conditions which experimentation is not possible
B) to study the parameters of racial discrimination
C) to study the effect of employer type on employees
D) to conduct studies on exceptionally large samples

Question 32

The Hawthorne effect refers to:

A) any variability in the dependent variable that is a direct result of variations within the treatment variable
B) any variability in the independent variable that is a direct result of variations within the treatment variable
C) any variability in the independent variable that is a direct result of variations within the dependent variable
D) any variability within the dependent variable that is not the direct result of variations within the treatment variable