Question 1

Based on the idea of "telling more than you can know" from your text, which of the following survey questions would be least likely to yield accurate responses?

Accepted Answer

People may not be able to accurately predict their future actions or feelings about complex and hypothetical situations like physician-assisted suicide, making responses to such questions less reliable.

Question 2

Based on survey data, the Literary Digest erroneously predicted that Alf Landon would beat Franklin D.Roosevelt in the upcoming presidential election.What cardinal rule of survey methods did the Literary Digest violate? Make sure

Accepted Answer

The cardinal rule of survey methods that the Literary Digest violated is to ensure that the sample is a random sample from the population. They relied on voluntary responses from magazine subscribers and car owners who were not representative of the entire population. Therefore, their sample was biased and not random.

Question 3

A researcher interested in testing a ________ hypothesis would be most likely to conduct an experiment.

Accepted Answer

A causal hypothesis proposes that one variable has an effect on another variable. To test a causal hypothesis, an experiment is necessary to manipulate one variable and observe the effect it has on the other variable. Descriptive and correlational hypotheses do not involve manipulation of variables and are tested using other research methods, such as observational studies or surveys. A theoretical hypothesis may or may not involve causality and can be tested using various research methods, depending on the specifics of the hypothesis.

Question 4

Imagine that researchers have found a positive correlation between the frequency of disagreements that couples have and how long they stay together.Based on this correlation, would you start arguments with your significant other in order to sustain your relationship?

Accepted Answer

Correlation does not imply causation, so it would not be wise to start arguments with your significant other solely based on this correlation. Other factors could be at play, and it would be important to fully understand the nature of the correlation before making any decisions about your relationship.

Question 5

Which of the following best defines the term "sample"?

Accepted Answer

A sample refers to the people or objects that are actually measured or included in a study, rather than the entire population. Option A refers to the "population," while option B describes an "ideal sample." Option D describes a "pilot sample," which is used to test a study before conducting it on a larger scale.

Question 6

Rosenberg and his colleagues (1992) conducted a study that found that women who relied on the diaphragm or contraceptive sponge had fewer STDs than women who used condoms.The media jumped to the conclusion that condom use contributes to STDs.Of the limitations of this study, which one should have prevented the media from drawing a causal conclusion?

Accepted Answer

The choice to use condoms may have stemmed from STD contraction rather than the reverse. This suggests that there may be a relationship between condom use and STD contraction, but it does not necessarily mean that condom use causes STDs. Therefore, the media should not have drawn a causal conclusion based on this study.

Question 7

Carlos, the president of a fraternity on campus, randomly sampled 500 students, asked them if they belonged to a fraternity or sorority, and asked them about their current GPA.He discovered that the GPAs of those people in fraternities and sororities were higher than those of people who were not involved in the Greek system.Gleefully, he presented his findings to the dean, saying that being involved in a fraternity or sorority leads to higher grades.What rule of research methods is Carlos breaking?

Accepted Answer

Carlos is breaking the rule of correlation not proving causation. Just because there is a correlation between being in a fraternity/sorority and having a higher GPA, it does not necessarily mean that being in a fraternity/sorority causes higher grades. There could be other factors at play, such as those who are more academically focused being more likely to join a Greek organization.

Question 8

Why is it unwise to conclude that if two variables are correlated, one must have caused the other?

Accepted Answer

Correlation does not imply causation, as there could be a third variable affecting both of the correlated variables. This is known as a confounding variable. Therefore, it is unwise to conclude a direct cause-and-effect relationship between two variables based solely on their correlation.

Question 9

Based on the error in sampling in political polls that was described in your text, how would you recommend obtaining a representative sample for a poll (survey) about political candidates?

Accepted Answer

Conducting face-to-face surveys at an average supermarket or post office would be the best way to obtain a representative sample for a political poll. This method allows for the sampling of individuals from diverse demographic backgrounds and is not limited to those with a home phone or those seeking government assistance. Furthermore, conducting the poll face-to-face will ensure a higher response rate and reduce the potential for sampling errors.

Question 10

There is a moderately strong correlation between the number of bars in a town and the number of churches in a town.As it turns out, this correlation is due to the correlation of both numbers of bars and number of churches with town population.This illustrates which of the following? Correlations are

Accepted Answer

Correlations only show a relationship between two variables and do not provide evidence of causation. Therefore, the correlation between the number of bars and churches in a town is no guarantee that one causes the other. This is further supported by the fact that both variables correlate with the town's population.

Question 11

The idea of "telling more than you can know" (Nisbett & Wilson, 1977) is the premise that people may report why they respond a certain way, but that their reports about causes of behavior reflect

Accepted Answer

The idea of "telling more than you can know" suggests that people may not have conscious access to all the reasons why they behave a certain way, and may instead generate explanations based on their theories and beliefs about what should have influenced them. Therefore, they may report causes of behavior that are not actually accurate or complete, leading to a discrepancy between what they believe influenced their behavior and what actually did.

Question 12

Your text discusses the fact that there are three causal interpretations of correlations.If there is a correlation such that the more milk a child drinks the more weight he or she gains, which of the following is not a possible causal interpretation of the finding?

Accepted Answer

The finding does not provide evidence for the causal interpretation that obesity is caused by calcium intake. While calcium intake may have some effect on weight gain, this interpretation is not supported by the correlation presented in the question. The other three interpretations are all possible causal explanations for the correlation.

Question 13

A researcher concludes that frustrating people by giving them a task that is impossible to complete causes them to behave more aggressively.Only ________ warrants this type of conclusion.

Accepted Answer

The conclusion is based on manipulating a variable (giving an impossible task) and observing its effect on behavior, which is a characteristic of experimental research. Correlational research looks at the relationship between variables, observational research involves observing and recording behaviors without manipulation, and archival analysis involves examining pre-existing data or records.

Question 14

Researchers Baron and Straus (1984) found a positive correlation between the number of sexually explicit magazines sold in different states and the number of reported rapes in each of those states.They refrained from concluding that exposure to pornography caused men to rape because of the potential influence of a third variable.Which of the following might constitute that third variable?

Accepted Answer

A third variable that could explain the correlation between sales of sexually explicit magazines and the number of reported rapes could be the presence of a hypermasculine culture in those states. This culture may emphasize aggression, dominance, and objectification of women, which could lead to both an increased consumption of pornography and an increased likelihood of committing rape. Therefore, it is important to consider this variable before making any causal claims about the relationship between pornography and rape.

Question 15

Consider the following survey item: "If you found yourself on an airplane with engine problems, would you ________?" Most social psychologists would not include such an item on their survey because most respondents would

Accepted Answer

This item would likely be excluded from a survey because it asks respondents to imagine a hypothetical scenario that they may not have actually experienced, making it difficult for them to accurately predict their behavior.

Question 16

A recent study found that the more time fathers spend with their children, the less likely they are to abuse their children.Which of the following is the most valid interpretation of this finding?

Accepted Answer

The study shows a correlation, not causation, so any of the interpretations could be true, and the study alone doesn't provide enough information to determine which is correct.

Question 17

Which of the following is a serious shortcoming of the correlational approach?

Accepted Answer

The correlational approach only identifies relationships or associations between variables, and cannot determine causality. Therefore, any conclusions drawn from correlational data about the causal relationship between variables are often faulty.

Question 18

Recall the description of the political poll taken by Literary Digest about the Landon vs.Roosevelt election.This is an example of a potential error that can be made when doing survey research involving political polls.What is the lesson that survey researchers learned from this error?

Accepted Answer

The lesson that survey researchers learned from the error made in the Literary Digest poll is the importance of using random selection to obtain a representative sample. In this case, the sample size was large but biased because the magazine only sent out surveys to its subscribers and car owners, who were more likely to be affluent and Republican. This led to a highly inaccurate prediction of the election results. Using random selection helps to avoid such biases and ensures that the sample represents the entire population.

Question 19

After reading Chapter 2 (Methodology), what would you say to a president who proudly takes credit for the following events happening during his term: lowering the deficit, reducing crime, and increasing literacy?

Accepted Answer

The president may be taking credit for these events, but it is important to consider whether other factors may have contributed to them as well. Just because these events occurred during his term does not necessarily mean he is solely responsible for them. The phrase "correlation does not mean causation" emphasizes this idea.

Question 20

A researcher discovers a strong positive correlation between ice cream sales and the incidence of violent crimes.Based on this, we can conclude that

Accepted Answer

The correlation between ice cream sales and violent crimes suggests that on a day when ice cream sales are high, there are likely to be more violent crimes. However, this does not necessarily mean that ice cream consumption causes people to become violent, nor does it necessarily mean that we should immediately recommend cutbacks in ice cream sales. It is important to conduct further research and analyze additional factors that could be influencing these trends.

Quiz 2: Methodology: How Social Psychologists Do Research