Question 1

In examining the relationship between drug use and crime discussed in your text,which of the following represents an internal validity threat?

Accepted Answer

Choice C represents an internal validity threat because it suggests that both drug use and crime can be attributed to other causes, which means that it is difficult to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between the two variables. Choices A and B do not represent internal validity threats as they are related to external validity (generalizability) and the scope of the relationship, respectively.

Question 2

Despite a record number of cars being stolen in Newark,NJ in 2000,Newark's auto theft rate was really lower than that of Miami,Denver and Chicago.The unit of analysis used in this example is?

Accepted Answer

The unit of analysis in this example is "group," as the comparison is made between different cities (groups of people and their associated crime rates), not individuals, organizations, or social artifacts.

Question 3

Which of the following would be an example of a retrospective approach to longitudinal studies?

Accepted Answer

A retrospective approach involves looking back at past events or conditions. Option B examines the past experiences of the parents of child abuse victims, fitting the retrospective approach.

Question 4

After a one-year study of the recidivism rates of boot camps in the state of Georgia,the lowest rates were found in the boot camps located in Macon.What units of analysis were used in this study?

Accepted Answer

The units of analysis in this study are organizations, as the study focuses on comparing recidivism rates across different boot camps, which are specific types of organizations, in the state of Georgia.

Question 5

All but which of the following would be a unit of analysis?

Accepted Answer

Social sentiments are not a concrete unit that can be studied or analyzed in the same way as individuals, groups, or organizations. They are abstract concepts that influence behavior and attitudes, but cannot be directly observed. Therefore, they cannot be considered a unit of analysis.

Question 6

Which of the following is not a type of longitudinal study?

Accepted Answer

Cross-sectional studies examine different groups of individuals at one point in time, rather than following a single group over time. The other three options (panel, trend, and cohort studies) all involve following a specific group or population over a period of time.

Question 7

The effects of violence in children's programming is a major research endeavor that requires counting the number of violent acts in Saturday morning cartoons for an entire year.The units of analysis being used for this project are

Accepted Answer

The units of analysis for this project are social artifacts, specifically the Saturday morning cartoons being analyzed for instances of violence.

Question 8

Which of the following would not be an example of organizations as units of analysis?

Accepted Answer

Civilians in the military are not organizations, they are individuals who are members of an organization. The other choices are all examples of organizations that could be studied as units of analysis.

Question 9

Which of the following would not be an example of social artifacts as units of analysis?

Accepted Answer

Probation officers are individuals, not social artifacts. The other options are all social artifacts that can be analyzed in terms of the messages or meanings they convey about society and culture.

Question 10

Which of the following would serve as a "snap shot" of a phenomenon at one point in time?

Accepted Answer

A cross-sectional study observes a population at a single point in time, providing a "snap shot" of a phenomenon at that time. Panel studies and cohort studies observe the same population over time, and trend studies examine changes in a phenomenon over time.

Question 11

Households used by the National Crime Victimization Survey are an example of which unit of analysis?

Accepted Answer

The National Crime Victimization Survey uses households as the unit of analysis, which falls under the category of groups.

Question 12

A major mid-western university does annual surveys of its alumni.These surveys are designed to gauge the attitudes that alumni hold about the university,its academic programs,and the major team sports.These surveys have been an annual event for the last two decades and represent which type of study?

Accepted Answer

The annual surveys conducted over the last two decades represent a trend study, as they are tracking changes in alumni attitudes over time. A cohort study would follow a specific group of individuals with a common characteristic (e.g. all graduates from a specific year), a panel study would follow the same group of individuals over time, and a cross-sectional study would gather data from a snapshot of the population at one time point.

Question 13

What type of study attempts to account for errors in drawing a sample by measuring the same people on two or more occasions?

Accepted Answer

A panel study involves measuring the same group of individuals on two or more occasions, allowing for the accounting of errors in drawing a sample. Cohort, cross-sectional, and trend studies do not measure the same individuals over time.

Question 14

Marvin Wolfgang's study of males born in Philadelphia in 1945 was an attempt to measure delinquency by following those males from their 10ᵗʰ birthday until they were 18.This is an example of what type of study?

Accepted Answer

Marvin Wolfgang's study is an example of a cohort study because it follows a group of individuals who share a common characteristic (in this case, males born in Philadelphia in 1945) over a period of time to measure changes or developments in a specific outcome (in this case, delinquency).

Question 15

Which of the following would serve as an example of a cross sectional study?

Accepted Answer

A cross-sectional study observes a defined population at a single point in time or at a specific period. Both Uniform Crime Reports and a single wave of the National Crime Victimization Survey fit this description as they collect data across a broad population at a specific time, providing a "snapshot" of the situation or phenomena being studied.

Question 16

In a general sense,external validity is concerned with whether research findings from one study can be

Accepted Answer

External validity refers to the extent to which research findings can be generalized to other populations, settings, or conditions. To ensure external validity, researchers must test their hypotheses under a variety of conditions and with a diverse range of participants. Replicating a study under different conditions is an important way to test the external validity of research findings.

Question 17

Regarding nomothetic explanation,which of the following specific criteria for causality do researchers consider?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Regarding nomothetic explanation,which of the following specific...

Question 18

Causally related can also be expressed as

Accepted Answer

Causally related means that one thing causes or influences the other thing. Therefore, the best option is C as it directly states that one causes the other.

Question 19

After careful study of the relationship between the economy and arson,the conclusion was drawn that when the economy is poor and unemployment is high the arson rates go up.The researcher concluded that unemployed people are more likely to commit arson than are those that are employed.What error was just committed?

Accepted Answer

The researcher has committed the ecological fallacy, which is the mistaken assumption that conclusions drawn from aggregated data can be applied to individuals. The fact that there is a correlation between unemployment and arson at a population level does not necessarily mean that all unemployed individuals are more likely to commit arson than all employed individuals. The relationship may be due to other factors that are associated with both unemployment and arson, such as poverty or social disadvantage.

Question 20

The well-known Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment,discussed in Chapter 1,provides another example of

Accepted Answer

The Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment is often cited as an example of construct validity problems because it raises questions about whether the experiment truly measured what it intended to measure, namely the impact of police patrol on crime rates and public perception of safety.

Quiz 4: General Issues In Research Design