Question 1

Elizabeth would like to conduct a study to determine how women define spousal abuse and the meanings they attach to their abuse.What research method will Elizabeth most likely use?

Accepted Answer

Elizabeth is trying to understand the subjective experiences and meanings that women attach to spousal abuse. She is not just interested in measuring the frequency or prevalence of spousal abuse (quantitative) or testing a pre-existing theory (deductive). Instead, her goal is to generate new insights and theories about how women perceive and understand spousal abuse, which suggests she will use a qualitative research method. Inductive reasoning involves developing new theories or hypotheses from analyzing data, which is consistent with Elizabeth's goal.

Question 2

When one factor is said to influence another factor,we refer to this as:

Accepted Answer

Correlation refers to a relationship between two factors, but does not establish causality. Association is similar to correlation in that it indicates a relationship between two factors, but does not necessarily indicate causation. Causality refers to a relationship between two factors where one directly influences the other. Mediation refers to a situation where the relationship between two factors is explained by a third factor. Therefore, only causality is the correct answer as it indicates that one factor is directly influencing another.

Question 3

What type of research describes people's behavior in rich detail and focuses on the meanings people give to their actions?

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research is designed to provide insight into the human experience and involves detailed observation and analysis of behavior, as well as exploration of the meanings and interpretations that individuals give to their actions. This type of research is often conducted through methods such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, and participant observation.

Question 4

The research method that uses information that can be converted to numerical form is:

Accepted Answer

Quantitative research involves collecting data that can be quantified and analyzed using statistical methods. This typically involves numerical data such as measurements, survey responses, or experimental results. Qualitative research, on the other hand, involves collecting non-numerical data such as interviews, observations, or case studies. Deductive and inductive research refer to different approaches to reasoning, and can be used in both quantitative and qualitative research.

Question 5

A sociologist's subject matter presents some difficult research problems of a kind that natural scientists rarely have to deal with.Which of the following does NOT describe such a problem?

Accepted Answer

The statement "It is possible to have completely controlled experiments to delineate cause-and-effect relationships" is false because in the social sciences, it is difficult to completely control all of the factors that might influence human behavior. Social scientists often have to rely on observational studies or quasi-experimental designs that do not allow for complete control of all variables.

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of a quantitative research method?

Accepted Answer

Conducting a survey is a form of quantitative research as it involves collecting numerical data to analyze and draw conclusions about a population.

Question 7

Norm is interested in whether pet owners are more likely than those who do not own pets to have healthier lifestyles (e.g.,exercise regularly,drink moderately,and refrain from nicotine use).By comparing the numbers he gathers on both groups,Norm will most likely be using what particular research method?

Accepted Answer

Norm is collecting numerical data to compare the two groups, therefore he will be using a quantitative research method.

Question 8

Which of the following factors is needed to establish causality?

Accepted Answer

Time order is required to establish causality, as the cause must come before the effect. Validity is important but not sufficient on its own to establish causality. Spuriousness is the presence of a correlation between two variables that is not due to a direct causal relationship. Panel study results can help in ruling out alternative explanations, but are not necessary for establishing causality.

Question 9

In establishing causation,it helps to know which variable precedes the other in time.If not,it is easy to make a mistake involving:

Accepted Answer

Establishing the temporal sequence of the variables is crucial in establishing causality. If the wrong variable is identified as the cause or if the direction of causality is reversed, it can lead to reverse causality.

Question 10

If Kate begins her research with a theory,then forms hypotheses and makes some observations,what method is she using?

Accepted Answer

Kate is using the deductive method, which begins with a theory and then forms hypotheses to test the theory through observations.

Question 11

The three factors needed to establish causality are:

Accepted Answer

The three factors needed to establish causality include correlation (the two variables are related), time order (the cause precedes the effect), and ruling out alternative explanations (other variables that may explain the relationship between the two variables). Choice D includes all three necessary factors.

Question 12

Which approach to sociological research starts with empirical observations and then works to form a theory?

Accepted Answer

The approach described is known as inductive reasoning, which involves starting with empirical observations and then developing a theory based on those observations. The other options do not accurately describe this process. Statistical research involves analyzing numerical data, observational research simply involves observing a phenomenon, and deductive reasoning starts with a theory and then tests it through empirical observations.

Question 13

Which of the following describes the deductive approach to research?

Accepted Answer

The deductive approach to research begins with a theory and then develops hypotheses based on that theory. Observations are then made to test the hypotheses and the data is analyzed to either support or reject the theory.

Question 14

The two broad approaches social scientists use to gather data about the social world are:

Accepted Answer

Social scientists typically use either quantitative or qualitative methods to collect data. Quantitative data is numerical and can be analyzed using statistical methods, whereas qualitative data is descriptive and requires interpretation. These two approaches are not mutually exclusive and can be used together in a mixed-methods approach.

Question 15

A sociologist finds a strong relationship between education and income.If he only assumes that the amount of education people receive directly causes them to earn a certain income,and not that a family's income can determine educational attainment,he is forgetting to consider:

Accepted Answer

By only assuming that education causes income and not considering the possibility of reverse causality (where income can cause education levels), the sociologist is overlooking an important factor that could affect their findings. Reverse causality suggests that people who have higher incomes may have more resources to invest in their education, leading to higher levels of educational attainment. Therefore, it's important to consider both directions of causality when studying the relationship between education and income.

Question 16

A correlation is a:

Accepted Answer

A correlation is a statistical measure indicating the extent to which two or more variables fluctuate together. It represents the degree of co-variation between two variables, meaning that as one variable changes, the other also changes in a consistent way. However, correlation does not necessarily imply causation, which would make option D incorrect. Option A implies causation, which is incorrect, whereas option C refers to moderating variables, which is not relevant to the definition of correlation.

Question 17

Which of the following is more difficult to do in social science research?

Accepted Answer

Establishing causation in social science research can be very difficult due to issues such as selection bias, confounding variables, and the inability to manipulate variables as in experimental research. The other choices (A, C, and D) involve describing or proposing relationships rather than establishing causation.

Question 18

Paula begins to notice that there are patterns to where people sit on the bus,and these patterns differ depending on whether the rider is male or female.Based on these observations,she generates larger ideas (theories)about the behaviors of men and women.This is an example of which kind of research approach?

Accepted Answer

The research approach described here is inductive, as Paula is making generalizations based on specific observations. Deductive research involves starting with a hypothesis or theory and testing it with specific data, which is not what is happening in this scenario. Quantitative research involves analyzing numerical data, which is not relevant to this scenario. A case study involves in-depth analysis of a single individual or group, which is also not what is happening in this scenario.

Question 19

Andy hypothesized that the stress created during economic downturns would increase the probability of spousal abuse.Stress would be considered the ____________ variable,and spousal abuse would be considered the ____________ variable.

Accepted Answer

In this hypothesis, stress is the independent variable, as it is hypothesized to be the cause or predictor of spousal abuse, which is the dependent variable.

Question 20

Which of the following is the best example of a correlation?

Accepted Answer

Option D is the best example of a correlation as it shows that higher levels of income are associated with better overall health. The two variables are related to each other and as one increases, the other tends to increase as well. Correlation does not imply causation, so it is important to note that this does not mean that higher income directly causes better health.

Quiz 2: Methods